The Witch Queen of Avalon
A Harry Potter UNIVERSE/ Sasporilla Bucket Fan Fiction
by Darren Kelly
CHAPTER 5
Sasporilla Buckets Triumphant twelve hundred X broom was levitated high above her for all to see by the Witch Queen.
"Behold!" The Witch Queen said. "The slowest broom in hands of the slyest witch will always be the winner!"
The crowd cheered until the Witch Queen held up her hand. "However, I can't help that because you caused the demise of my dear friend and trusted advisor Henimaxx Dimm, I should penalize you in some way." The Witch Queen mused. "Oh I know!"
"DISRUPTO MAXIMA!" The vile Queen cast bursting the broom apart at the very core of its magical fabric!
"Damn you Bougenvallia!" Sasporilla cried. "I kept my life stored in that broom!"
"Unfortunate." The Witch Queen smiled clapping her hands. "On with the Tournament!"
Every challenge the Witch Queen through at Sasporilla, the young witch was unmatched at. Targeted spells, under water item retrieval, even curse breaking. Which was not an event most of the Royal guards were successful at. By the final event there was only Sasporilla Bucket, three advisors and one guardsman left. The champions were lined up on a straight racetrack. At its end was a crystal hand grasping the Royal Scepter of Avalon!
"This is the final challenge!" The Witch Queen said. "The task is simple. The fastest person to the scepter wins! Oh, but in this case the only one who is really trying and is possibly worthy is Sasporilla Bucket, so kill her if you can!"
The crowd gasped.
"A Queen must be prepared for assassination attempts EVERY DAY!" the Witch Queen insisted. "Two little hitches."
The track suddenly twisted and turned. Statues and rocks appeared. Sasporilla recognized they were the prisoners! The knights of the table round, her friends! Plants and vines grew wildly around the rocks and out of the ground. Tunnels in the sides of the stadium opened up, releasing many creatures. Erumpants, blast ended screwts, manticores, and occymys.
"Your path will not be as straight as you might have hoped." The witch Queen smiled. "But then, when in life is ones ever?"
************
Bougenvallia Bent, the prettiest of the three Bent girls, was not only the smartest and most powerful witch in her both classes at her graduating classes at Hogwarts and Avalon University, but was also the first daughter of noble blood in the family able to compete in the open trials for Witch Queen. The honour should have fallen to her sister Wysteria but she was, lucky for Bougenvallia, born a squib and thus unable and ineligible. Thus she was sent off along with a hundred and twelve other noble born girls to enter the trials.
As always only the most esteemed of noted royalty, celebrities and people of note and worth were invited to view the trials. The Bougenvallia's parents were most put out that they were not sent an invitation! Not being able to imagine themselves that unimportant they showed up at the stadium in Avalon anyway only to be turned away. Much to their public embarrassment!
Her Royal Majesty Glarevoicance Spook was not long for this world. The decrepit old husk of a Witch Queen could barely stand as she hosted the trials. To Bougenvallia Bent the trials all seemed silly, trivial tasks. All of the far to easy for her talents. Each one eliminating a few witches each time until finally there were only a hand full of them left. That is when things got a bit more interesting.
In the final twelve they were forced to compete against one another in groups. To fight and to race. To do damage to one another. Do whatever it took to win! It didn't seem to matter if the fastest girl, Petunia Plunk was one step from the finish line when Bougenvallia cast "COMMUTIONEM" and switched places with her. Bougenvallia Bent crossed the finish line first, much to the delight of the old Witch Queen!
The broom Obstacle course was easy. Blowing the others off their brooms with Bombarda maxima while they tried to defend with expeliarmus was a laugh. Only one girl, Amilia Wrafton gave her any sort of bother. "AVADAKEDVARA" took care of her, and the Witch Queen approved!!! Finally it was down to her and two other girls for a race to the scepter. Bougenvallia allowed them to run ahead and get caught up in, and taken out by, the most vicious of traps. The intelligent young witch bypassed their corpses and made her way to the end. A beautifully carved crystal hand holding a golden scepter. Bougenvallia walked up and with a deep breath and a confident smile grasped the rod of gold.
There was a feeling, something accepting and electric that enveloped her body. Almost like the feeling when she found her wand at Olivander's. Hawthorn, nine and a half inches with kneezle whisker core. An odd memory. She felt both weak and yet strong. The strongest she had felt in a very long time. Who would she choose as her Warlock King? She found it odd her mind turned to the fat pudding of a boy, Nichol-ass Owlmore. The boy that called her BOOGIE WOOGIE. The boy who, since he'd left Hogwarts had established himself as quite an up-and-comer in the Auror's office. Him and his bug-eyed gap-toothed best friend Riddonkulous Bucket, the boy friend of her older sister Wysteria, were thought to be quite the hot shot Auror’s. Why would she think of him? He was nothing to her? A completely inappropriate choice for a Warlock King! Why was she so tired she wondered?
"It's ok child." A voice said in her head. "The fat boy can't help you, can't protect now. Just slip away."
"Who?" Bougenvallia asked. "Who are you?"
"I am the true Witch Queen! Baba Yaga! I have taken the body of the winning girl for centuries and continued on my rule. Now before you go dear... who is this insufferable foolish popinjay in your memory? Hyronimus Rodrovich. A Hufflepuff boy? Mmmmm? A simpleton with a good heart. Easily manipulated. He may make a very good Warlock King thank you."
And Bougenvallia Bent faded away into nothingness as the Baba Yaga raised the Golden scepter as Bougenvallia Bent! The new Witch Queen of Avalon!
*****************
"Also Sasporilla," the Witch Queen said. "Know that if the scepter doesn't accept you... no hard feelings."
Sasporilla felt something shake in her pocket. What the heck? She went to feel what it was. It was the Wish box her father had given her.
"On the count of three." The Witch Queen grinned pointing her wand at the backs of the champions. "One... two... three.... BOMBARDA!!!"
Sasporilla was off quickly but still stumbled forward from the blast as it struck the ground behind the champions who were blown to the ground. The last of the royal guards men took the brunt of the blast and lay beside the starting line, legless and still.
Sasporilla felt the heat of a blast of magical energy graze her left shoulder as ducked behind a stone planter. The blast striking the stone form of Sir Hugo!
"No!" Sasporilla cried, knowing he was now for all intents and purposes, dead. "Bougenvallia you fiend!"
"Oh I wouldn't blame her?" The gold masked champion said in her deep dusky voice as she rounded the corner easily deflecting Sasporilla's attack. "No my dear, blame me. I wasn't even aiming for you. I was aiming for your friend."
"Damn you Amari." Sasporilla cursed. "Why? In heavens name why?
"To bring you pain." Amari said slowly pulling the gold mask from her face.
A low rumbling growl sounded in behind Sasporilla. Sassy turned her head quickly to see a Manticore creeping up behind her.
"It seems you're trapped Ms.Bucket." Amari chuckled. "Between the proverbial rock and a hard place!"
"FELIFORS!!!" Sasporilla cast as the Manticore pounced at her. The spell hit the beast head on transforming it into an ordinary house cat which Sasporilla cast a sticking hex on and tossed at Amari.
The poor beast landed on Amari's face and sank it's frightened claws in, hissing and spitting, as Amari screamed and ran off. Sasporilla remembered the nights of reading Karry had done on the Wedjat! How many tales she had read to Sassy about how the Wedjat's were terrified of Cat's, the guardians of the under world and most prized protectors of Pharaoh’s.
With a very satisfied smile, Sasporilla set off to continue on the course. A small field of what looked like lovely red speckled yellow sunflowers lay ahead.
"Helianthus Cerbottana!" Sasporilla smiled. "The Italian poison thorn throwing sunflower! Herbology year three. What was it professor Sprout used to say? Sunflowers, yellow with red will shoot you dead. 'DEFLORESCO' will make them bow their heads!!!"
"DEFLORESCO!" Sasporilla cast at the deadly plants making them droop. Their flowery heads pointing yo the ground as Sassy ran past. The poison thorns firing out into the ground at their own base and into their own stems.
"There she is!" A gruff nasal voice called out from behind Sasporilla. "We must Get to her!"
Sassy turned to see Gormlobom and Marie LaVeau on the far side of the Sunflower field.
"EXURGO!" Sasporilla cast causing the sunflowers to stand and face the new champions standing on their border.
"Have fun!" Sassy shouted as she ran off.
The path became stony and rough and Sasporilla took caution as a large cavernous rock mouth appeared before her. The path beyond still looked clear and well lit, though strewn with small grey and black rocks. The black rocks began to shake and grow quickly, springing up around her. Razor sharp black spikes that cut Sassy's arm like a knife as they sprung up.
"Ouch!" Sassy yelled! Grasping her arm running forward through the mouth of the cave. The razor like rocks growing to thirty foot monolithic heights, then come crashing back down. Spraying small shards of razor rock forward which cut into Sasporilla's leg painfully. Those shards that hit the ground began to grow! INTERFECTIOBSIDEON, murder rock! Sasporilla remembered the talk on it Hogwarts. Living rock! A creature! A blood thirsty one that can not be placated and is damn near impossible to destroy!!!
Sasporilla took the path right and the rock shot up in front of her. Sassy twisted in time to avoid the razor sharp rock from cutting through her shoulder, but the point shot forward straight through the statued form of the General, Sir Keaton, shattering him.
Sasporilla searched her brain for the lesson on how to defend against these beasts but the constant danger blocked her memory.
With a sharp crash the spiky end split the chest of Sir Griffin, shattering him. Sasporilla desperately trying to stay clear of the razor sharp edges as one sliced lightly up her back slicing her cloak in two as another sliced past her knee, smashing through Dame Beatrix Zonko's abdomen. Crumbling her like a pillar of salt.
"SALT!" Sasporilla yelled pointing her wand and casting "SALIS TELMPEST!"
A storm of salt sprayed from the tip of Sasporilla's wand causing the black razor rock to wither and die as she stood quite out of breath with her back to the stone form of
Lyra Lee-Ashwolf. Sassy looked up into the angry stone face of her friend.
"You're welcome," Sassy smiled, "Thank Goodness my butt’s big enough for you to hide behind ay? OY! Oh Lyra, what have we gotten ourselves into?"
An Erumpant charged at Sasporilla through the settling cloud of salt. Sassy leapt to one side as the great beast crashed through Lyra's stone form with a great explosion.
"No!" Sasporilla screamed.
"Petrificus totalous!" Marie LaVeau hissed as Sassy went stiff on the ground.
The old witch, masquerading as the young beautiful professor Fox for so long slid down from the Erumpants back and helped her partner in crime Gormlobom down to join her. The Royal advisors, and vicious tournament contestants removed their golden masks as they approached.
Sasporilla struggled to speak but could manage only a hateful indecipherable mumble.
"Quiet Ms.Bucket!" Marie LaVeau said in a very different voice. "I'm going to remove the petrifaction spell but don't move! It's me Professor Hannah and Sir Borwhen."
"We've conked and tied up the other two." Sir Borwhen smiled.
"Spot of polyjuice potion." Dame Hannah said dramatically casting a nasty looking spell at Sassy that was a simple dispell. Gormlobom danced with evil delight. Sassy stayed very still as the faux LaVeau swooped in by her ear as if whispering death itself to her.
"Right then here’s the plan!" Dame Hannah said hiding Sassy's slight grimace when Gormlobom bit her leg as viscously, but gently, as he could. "I'm going to pretend to cast crucio on you! You're going to convulse shake and scream. Put on a real good show! Then kick my feet out from under me 'ACCIDENTLY' and break the spell and run!!! We'll follow you on Ruthie here. Now this is the important part. Stop at each knight and wait for us to catch up. Just before Ruthie hits the stone form I'll teleport it to safety, and Sir Borwhen will cast a Bombarda to cover the tracks. Just like we did with Lyra. Got it?"
Without waiting for an answer Marie LaVeau stood up and stood before the stiff body of Sasporilla Bucket. The old hag looked to the crowd for approval and turned back pointing her wand "CRU-CIO!"
Sasporilla started to shake and writhe screaming with convulsive pain. Or so it seemed. Much to the great delight of the Witch Queen.
On cue Sassy turned her leg and kicked out Dame Hannah's legs out from under her knocking her to the ground. Gormlobom ran and hid like the coward the real one was. Sasporilla wasted no time running off down the path wand in hand clearing every obstacle to fall in her way. Her job now, not just to beat this evil Witch Queen but to directly rescue her friends. Win or lose the tournament!
Stopping at Dame Splatterpalette, as the Erumpant came charging up, Sassy shot magical blasts close to the great beasts to stop it but to no avail! From the point of view of the crowd and most importantly the Witch Queen the great Erumpant was destroying the statued prisoners!
Dame Phenix, Sir Stoffer, all teleported back to the hide home of the table round. The best minds from the University worked tirelessly to break the spell that held them in stone form.
The door to the Witch Queen's private box burst open. A small group of Royal guard escorted in the real Marie LaVeau and Gormlobom. Both looking disheveled after having been found and untied.
"IMPOSTERS!" Marie LaVeau hissed pointing out to the field.
The crowd gasped seeing the two tournament champions standing in the Queen's box as they also charged forward on the field.
"STOP!" the Witch Queen demanded.
Sasporilla stood before the stone form of her beloved Angelo Lazarus. She felt the box, her fathers Wish box, shake in her pocket once more. Sassy reached her hand into her pocket and opened the box. Inside was a small slip of folded paper. The answer to her final question... her last wish.
"Who are you?" The Witch Queen demanded.
"We are your loyal advisors and champions my Witch Queen?" Professor Hanna lied. "They are the imposters!"
Sasporilla noticed The back of her Marie LaVeau’s hair was turning blue and Gormlobom had grown by at least a foot in the last thirty seconds.
"Oh really?" The Witch Queen grinned evilly drawing her wand. "AVADAKEDVRA!"
Sir Borwhen knocked Dame Hannah out of the way of the killing curse. He fell to the ground dead as Ruthie lifted the winded zoo keeper on to her back.
"PROTEGO MAXIMA!" Sasporilla cast raising a protective shield blocking incoming spells. "You have to get out of here! And please take my Angelo to safety!"
"I can take you too!" Professor Hannah said.
"No." Sasporilla insisted. "My work isn't finished here!"
"Have it your way Sasporilla Bucket!" Dame Hannah said turning and flipping two fingers too the Witch Queen that were most definitely NOT suggesting PEACE nor VICTORY. Then she charging forward and Angelo's stone form then apporating out statue, Erumpant and all!
The Witch Queen glared at the young witch who stared up at her with defiance and judgmental disdain, from behind her protective shield. With a scream of outrage and frustration Bougenvallia cast a blast of magical energy that ripped the magical shield apart in a brilliant flash of white light and flame.
When tje light cleared from everyone’s eyes Sasporilla Bucket was out of site. Sassy took full advantage of the distraction to leg it, as far down the path as she could. Sassy stopped behind a stone block to catch her breath. She could see the sparkle of crystal and gold just ahead of her, just past a very vine heavy tree.
Sasporilla felt the paper still grasped tightly in her hand. She opened it and read it. The answer scrawled on the paper brought a smile to her face.
Two vines slammed into the stone on either side of Sasporilla's head, pinning her hair. Sassy pulled painfully away, tearing a few dull red strands out of her scalp.
"You don't have to do this." Sasporilla said to the tree as it swiped at her with a vine cracking loudly in the air. Sasporilla knew just what this was, it was a whipping willow. "I know you've been tasked to harm us, but I mean you no harm."
The whipping willow seemed deaf to her pleas. Vines shot left and right. Then one caught Sassy fast and sharp across her left cheek.
"I don't want to hurt you!" Sasporilla pleaded. "But you're really ticking me off!"
A trickle of blood ran down her cheek to her lips and tongue. That subtle salty taste of iron that was unmistakable. IRON! OF COURSE! The Iron crown had taken away her abilities gifted by Elven blood! The tree could no more understand her than she it!
"ARESTO MOMENTUM!" Sasporilla cast, to no affect.
Vines whipped left and right wildly but Sasporilla had stopped dodging side to side. Sassy was now charging forward.
"IMMOBULOUS!" Sassy cast, the vines casting the spell off as easily as an evil wizard in a duel. Sasporilla looked deeply into the tree and saw them, a colony of Bowtruckles! This wasn't just a whipping willow! This Whipping Willow was a wand wood tree! Defending the colony of Bowtruckles living in its limbs, the same way the Bowtruckles were defending the trees precious wand wood.
Sassy pointed her wand straight up along the wands trunk as the vines swung around to wrap around her.
"THOLUSAXOM!" Sasporilla cast, tucking and rolling as the vines wrapped themselves around the trunk. A large stone dome formed above the tree and fell to the stadium floor with roaring slam!!! Sasporilla Bucket lay on the path just outside of it.
"That should protect the tree and the Bowtruckles from anyone coming up behind me." Sassy said pulling herself to her feet as she heard the voices of hostels coming onto the field.
"Stop the tournament!" The Witch Queen demanded.
"Let me get my hands on her!" Gormlobom squealed.
"I will drink her blood and feast on her youth!" Marie LaVeau hissed.
Sasporilla ran up to the crystal hand holding the golden scepter. She reached out with her right hand and smiled. She wasn't happy at the thought of having reached the finish of the race, no, it was the message from her father that had been on that scrap of paper inside her wish box that made her smile now. She had wished she knew what the mysterious spell was that had protected her as a baby and tirned her hair pink? The answer...
"There was no specific spell." Sassy giggled as she reached for the scepter. "My dad just said ABRACADABRA, DADDY LOVES YOU!"
A bright flash of flame and great explosion erupted when Sasporilla Bucket grasped the golden scepter. Pain shot through the skull of the Witch Queen causing her to drag her head on the stadium floor like a wounded dog. So intense was the pain it caused her to black out.
Many in the stands gasped, shocked by the sight of the cloud of ash that was once Sasporilla Bucket, wafting gently to the stadium floor!
Sasporilla Buckets Triumphant twelve hundred X broom was levitated high above her for all to see by the Witch Queen.
"Behold!" The Witch Queen said. "The slowest broom in hands of the slyest witch will always be the winner!"
The crowd cheered until the Witch Queen held up her hand. "However, I can't help that because you caused the demise of my dear friend and trusted advisor Henimaxx Dimm, I should penalize you in some way." The Witch Queen mused. "Oh I know!"
"DISRUPTO MAXIMA!" The vile Queen cast bursting the broom apart at the very core of its magical fabric!
"Damn you Bougenvallia!" Sasporilla cried. "I kept my life stored in that broom!"
"Unfortunate." The Witch Queen smiled clapping her hands. "On with the Tournament!"
Every challenge the Witch Queen through at Sasporilla, the young witch was unmatched at. Targeted spells, under water item retrieval, even curse breaking. Which was not an event most of the Royal guards were successful at. By the final event there was only Sasporilla Bucket, three advisors and one guardsman left. The champions were lined up on a straight racetrack. At its end was a crystal hand grasping the Royal Scepter of Avalon!
"This is the final challenge!" The Witch Queen said. "The task is simple. The fastest person to the scepter wins! Oh, but in this case the only one who is really trying and is possibly worthy is Sasporilla Bucket, so kill her if you can!"
The crowd gasped.
"A Queen must be prepared for assassination attempts EVERY DAY!" the Witch Queen insisted. "Two little hitches."
The track suddenly twisted and turned. Statues and rocks appeared. Sasporilla recognized they were the prisoners! The knights of the table round, her friends! Plants and vines grew wildly around the rocks and out of the ground. Tunnels in the sides of the stadium opened up, releasing many creatures. Erumpants, blast ended screwts, manticores, and occymys.
"Your path will not be as straight as you might have hoped." The witch Queen smiled. "But then, when in life is ones ever?"
************
Bougenvallia Bent, the prettiest of the three Bent girls, was not only the smartest and most powerful witch in her both classes at her graduating classes at Hogwarts and Avalon University, but was also the first daughter of noble blood in the family able to compete in the open trials for Witch Queen. The honour should have fallen to her sister Wysteria but she was, lucky for Bougenvallia, born a squib and thus unable and ineligible. Thus she was sent off along with a hundred and twelve other noble born girls to enter the trials.
As always only the most esteemed of noted royalty, celebrities and people of note and worth were invited to view the trials. The Bougenvallia's parents were most put out that they were not sent an invitation! Not being able to imagine themselves that unimportant they showed up at the stadium in Avalon anyway only to be turned away. Much to their public embarrassment!
Her Royal Majesty Glarevoicance Spook was not long for this world. The decrepit old husk of a Witch Queen could barely stand as she hosted the trials. To Bougenvallia Bent the trials all seemed silly, trivial tasks. All of the far to easy for her talents. Each one eliminating a few witches each time until finally there were only a hand full of them left. That is when things got a bit more interesting.
In the final twelve they were forced to compete against one another in groups. To fight and to race. To do damage to one another. Do whatever it took to win! It didn't seem to matter if the fastest girl, Petunia Plunk was one step from the finish line when Bougenvallia cast "COMMUTIONEM" and switched places with her. Bougenvallia Bent crossed the finish line first, much to the delight of the old Witch Queen!
The broom Obstacle course was easy. Blowing the others off their brooms with Bombarda maxima while they tried to defend with expeliarmus was a laugh. Only one girl, Amilia Wrafton gave her any sort of bother. "AVADAKEDVARA" took care of her, and the Witch Queen approved!!! Finally it was down to her and two other girls for a race to the scepter. Bougenvallia allowed them to run ahead and get caught up in, and taken out by, the most vicious of traps. The intelligent young witch bypassed their corpses and made her way to the end. A beautifully carved crystal hand holding a golden scepter. Bougenvallia walked up and with a deep breath and a confident smile grasped the rod of gold.
There was a feeling, something accepting and electric that enveloped her body. Almost like the feeling when she found her wand at Olivander's. Hawthorn, nine and a half inches with kneezle whisker core. An odd memory. She felt both weak and yet strong. The strongest she had felt in a very long time. Who would she choose as her Warlock King? She found it odd her mind turned to the fat pudding of a boy, Nichol-ass Owlmore. The boy that called her BOOGIE WOOGIE. The boy who, since he'd left Hogwarts had established himself as quite an up-and-comer in the Auror's office. Him and his bug-eyed gap-toothed best friend Riddonkulous Bucket, the boy friend of her older sister Wysteria, were thought to be quite the hot shot Auror’s. Why would she think of him? He was nothing to her? A completely inappropriate choice for a Warlock King! Why was she so tired she wondered?
"It's ok child." A voice said in her head. "The fat boy can't help you, can't protect now. Just slip away."
"Who?" Bougenvallia asked. "Who are you?"
"I am the true Witch Queen! Baba Yaga! I have taken the body of the winning girl for centuries and continued on my rule. Now before you go dear... who is this insufferable foolish popinjay in your memory? Hyronimus Rodrovich. A Hufflepuff boy? Mmmmm? A simpleton with a good heart. Easily manipulated. He may make a very good Warlock King thank you."
And Bougenvallia Bent faded away into nothingness as the Baba Yaga raised the Golden scepter as Bougenvallia Bent! The new Witch Queen of Avalon!
*****************
"Also Sasporilla," the Witch Queen said. "Know that if the scepter doesn't accept you... no hard feelings."
Sasporilla felt something shake in her pocket. What the heck? She went to feel what it was. It was the Wish box her father had given her.
"On the count of three." The Witch Queen grinned pointing her wand at the backs of the champions. "One... two... three.... BOMBARDA!!!"
Sasporilla was off quickly but still stumbled forward from the blast as it struck the ground behind the champions who were blown to the ground. The last of the royal guards men took the brunt of the blast and lay beside the starting line, legless and still.
Sasporilla felt the heat of a blast of magical energy graze her left shoulder as ducked behind a stone planter. The blast striking the stone form of Sir Hugo!
"No!" Sasporilla cried, knowing he was now for all intents and purposes, dead. "Bougenvallia you fiend!"
"Oh I wouldn't blame her?" The gold masked champion said in her deep dusky voice as she rounded the corner easily deflecting Sasporilla's attack. "No my dear, blame me. I wasn't even aiming for you. I was aiming for your friend."
"Damn you Amari." Sasporilla cursed. "Why? In heavens name why?
"To bring you pain." Amari said slowly pulling the gold mask from her face.
A low rumbling growl sounded in behind Sasporilla. Sassy turned her head quickly to see a Manticore creeping up behind her.
"It seems you're trapped Ms.Bucket." Amari chuckled. "Between the proverbial rock and a hard place!"
"FELIFORS!!!" Sasporilla cast as the Manticore pounced at her. The spell hit the beast head on transforming it into an ordinary house cat which Sasporilla cast a sticking hex on and tossed at Amari.
The poor beast landed on Amari's face and sank it's frightened claws in, hissing and spitting, as Amari screamed and ran off. Sasporilla remembered the nights of reading Karry had done on the Wedjat! How many tales she had read to Sassy about how the Wedjat's were terrified of Cat's, the guardians of the under world and most prized protectors of Pharaoh’s.
With a very satisfied smile, Sasporilla set off to continue on the course. A small field of what looked like lovely red speckled yellow sunflowers lay ahead.
"Helianthus Cerbottana!" Sasporilla smiled. "The Italian poison thorn throwing sunflower! Herbology year three. What was it professor Sprout used to say? Sunflowers, yellow with red will shoot you dead. 'DEFLORESCO' will make them bow their heads!!!"
"DEFLORESCO!" Sasporilla cast at the deadly plants making them droop. Their flowery heads pointing yo the ground as Sassy ran past. The poison thorns firing out into the ground at their own base and into their own stems.
"There she is!" A gruff nasal voice called out from behind Sasporilla. "We must Get to her!"
Sassy turned to see Gormlobom and Marie LaVeau on the far side of the Sunflower field.
"EXURGO!" Sasporilla cast causing the sunflowers to stand and face the new champions standing on their border.
"Have fun!" Sassy shouted as she ran off.
The path became stony and rough and Sasporilla took caution as a large cavernous rock mouth appeared before her. The path beyond still looked clear and well lit, though strewn with small grey and black rocks. The black rocks began to shake and grow quickly, springing up around her. Razor sharp black spikes that cut Sassy's arm like a knife as they sprung up.
"Ouch!" Sassy yelled! Grasping her arm running forward through the mouth of the cave. The razor like rocks growing to thirty foot monolithic heights, then come crashing back down. Spraying small shards of razor rock forward which cut into Sasporilla's leg painfully. Those shards that hit the ground began to grow! INTERFECTIOBSIDEON, murder rock! Sasporilla remembered the talk on it Hogwarts. Living rock! A creature! A blood thirsty one that can not be placated and is damn near impossible to destroy!!!
Sasporilla took the path right and the rock shot up in front of her. Sassy twisted in time to avoid the razor sharp rock from cutting through her shoulder, but the point shot forward straight through the statued form of the General, Sir Keaton, shattering him.
Sasporilla searched her brain for the lesson on how to defend against these beasts but the constant danger blocked her memory.
With a sharp crash the spiky end split the chest of Sir Griffin, shattering him. Sasporilla desperately trying to stay clear of the razor sharp edges as one sliced lightly up her back slicing her cloak in two as another sliced past her knee, smashing through Dame Beatrix Zonko's abdomen. Crumbling her like a pillar of salt.
"SALT!" Sasporilla yelled pointing her wand and casting "SALIS TELMPEST!"
A storm of salt sprayed from the tip of Sasporilla's wand causing the black razor rock to wither and die as she stood quite out of breath with her back to the stone form of
Lyra Lee-Ashwolf. Sassy looked up into the angry stone face of her friend.
"You're welcome," Sassy smiled, "Thank Goodness my butt’s big enough for you to hide behind ay? OY! Oh Lyra, what have we gotten ourselves into?"
An Erumpant charged at Sasporilla through the settling cloud of salt. Sassy leapt to one side as the great beast crashed through Lyra's stone form with a great explosion.
"No!" Sasporilla screamed.
"Petrificus totalous!" Marie LaVeau hissed as Sassy went stiff on the ground.
The old witch, masquerading as the young beautiful professor Fox for so long slid down from the Erumpants back and helped her partner in crime Gormlobom down to join her. The Royal advisors, and vicious tournament contestants removed their golden masks as they approached.
Sasporilla struggled to speak but could manage only a hateful indecipherable mumble.
"Quiet Ms.Bucket!" Marie LaVeau said in a very different voice. "I'm going to remove the petrifaction spell but don't move! It's me Professor Hannah and Sir Borwhen."
"We've conked and tied up the other two." Sir Borwhen smiled.
"Spot of polyjuice potion." Dame Hannah said dramatically casting a nasty looking spell at Sassy that was a simple dispell. Gormlobom danced with evil delight. Sassy stayed very still as the faux LaVeau swooped in by her ear as if whispering death itself to her.
"Right then here’s the plan!" Dame Hannah said hiding Sassy's slight grimace when Gormlobom bit her leg as viscously, but gently, as he could. "I'm going to pretend to cast crucio on you! You're going to convulse shake and scream. Put on a real good show! Then kick my feet out from under me 'ACCIDENTLY' and break the spell and run!!! We'll follow you on Ruthie here. Now this is the important part. Stop at each knight and wait for us to catch up. Just before Ruthie hits the stone form I'll teleport it to safety, and Sir Borwhen will cast a Bombarda to cover the tracks. Just like we did with Lyra. Got it?"
Without waiting for an answer Marie LaVeau stood up and stood before the stiff body of Sasporilla Bucket. The old hag looked to the crowd for approval and turned back pointing her wand "CRU-CIO!"
Sasporilla started to shake and writhe screaming with convulsive pain. Or so it seemed. Much to the great delight of the Witch Queen.
On cue Sassy turned her leg and kicked out Dame Hannah's legs out from under her knocking her to the ground. Gormlobom ran and hid like the coward the real one was. Sasporilla wasted no time running off down the path wand in hand clearing every obstacle to fall in her way. Her job now, not just to beat this evil Witch Queen but to directly rescue her friends. Win or lose the tournament!
Stopping at Dame Splatterpalette, as the Erumpant came charging up, Sassy shot magical blasts close to the great beasts to stop it but to no avail! From the point of view of the crowd and most importantly the Witch Queen the great Erumpant was destroying the statued prisoners!
Dame Phenix, Sir Stoffer, all teleported back to the hide home of the table round. The best minds from the University worked tirelessly to break the spell that held them in stone form.
The door to the Witch Queen's private box burst open. A small group of Royal guard escorted in the real Marie LaVeau and Gormlobom. Both looking disheveled after having been found and untied.
"IMPOSTERS!" Marie LaVeau hissed pointing out to the field.
The crowd gasped seeing the two tournament champions standing in the Queen's box as they also charged forward on the field.
"STOP!" the Witch Queen demanded.
Sasporilla stood before the stone form of her beloved Angelo Lazarus. She felt the box, her fathers Wish box, shake in her pocket once more. Sassy reached her hand into her pocket and opened the box. Inside was a small slip of folded paper. The answer to her final question... her last wish.
"Who are you?" The Witch Queen demanded.
"We are your loyal advisors and champions my Witch Queen?" Professor Hanna lied. "They are the imposters!"
Sasporilla noticed The back of her Marie LaVeau’s hair was turning blue and Gormlobom had grown by at least a foot in the last thirty seconds.
"Oh really?" The Witch Queen grinned evilly drawing her wand. "AVADAKEDVRA!"
Sir Borwhen knocked Dame Hannah out of the way of the killing curse. He fell to the ground dead as Ruthie lifted the winded zoo keeper on to her back.
"PROTEGO MAXIMA!" Sasporilla cast raising a protective shield blocking incoming spells. "You have to get out of here! And please take my Angelo to safety!"
"I can take you too!" Professor Hannah said.
"No." Sasporilla insisted. "My work isn't finished here!"
"Have it your way Sasporilla Bucket!" Dame Hannah said turning and flipping two fingers too the Witch Queen that were most definitely NOT suggesting PEACE nor VICTORY. Then she charging forward and Angelo's stone form then apporating out statue, Erumpant and all!
The Witch Queen glared at the young witch who stared up at her with defiance and judgmental disdain, from behind her protective shield. With a scream of outrage and frustration Bougenvallia cast a blast of magical energy that ripped the magical shield apart in a brilliant flash of white light and flame.
When tje light cleared from everyone’s eyes Sasporilla Bucket was out of site. Sassy took full advantage of the distraction to leg it, as far down the path as she could. Sassy stopped behind a stone block to catch her breath. She could see the sparkle of crystal and gold just ahead of her, just past a very vine heavy tree.
Sasporilla felt the paper still grasped tightly in her hand. She opened it and read it. The answer scrawled on the paper brought a smile to her face.
Two vines slammed into the stone on either side of Sasporilla's head, pinning her hair. Sassy pulled painfully away, tearing a few dull red strands out of her scalp.
"You don't have to do this." Sasporilla said to the tree as it swiped at her with a vine cracking loudly in the air. Sasporilla knew just what this was, it was a whipping willow. "I know you've been tasked to harm us, but I mean you no harm."
The whipping willow seemed deaf to her pleas. Vines shot left and right. Then one caught Sassy fast and sharp across her left cheek.
"I don't want to hurt you!" Sasporilla pleaded. "But you're really ticking me off!"
A trickle of blood ran down her cheek to her lips and tongue. That subtle salty taste of iron that was unmistakable. IRON! OF COURSE! The Iron crown had taken away her abilities gifted by Elven blood! The tree could no more understand her than she it!
"ARESTO MOMENTUM!" Sasporilla cast, to no affect.
Vines whipped left and right wildly but Sasporilla had stopped dodging side to side. Sassy was now charging forward.
"IMMOBULOUS!" Sassy cast, the vines casting the spell off as easily as an evil wizard in a duel. Sasporilla looked deeply into the tree and saw them, a colony of Bowtruckles! This wasn't just a whipping willow! This Whipping Willow was a wand wood tree! Defending the colony of Bowtruckles living in its limbs, the same way the Bowtruckles were defending the trees precious wand wood.
Sassy pointed her wand straight up along the wands trunk as the vines swung around to wrap around her.
"THOLUSAXOM!" Sasporilla cast, tucking and rolling as the vines wrapped themselves around the trunk. A large stone dome formed above the tree and fell to the stadium floor with roaring slam!!! Sasporilla Bucket lay on the path just outside of it.
"That should protect the tree and the Bowtruckles from anyone coming up behind me." Sassy said pulling herself to her feet as she heard the voices of hostels coming onto the field.
"Stop the tournament!" The Witch Queen demanded.
"Let me get my hands on her!" Gormlobom squealed.
"I will drink her blood and feast on her youth!" Marie LaVeau hissed.
Sasporilla ran up to the crystal hand holding the golden scepter. She reached out with her right hand and smiled. She wasn't happy at the thought of having reached the finish of the race, no, it was the message from her father that had been on that scrap of paper inside her wish box that made her smile now. She had wished she knew what the mysterious spell was that had protected her as a baby and tirned her hair pink? The answer...
"There was no specific spell." Sassy giggled as she reached for the scepter. "My dad just said ABRACADABRA, DADDY LOVES YOU!"
A bright flash of flame and great explosion erupted when Sasporilla Bucket grasped the golden scepter. Pain shot through the skull of the Witch Queen causing her to drag her head on the stadium floor like a wounded dog. So intense was the pain it caused her to black out.
Many in the stands gasped, shocked by the sight of the cloud of ash that was once Sasporilla Bucket, wafting gently to the stadium floor!
PLEASE REMEMBER
I am in no way affiliated with Warner Bros. or with J.K.Rowling. My work is purely that of fan fiction & do not ask for, nor accept money, gifts or other compensation for my work. If you really feel you must do something, donate to J.K.Rowling's charitable foundation LUMOS! Link below! ( https://www.wearelumos.org/ )
I am in no way affiliated with Warner Bros. or with J.K.Rowling. My work is purely that of fan fiction & do not ask for, nor accept money, gifts or other compensation for my work. If you really feel you must do something, donate to J.K.Rowling's charitable foundation LUMOS! Link below! ( https://www.wearelumos.org/ )