Act III
Testing a Person [II]
"Who are you?"
"I'm Bill Weasley- you know this already."
"No, I did not ask for your name."
"What- yes you did, you asked who I was and I told you."
"Humans give far too much credit to titles and labels- it blinds them. Binds them, twists and perverts them."
"No it doesn't."
"It does. If the title 'Evil' were not created, would there not be less hate- regardless on how you justify it? If the label 'Perfect' did not exist, would not people be happier then they are constantly straining towards the unattainable?"
"But my name-"
"Is but a label, branded upon you to mark you- one that is not even your own with how many others share them, even if the combination is different. Let me ask you this...If you state not your labels or titles...who are you?"
A pause, where Bill tried to find an answer.
"The answers, little human, lie in your memories- lessons learned in the past." Itzcoatl the Quetzalcoatl, whom had captured Bill and declared that he would be free Bill if the wizard could answer a question correctly, shifted his large scaled body until his tail was free to carefully press against Bill's forehead.
Bill, fighting the urge to jerk away from the creature as large as a dragon, stayed still as black wings sprang open, creating a whirlwind of black feathers.
...,...,...
"Mum? Why're you so fat?" At three Bill had not yet learned the taboo of his question.
His mother cradled her stomach, glaring at her husband when his father unsuccessfully tried to play his laugh off as a cough before looking at him. "I'm not fat Bill, I'm pregnant."
"But your tummy's so-..." He frowned, pressing against the hard, bloated mound in confusion, startling when it moved under his hands. "It moved! Your tummy moved!"
His mother smiled at him, "That's your brother kicking."
"My brother'sa tummy?" He gapped, then curiously poked the mound.
His father laughed, "No, your brother is inside your mother's stomach."
He gasped, horrified, "Mum ate brother!"
"No she didn't." His father assured.
He frowned, "Then how did he get inna stom-stoma-stummy?"
"Yes, Arthur," His mother asked, amused. "How did he get in my stummy?"
His father turned a bit red as he stuttered "Well"s and "You see"s before blurting "Magic!"
"Can I get a brother in my tummy?" He asked excitedly, then frowned and said. "Or do boys have sisters in their tummies?"
His mother answered while his father chocked, "Why don't we wait until you know magic before you try- we'll see once you graduated Hogwarts."
"Okay!" He agreed easily, then frowned as he remembered, "Why'd he hit me? Does he not like me?"
"He's just saying hello." His mother assured.
Frowning thoughtfully for a moment, he leaned closer and cupped his hands around his mouth- so that his thumbs and index fingers touched him while his pinkies pressed against the stomach- then yelled a drawn out, "HHHEEEEEEEELLLLLLLOOOOOOOO!"
...
"He looks weird." Bill announced bluntly as he stared at his squirming newborn brother. "I don't like him. Take him back." he demanded.
His father laughed, "We can't do that Bill."
"Then magic him away." he said.
His father shook his head, "We're not sending your brother away."
"He's not my brother," he denied then proclaimed, "My brother wouldn't look so weird."
"Give it time and you'll come to love him." His father promised.
"No." He retorted stubbornly.
...
"Bil! Bil!" Charlie chanted happily.
Bill gaped, "He spoke! MUM! DAD! CHARLIE SPOKE!" he shouted excitedly.
"BIL!" Charlie screamed, matching his volume.
He beamed, "Almost! B-I-L-L. Bill."
"Biilll." Charlie frowned before firmly stating, "Bil!"
...
"Mum?" Barely older then ten, Bill stared at his mother with wide eyes as she frantically bustled about- dressing his brothers and packing food. He got an armful of a rambunctious toddler for his trouble, Charlie- not yet eight- having George put in his arms. "What's going on? You're scaring me."
His mother, always so quick to sooth any of her children, ignored him as she plopped a four year old Percy down between him and Charlie- who was staring fearfully out the window as a line of lights steadily made there way closer, clutching George so tightly the boy squirmed in protest.
Bill was old enough to recognize the lights as spells upon wand tips, to know that the odd clock that Uncle Fabian had made had all but his father's- whose was at "Work"- hands placed on "Mortal Danger" and understand the implications- but young enough, child enough, to be in denial because the Burrow was home and home was always safe and these kinds of things were what happened in the paper, never to them.
Right?
"Bill," His mother near about collapsed to her knees before him, "Look at me- Bill, look at me." she cupped his face to make him look away from the approaching light line and look at her- he realized that she looked remarkably sad even though she smiled softly at him. "Your father's not here right now so you're going to have to help me," her gaze briefly flickered to the clock before returning to him. "When I tell you to, I need you to take your brothers to the Lovegoods and tell them what's happening."
His mother pulled them all into a hug, told them in a wavering voice, "I love you" then herded them to the back door as she went to the front with her wand in her hand.
"Muuu-" Percy started in a confused and scared whine.
His mother breathed harshly, almost as if she wanted to cry but refused to, before barking out, "Now!" Going out the door with a shout of "Bombarda Maxima!"
Holding Fred tight and clutching desperately to Percy's hand, Bill led the way out the back- he couldn't stop his flinch when a voice yelled out "Crucio!" and a woman started screaming.
...
"My baby!" His mother cried, clutching him to her chest.
He squirmed uncomfortably, conscious of the others at the platform, "Muuum!" he complained. "I'll miss the train!"
That just started her up again, "My baby! You can't leave- it's too soon- you're too young!"
"Bill no go!" The twins added. "Stay!"
Percy nodded as Charlie piped up with, "At least until I go so we can go together."
"Boys, Molly." His father said, "Everyone goes to Hogwarts at eleven, that mean Bill to-"
The train whistled and he was clutched tighter by more hands- he'll never admit that he clutched back just as desperately.
...
"Pleasure to meet you- Max Wilton, no I am not a boy." Came the introduction as a brown haired and eyed girl took the seat across from him.
He blinked at the girl watching him eagerly, "Er..Bill Weasley."
"Hi Bill," the girl smiled, she had a pretty smile- the thought pushed away with a denial because she was a girl and it was gross. "Are you the only wizard in your family? I'm the only witch! Mum nearly had a heart attack when the Professor turned into a cat!"
He shook his head, "No, I'm a pure-blood. My whole family is magical."
"Really? That is...AWESOME!" she decided on.
A blond boy with green eyes peeked into the carriage, "Can I sit here?"
He shrugged and Max gave another not-pretty smile. "Sure! I'm Max Wilton and that's Bill Weasley."
"Neal Anderson." the boy offered, dragging a trunk inside while carrying a cat-carrier. "This is Sa' Sharon Cynder Alexia Maria Anderson the Thirteenth." the boy said seriously, pulling a white cat with black socks and tail tip into his lap. "I call her Sasha."
Bill pointed to where his owl, that his uncles bought for his first year, was sleeping in it's cage. "That is Errol Weasley the, uh, only. I call him Errol."
"I have a dog at home named Munchies." Max offered to their expectant looks. "I call him Munchies the Meat Monster or MMM if I'm not awake."
...
"Errol!" he hissed, "Errol- Errol nononono!"
McGonagall let out an angry sound, "Who's owl is that!?"
He moaned pitifully, slowly raising his hand, "That would be me, Professor."
His friends snickered and he glared at them- anything to avoid look at where his owl pooped on his professor.
...
"No! Bad boy!" Max's barked command drew Bill's attention and he saw Neal flailing under Munchies, a Belgian sheepdog as Max repeatedly and adamantly stated, as the dog licked him. "What do you think you are doing!?"
"Than-" Neal started when Munchies moved.
Max glowered, "Why were you bullying Munchies the Meat Monster, Neal?"
"Wh- I- Me bully him!?" Neal sputtered. "He jumped me!"
Bill, the opportunity too good to pass up, called, "The only one who would jump you!"
When a shoe was thrown at his head, well, he ducked it laughing.
...
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" the room chanted.
Bill, awkward and thirteen, shifted nervously as he looked at the mistletoe above him. "We don't have to..."
"It'd be easier to just get it over with." Max, fourteen and a bit less awkward, muttered, glaring at Neal who had started the chant.
He nodded, gathered his courage, leaned forwards and shut his eyes. A brief press of soft roughness- the uneven prick of where the scabbing bit of where Max bit her lip- and a quiet "Oooh!" of the crowd before he open his eyes again as they parted.
A moment of silence before Neal called, "Max and Bill sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
And, as the audience started singing "First comes love..." and Max tackled Neal with a roar of frustrated embarrassment, a sudden realization struck Bill-
Max was a girl.
...
McGonagall pulled Bill and Neal aside immediately after returning from the holidays, "Mr. Anderson, Mr. Weasley I am sorry to inform you of this but there has been an attack."
"Who?" Bill asked hollowly, recognizing that Max was missing but desperately hoping she was safe.
McGonagall's shined, "Miss Wilton is no longer with us."
He felt numb and followed when Neal sank down, hearing but not registering as she continued to speak, "She managed to delay the Death Eaters until help arrived so her family got out safely."
"What about Munchies?" Neal asked blankly. "The dog."
"The dog didn't make it- it seems it got hit by a close ranged, over powered Bombarda. Miss Wilton, she's a hero."
I would rather she be alive then a hero.
...
There were two graves beside each other, a Bird of Paradise flower on the left grave and a Snowdrop on the right.
The right read;
+Munchies the Meat Monster
A loyal companion
and beloved family member.
The left-
Maxine Wilton
A daughter, a big sister,
a friend and a hero.
There was more, but he didn't look at them any further, choosing to look down at the picture settled between the graves of a child, maybe seven, covered in suds and frozen min-laugh as a soaking wet puppy, caught mid-wriggle, licked her face.
"I was going to ask her out." He said dully, "To be my girlfriend."
"The last thing I said to her was that I hated her and her stupid mutt." Neal, not really replying, said.
...
"Last night," Neal mused, sipping on stolen Firewhisky. "Everything changes tomorrow."
Vincent, their roommate (former for Bill but he still counted it), nodded, "No coming back after graduation."
"Well gents," Bill said, more then a little drunk, with a wide grin. "If this be our last night- lets make it one to remember!"
"Cheers!" Daniel cried before downing his drink.
...
Trying to not look like he had a hangover, Bill stood on the stage erected in the middle of the Quidditch field for graduation after the Head Girl stepped down from her speech. His year-mates were seated in one area made of six rows and three aisles in alphabetical order, not by house for a change.
"I had written a speech," Bill admitted, "But it doesn't matter anymore- can't remember it." The students laughed, though Head Girl glared at him so he continued. "And maybe that's for the best because it was about things like The Future and Careers- all the adult stuff that we had either been preparing for or trying to pretend doesn't exist." A huff a laughter from behind him and he resisted the urge to see which teacher had let it out. "You see, as I stand before you- I remember."
He breathed in, a thought coming, and let it out with the exhale.
"Seven years ago we all boarded the train for the first time, some of us had never seen it before while others had. Some of us had heard stories about Hogwarts, from parents or older siblings and family members, and others were starting to see just how magical the world was.
I grew up on stories about Hogwarts- tales of strict professors, agonizing amounts of homework, pranks, detentions, Quidditch matches and everything in between- and I've always wanted to go, to see it all for myself, but, despite being a Gryffindor for the past seven years, I'll always believe that my bravest moment was when I let go of my mum and boarded the train.
No one walked beside me, I was the oldest so I went alone, and we all went on at different times in different places with different people- regardless, that day, for the first time, we all boarded together. It wasn't the safest time, I'll admit, there was a war going on and people around us were dying but, still, it was our time."
He paused, silently awed that everyone was silent- that he was the reason, before continuing softly, solemnly. "Our Head Girl spoke to you about how we will leave here and be responsible, I want to remind you how we are already responsible. I stand here before you and see there are eighteen of us left. Eighteen when we were thirty-two to start."
He paused once more, gathering himself, then recited.
"Rachel Aaron. Slytherin, fifth year- age sixteen.
Mike Ableton. Ravenclaw, first year- age twelve.
Liam Baron. Slytherin, fourth year- age fourteen.
Liana Baron. Ravenclaw, fourth year- age fourteen.
Violet Brown. Gryffindor, first year- age eleven.
Sam Carson. Hufflepuff, second year- age twelve.
Bailey Carter. Hufflepuff, third year- age thirteen.
Cassie Darién. Ravenclaw, fourth year- age fifteen.
Tony Howards. Gryffindor, third year- age fourteen.
Hale Isle. Ravenclaw, first year- age eleven.
Gabriel Moors. Slytherin, third year- age thirteen.
Katie Niles. Hufflepuff, second year- age twelve.
Patrick Sears. Gryffindor, fourth year- age fifteen.
Max Wilton. Hufflepuff, third year- age fourteen."
Breath in. Breath out.
"Each of them gone, far too young, but none forgotten. We started as thirty-two, we lost fourteen- now there are eighteen of us left.
We are all heading our own ways, some of us will never speak or see each other again others will wish that were so. When we leave here and step towards our futures, look back and remember what we left behind. When we live our lives, recall our friends whom never had the opportunity."
Inhale. Exhale.
"Seven years ago we started our time on a train that we all went on at different times in different places with different people- as different people.
Seven years ago we all boarded a train together. Seven years later we all graduate together.
Some of us are unable to make it here today but I will graduate for them, with them, as I remember. So I ask what you will do?
Will you remember?"
When he left the stage it was to silence, he was a bit disgruntled by that. At least until the first name, "Aaron, Rachel", was called and two Slytherin girls went up for her.
He did not cry.
At least not until he went up with Neal when "Wilton, Maxine" was called.
...
"A dog?" Bill asked, peering at the dark furred puppy in Neal's arms.
Neal nodded, "Belgian sheepdog."
"It's name?" Bill smiled, the smile less pained and more fond.
"Monster the Meat Muncher." Neal answered. "Or MMM II."
He laughed, "He's going with you?"
Neal nodded again, "Yeah. I was thinking of creating a bond."
"A familiar?" He asked, startled.
Neal smiled, "Yeah. But not until he's a bit older."
He nodded, "Where you headed first?"
"I was thinking Greece or Romania." Neal said.
Bill clapped his friend on the shoulder, scratching MMM II with his other hand. "When you're around, be sure to visit me in Egypt."
"Sure thing."
...
"Don't go!" His sister was the only one whom begged as his family saw him off, but Ron's lip wavered and the twins clung to Charlie who had his jaw set while Percy placidly remained in his crying mother's arms- only his father was able to offer him a true smile.
"I have to," Bill told his sister, hugging her as he said it even if his words were for his entire family. "But I'll visit on the holidays- it's like Hogwarts all over again."
"It's not!" Ginny protested. "You'll be alone!"
He tried not to swallow or flinch at that- by Charlie's suddenly narrow gaze he wasn't completely successful- because, with a family like his, the only time he had been alone was his first year at Hogwarts and that only lasted until he made friends with the other firsties of Gryffindor at the Sorting Feast. This was different, there were no teachers his parents had spoke of or places that held fond memories for them- anyone, thing or place he finds will be face absolutely alone, with no previous knowledge given to him. It was terrifying- to the extent where he wished he could throw up without his mother insisting he couldn't handle this and force him to stay home. But it was also exciting because everyone and everything he discovers will be his alone to learn and experience without the bias of his family's own experiences.
Besides he was a Gryffindor and, brave or not, they tarried on with all they got.
"No I won't," He said instead- maybe because it was simpler, maybe because he was the big brother who wasn't supposed to be afraid when his younger siblings were or maybe because he was unwilling to admit that half of him just wanted to go home and play exploding snap while listening to his mother make dinner. "Because I won't forget you and you won't forget me. And, so long as we remember each other, we're only ever a thought away." Then, simply because he liked to make her smile, he mock-whispered, "Besides, I'll be sending so many letters that cleaning up feathers will be a regular punishment for the twins."
Ginny laughed as the twins shouted out indignant "Hey!"s.
...
"Charlie- Char- Charlie!" Bill grabbed his panicking brother by the shoulders, and forcefully sat him on the bed in what used to be their room (and was again for the holidays as he visited). "Calm down and tell me what happened."
His brother swallowed, "Remember Sarah?"
"Your girlfriend." Bill nodded, recalling the blond Hufflepuff that his brother had starting dating the year before.
"W-well," His brother swallowed again, this one thicker- harsher. "You know that we've been...well- you know."
"Having sex." he said calmly, noting how the other twitched and tensed. "Come on Charlie, I can't help if I don't know what happened."
His brother took a deep breath then blurted, "Sarah's pregnant."
"Mum's going to kill you." he said unhelpfully, earning a moan that retracted him from the 'Merlin, how did this happen' feeling he was experiencing. "First things first- do you want the kid?"
"I-I don't know...I never thought about it." Charlie stumbled.
"Then think about it." He prompted.
He sat in silence as his brother thought until the other looked up with a hesitant smile, "Yeah...I think I do."
"Then it's time to tell Mum and Dad."
That earned him another moan.
...
"Charlie..." Bill started, "What happened?"
His brother was rumpled, unwashed and unmoving, "Sarah miscarried. Then we had a fight."
"About what?" he prompted gently.
His brother's hands clenched, "She's an idiot!" He burst suddenly. "She knew she was pregnant but decided that Quidditch was more important then our baby! A bludger hit her and she miscarried! She killed our son!"
He wrapped an arm around his harshly breathing brother, Charlie was silent for a moment before saying, "She killed our son. I was going to be a father. I was going to have a son and she killed him for a game. I held him and he was dead- he didn't even have a name."
Then whispering, "I can't Bill- never, never again."
He stayed silent for a moment, pulling his brother into a hug as he tried to imagine that- holding a nameless baby, his son, in his arms and knowing that he'd never get to know him but to have already loved him that his death hurt so much- and swallowed before saying. "Name him. Name him, Charlie so we can bury him."
And his little brother broke down.
...
"Harry! Our school things are here!" Hermione shouted excitedly, ripping open her envelope.
Harry came barreling in with Sirius following and accepted the thick envelope thrust at him, "Will it just be a supply list like Hogwarts?"
"No- here." Hermione said before reading her things aloud.
Student Name: Hermione J. Granger
Class Schedule: B
School Team: None
Dorm: Lunar A4
ID Number: 2053
Arena ID Number: 2051913
Benefit(s): None
Tuition;
Dorms (by Quarter) - In City Quad:
5 Sickles and 6 Knuts
Meal Plan (by Quarter) - XXX:
91 Galleons, 3 Sickles and 7 Knuts
Classes - EEE:
213 Galleons, 12 Sickles and 8 Knuts
Total:
305 Galleons, 3 Sickles and 21 Knuts
"That's...are you sure?" Hermione, not for the first time, asked.
Sirius, not for the first time, waved her off, "I'm sure- now go on."
Hermione swallowed before continuing,
Time Table - Day Walker B;
[Monday]
Breakfast;
4:55 - 7:55 A.M.
Introduction to the Elemental Arts;
7:55 - 8:55 A.M.
Divisions of Magic and Their Applications;
9:00 - 10:00 A.M.
Snack:
9:00 - 11:00 A.M.
Practical Applications of Magic;
11:00 - 12:00 A.M./P.M.
How Language and Culture Alters the Use of Magic;
12:05 - 1:05 P.M.
Lunch; 12:05 - 2:35 P.M.
Basic Healing and Health Preservation;
2:35 - 3:35 P.M.
Applications of Speech and Writing to Magic;
3:40 - 4:40 P.M.
Basic Special and Racial Taxonomy;
5:50 - 6:50 P.M.
Dinner; 5:00 -9:00 P.M.
[Tuesday and Thursday]
Breakfast;
4:55 - 7:55 A.M.
Divisions of Magic and Their Applications;
7:55 - 10:00 A.M.
Snack:
9:00 - 11:00 A.M.
How Language and Culture Alters the Use of Magic;
11:00 - 1:05 A.M./P.M.
Lunch; 12:05 - 2:35 P.M.
Applications of Speech and Writing to Magic;
2:35 - 4:40 P.M.
Basic Special and Racial Taxonomy;
5:50 - 6:50 P.M.
Dinner; 5:00 -9:00 P.M.
[Wednesday and Friday]
Breakfast;
4:55 - 7:55 A.M.
Introduction to the Elemental Arts;
7:55 - 10:00 A.M.
Snack:
9:00 - 11:00 A.M.
Practical Applications of Magic;
11:00 - 1:05 P.M.
Lunch; 12:05 - 2:35 P.M.
Basic Healing and Health Preservation;
2:35 - 4:40 P.M.
Basic Special and Racial Taxonomy;
5:50 - 6:50 P.M.
Dinner; 5:00 -9:00 P.M.
"We have the first three classes and Health together." Harry inputted then read,
Basic Summons;
12:05 - 1:05 P.M.
Basic Technomancy Workshop;
3:40 - 4:40 P.M.
Applications of Speech and Writing to Magic;
5:50 - 6:50 P.M.
"At least you have most of your classes together," Sirius said, "And your breaks."
Hermione nodded decisively before continuing.
Books:
The What, Where and How of the Elements by Alice Wilson
Magical Division and You by Victoria Baker
The Interactive Workbook for Practical Spell Casting by Marcus Ratliff
Magic Around the World I by Alec Maldonado
Mage-ical Kit, A Healer's Basic Guide by Rae Navarro
Magical Wordsmithery I by Procyon Lokabrenna
Species or Race? by Waylon Cote
Racial and Special Classing Waylon Cote
Supplies:
2 Rolls of Parchment per Class
1 Notebook per Class
1 Magenda
1 Receiver
1 Holograde
5 Dueler's Grade Pants
5 Dueler's Grade Shirts
1 Dueler's Grade Glove Set
1 Dueler's Grade Shoe Set
1 Dueler's Grade Wand Holster
[Note: Due to the temperature changes of the Arena, it is advised that Dueler's Grade Boots, Coat and Goggles are also purchased.]
"Harry," Hermione paused, "What other books do you need?"
"Err..." Harry fumbled a moment before answering,"Summons, Back to the Basics by Wyatt Barrera and Magitek of Today by Liam Zallen."
"Did either of you decide on a team or club you might join?" he asked, earning nods and shrugs.
...
"Update number Four! Twenty-two completed a task, three completed two and nineteen dead! Only 216 hours left, Kiddies!"
That is what woke Bill and never had he hated a woman more then in that moment Nicolette's voice startling him from his sleep, his mother would have been horrified and enraged if she knew the fantasies he had about the woman who woke him, but he did not care. At least right now- Bill knew he'd feel guilty once he gotten over his abrupt and unwanted awakening. As it was, he was mulish and irate as he spent time taking in the surrounding area that he had practically ignored earlier while he waited for his breakfast to finish cooking.
(He spoke with Sirius and agreed to speak around every three updates until they met. The Animagus had been eating omelets from a bag that had been placed in boiling water and had decided that he was going to get moving immediately as Sirius would rather not sleep underground again because, while the bed rolls were spelled against pests, all the things that moved about the Caverns echoed and made for an uneasy rest. Bill privately thought that Sirius had developed insomnia as it wasn't unheard of to find Padfoot napping anywhere or time but no one was aware when Sirius slept as the man was the last to bed and first to rise- it made him worry about how healed the man truly was, a sentiment Remus shared from the werewolf's concerned glances when the Animagus wasn't looking.)
The Valley of Abatement was hung between two cliffs that stretched even higher then the Sun Towers did so that the dip of the valley was just bellow the Towers' original height- as they started increasing in height like demented stairs the closer to the valley he got. The decline into the valley was moderate in it's steepness, though it may seem that due to the gnarled ashy-brown trees that, while scattered sparsely on the lip of the cliff where Bill was, became a rather dense forest as the height decreased with the upturned roots that acted as much of an obstacle as the large, misshapen rock and the tree's held a large, plump bundle of darkened leaves that would surely filter away most sunlight from the floor. His fire cast long reaching shadows into the already dim forest, wind rustling the branches so they creaked and groaned their protests- as the valley was a 'U' not a bowl the winds coming from the east and west disturbed the trees with ease- even as they held strong against the onslaught, under the cackling fire there were various unseen creatures flitting about their lives.
Bill's breakfast, as it turned out, was a dozen muffin rolls that could be eaten in three bites with soft, warm bread and gooey, melted cheese that covered heated slabs of well smoked ham. It was good enough that he felt a twinge of regret over not fighting for the gourmet food even if it were not practical- they weren't practical in terms of, well, 'keeping' in the sense of non-perishable foods. The gourmet food would keep up to six days, with the quality of the food decreasing each day until it spoiled on the seventh- in contrast, the food he got would keep up to six weeks and the quality would only deteriorate during the final week. He wasn't sure as to why a regular grilled stake would last longer then a 'gourmet grilled' stake, but if he had to guess he would say it was due to the differing standards of what is used to cook the meals along with the cooks themselves.
But, he had to digress, the reasoning of his food didn't matter at the moment, not when he was in a harmful and dangerous place.
Walking down into the dip of the valley was...unnerving- without the fire's light or cackling the forest was drowning in shadows and darkness with the moonlight peering dimly through leaves to act as lighting while the night sounds boomed and echoed without dispute. A creature howled and Bill jerked, missing his step and tripping as the thin root he stood on instead of the intended stone gave way with a crack.
Clouds shifted to tuck the moon into hiding as he fell, then-...
Darkness.
...,...,...
"Your name is William 'Bill' Weasley but you are more then that. Wake now little human, your companion is calling you."
...,...,...
Bill bolted up right with a gasp, in his hand was a single black feather.
"-ill!" Sirius' voice called.
"Y-yeah?" He answered.
Quetzalcoatl Feather acquired, Two tasks of Five completed.
It's done. I apologize for the unannounced hiatus.
A Quetzalcoatl, to my understanding, is viewed as a deity and/or hero. It's tweaked a bit to where, instead of One Quetzalcoatl, there is an entire race of them (though the oldest and "Father" of the race will be the one linked to myths). I twisted bits the myths ("Patron of merchants", "obtained wisdom" and "god of life") so that they have the ability to help a person find oneself- for a price ranging from life to objects- by having them 'live' a different life or reliving past events. For the test, those whom were deemed failures by the Quetzalcoatl (I have named him Itzcoatl - "Obsidian Serpent") were declared 'dead', taken from the arena as a failure and, depending on how dissatisfied the Quetzalcoatl was, kept unconscious from three hours to one month.
And, Katzztar, about the Jackalope...there most likely will not be one in the test but now I also have the urge to have Sirius meet one so it will happen, just not sure on when. What would you name a Jackalope anyways?
My question;
Any guesses on what a "Magenda" or "Holograde" is?