Open Search For The Lost Niffler

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander had always wanted to be a hero, like the dozens he'd collected in the form of chocolate frog cards, and ever since he'd come to Hogwarts he'd been seeking opportunities to try and become one himself. So far, there hadn't been too many, but when he'd heard one of the Care of Magical Creatures professors had lost a niffler, he knew it was his time to shine. It sounded like a quest! A sidequest, but a quest all the same. It was a good start to his adventures, he thought. The boy had donned a cape from his trunk, solely to look the part, and set out to scour the castle for the runaway creature. He'd heard students mention seeing it all over the place, from the kitchens to the trophy room, yet every time he got to the last supposed sighting, it seemed to already be gone, or he'd catch a blur of fur disappearing into a crevice he couldn't get into. He knew nifflers could be slippery little things, which was exactly why his father didn't often let him play with them at the Menagerie, but he did know how to entice them. They all seemed to love shiny things, which he supposed explained why they'd been seen where they were, and it gave him an idea on how to lure it out. With as many quills as he could get his hands on, Sander made his way through the corridors of the castle, transfiguring each one by one into shiny silver spoons, trailing all the way out into the courtyard. It was an idea he'd gotten from Hansel and Gretel, only, this time without breadcrumbs. He'd been trying his best to lead the trail all the way back to the creature enclosure, but the amount of quills left in his bag were already severely dwindling, and he didn't know any spells to duplicate them. He set down one of the few quills he had left, muttered a quick "scriopea" to transfigure it, and ducked behind the courtyard wall to wait and see if the niffler took his bait.​

 

[Alec Tricity]

Alec hadn’t actually heard about any sort of missing niffler, although she had seen it carrying a number of golden shiny things in its clutches, headed near the entrance of the Great Hall. She’d been slow at first, creeping towards it and leaving the other students behind to their lunch, but it wasn’t long before the creature had gotten distracted once more and that was when the chase had begun. The second year had picked up speed, running out the hall after the little thing that was scampering out the front doors. Would that be better or worse for it? She didn’t understand what it was going outside for with his pockets loaded but maybe it knew there was someone after it. The Gryffindor flew down the stairs, leaping the final three and landing on the stones with both feet before setting off once again after the little brown fuzzy animal. Of course there were probably better ways of doing this, and some kids probably had an actual plan up their sleeve. After she was half way across the courtyard, the creature stopped moving, inquiring something on the floor. Alec froze on the spot, getting her breath back and watching to see what it’s next move was. Removing her wand from her pocket, she was about to stun the thing when she noticed the trail of spoons. How long was this line?! She peered around the courtyard slowly, not seeing anyone else in sight and wondering where the spoon owner was. When she turned back, the niffler had gone again, and it took her a second to see him bounding across time the edge of the courtyard and over a wall. Alec made chase once more, leaping as fast as she could before launching herself into the air. Lifting her legs she flew over the wall, expecting to land a few feet behind the creature again, not on a creature. It wasn’t the niffler though, and in her squeals and swats for the student to get off her, she realised that the creature had stopped on the grass up ahead once more. “Shut up,” she said, slapping at the boy even though it was her making the most of the noise, before turning to see it was actually Lysander. She swallowed nervously, before looking back ahead to watch what the niffler would do next.​

 

[Lysander Summers]

With no clue how long he'd have to wait, Lysander had brought along some snacks to help pass the time. He'd been busy helping himself to a bag of jelly slugs when out of nowhere, the niffler he'd been baiting landed right in front of him. Jelly almost dropped from his mouth in his gasp of excitement, and he carefully extended a hand to the furry critter. "Hi little buddy! Let's get you back to- ACK!" His sentence was cut off by someone or something much larger landing on top of him, spilling his bag of candy everywhere. He felt himself being swatted at, despite being the one who'd been crushed, and angrily shoved the person away. "You shut up." He responded, shooting them an annoyed glare. When he realised it was Alec, he shifted awkwardly, but if anything only felt more annoyed. They hadn't been friends for almost a whole year, and here she was ruining his perfect plan, just like she seemed to ruin most things. Her pushing him off of couches or onto the ground had seemed light-hearted and funny at first, but since they hadn't spoken, he realised she was just kind of mean the whole time. Now here she was, hitting him and telling him to shut up when she was the one hurting him. "Go away Alec. You're just going to scare it. Or worse, crush it." He muttered toward her, reaching into his crumpled bag for another quill. It looked a little bent, and he shot her another glare before pulling it out and tapping it with his wand."Scriopea." He incanted, before holding out the new, twisted metal spoon in the hopes the niffler would spot it and scurry back toward him.​

 

[Alec Tricity]

Alec still had her eyes glued to the creature when she heard Lysander muttering for her to go away. She turned to look back at the boy that she’d once called her best friend and shot him an angry frown, “Why don’t you go away? I was following it first, and besides if all you’ve got is fake spoons then your wasting your effort,” she hissed back, a little hurt that he’d try and tell her to leave in the first place regardless of whether it was understandable. In that moment Alec didn’t really think, and was just acting on her own emotions instead. Feeling as though it was now a competition between them and who could get the niffler first, she watched as Lysander created another spoon from a quill. Before he had a chance to react, Alec snatched it straight out of his hand, moving away a little in case he tried to leap for it, before getting up and out of her crouched position and heading across the grass. She was angry now and she was going to grab the niffler if it was the last thing she did. The niffler was never going to just wander across to her, and even if she had bait she wasn’t going to be like the boy who just waited for things to happen. The niffler might have been fast, but she was quite confident that she was faster.​

 

[Willow Cullen]

Willow had heard from her aunt that there was a niffler on the loose in the castle. she had noticed as distinct lack of spoons and other cutlery in the great hall that morning when she had been eating breakfast. and had learned the hard way that granola was not fun to eat without a spoon. as she was a sixth year she had most of the day free from classes. and had spent most of the morning chasing the creature. she had come close to it in the trophy room trying to take as many of the trophies as possible she had tried to stop it by binding it with ropes from the newest charms that she had learned however they were tricky things and she had learned the hard way that ropes were not a suitable binding for such a thing. she had managed to selvedge a few of the trophies. though admittedly didn't try too hard on the quidditch cups. far too many of them had Slytherin on them for her liking before she followed the creature out of the room it seemed like it was following a trail of something. scampering a little way before stopping then going again. after a few stops she realised that it was spoons it was after "so that is where they all went" she muttered to herself as she followed the trail and the creature out into the courtyard. from the doors she saw two people trying to lure the creature. sh stayed where she was watching them. it seemed that the two were working independently and then clashed letting the creature start to flee. "Impedimenta" she said pointing her wand at its fluffy backside. hoping that hse was quick enough to slow the creature down. "was that you two with the spoons? Good plan?" she said. as she watched Lysander transfigure them. "and good use of transfiguration." she said.

 

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander could not believe the words coming out of Alec's mouth. "No you weren't. You probably fell for my spoon trap too." He retorted. Even if she had seen it, he couldn't trust her to handle it without hurting it, since it was all she seemed to do. His point was proven when she snatched his silver spoon out of his hands and sprinted away. His eyes grew wide. This was so typical of her! Wand in hand, he tossed a trip jinx at Alec's feet, and got up to give chase himself. He was almost certain the niffler would get away from the both of them with how reckless Alec was being. Spells crossed his mind as he passed her, but none of them would help him stop the small creature without injuring it. In all the commotion, he hadn't noticed Willow entering the courtyard, until the niffler in front of him suddenly slowed way down, enough for him to catch up and scoop it into his arms. "The spoons were my plan." He responded almost breathlessly, shooting Alec an accusatory look. "She was going to hurt it. I'm trying to get it back to Professor Ateara. it's my quest." He explained. All good quests needed a villain, and that was exactly what Alec had turned out to be.​

 

[Alec Tricity]

It was hardly a spoon trap, it was barely even a spoon. Alec darted off across the grass, but her feet seemed to give way and she fell forward, landing with a thump. She wasn’t aware another student had joined them until she looked up ahead and the creature was beginning to slow down, but now that Alec was in the dirt there was very little she could do to race towards it. It was only then that she heard the voice of the older girl, and sensing that Lysander was going to grab the niffler before she would, mad at him or not, she would have preferred that instead of the older girl getting to it. Dirt didn’t faze the Gryffindor at all, but she jumped back up wand still in hand and pointed it out in front of her, “Run,” she called, casting a spell of her own as she spun 180 degree and fired the shot the way she’d come. “Everte Statum” by the time the words had left her mouth they were pointing straight for Willow. Even if Lysander made off with the niffler she felt as though she still had a chance to catch up with him. No soon as she said the spell however, she heard Lysanders voice, telling the other girl she was going to hurt it and that this was his quest all along. “YOU LIAR!” Why had she bothered defending him if he was going to throw her under the bus? Alec turned back slowly to face her classmate, “I told you.. to run!” She said, suddenly more angry that she’d even given him the chance to escape without her, and shot off after the boy.​

 

[Alexis Kramer]

Alexis had seen Willow from the distance seemed to be watching something. Shortly, the redhead approached who seemed to be two younger Gryffindors in the middle of an argument. Alexis had been wandering around the castle, trying her best to run into the niffler that escaped from the creature's enclosure handled by Prof. Ateara. The Ravenclaw followed her fellow prefect and approached the two younger students too. The niffler was indeed with them and even spotted Willow cast a spell at it making it slow down. Alexis was about to give up on the chase when she saw the younger cast a spell and aimed for Willow. She quickly pulled out her wand and successfully cast a shield charm, barely saving Willow. "I don't think casting spells at other students are allowed.", she said, looking at the girl. "You okay, Wil?", she asked the sixth year.​

 

[Willow Cullen]

Willow couldn't help but like Lysander. he was on the quidditch team and had proven te be a good beater even when he was in his first year. she would be surprised if he wasn't named captain at some stage in a few years. she smiled as he said the spoons had been his idea I am sure professor summers would be proud of your smart use of transfiguration" she said even if some of the spoons were a little mishapen he had done well. then she realised that they were also related. she couldnt remember exactly how but they were related. the girl, on the other hand, seemed to be a bit more of a loose cannon. this was proven when she raised her wand in what she assumed to be trying to catch the creature but instead pointed it at her. "Proftago" she said as soon as she realised what was going on a word that she heard echoed behind her. someone else joining them. "thanks, yeah i'm fine i've taken far harder hits than that would have and we both managed to block it" she said as nice as the sentiment was willow thought, did alexis think she needed help defending herself from a second year. "before you try and stop me from helping return the niffler let me remind you that not only do i have four years magical training than you which is also four more years of dueling practice, i am also a prefect and will deduct house points if necessary. it is best to save your energy for trying to catch it." she said gesturing in the direction that the creature was moving slower than before but she wasnt sure how long her spells' effects would last. it seemed like it would be long enough at least for lysander to pick him up. she didn't particularly like this way of asserting herself as dominant over the younger students but some circumstances required it.
"as much as i am sure you both want to be the one to return the creature to aun - professor ateara maybe working together would be a much better way to make sure that he doesnt escape againand cause any more damage. he has slowed down now but he wont stay like that for too long" she said almost calling the professor aunty madlyn. she was not particularly interested in being the one to return it. she wanted to return it so that it was returned. she didn't want the points from her aunt. it would liik a bit like nepotism if she was the one to get the points.

 

[Lysander Summers]

Willow's words left Lysander beaming with pride. He hoped his dad would feel the same way, though he was definitely going to have to omit a few details of his quest when he recounted it. His face fell when Alec shouted at him to run and got her wand out. He took a few uneasy steps back, and watched as she turned to attack Willow, of all people. It was ballsy, and he didn't know whether to be horrified or impressed. Both? His eyes followed the spell, for a split second believing Impedimentia had been cast on the whole courtyard with how slowly everything seemed to be happening. It was like watching a car crash, he guessed, only there was no crash. Another older girl had joined them, and both she and Willow managed to block the spell. Willow being one of the ones in charge of the SDA really showed with how quickly she reacted. Sander tucked the niffler as closely to his chest as possible and turned away from Alec, raising his hand against her in case she didn't stop running toward him. Surely she'd have to give up now. It was three against one. "I can take it back, but I can't work together with her. I don't need to. She's just going to scare it even more." He told Willow. The older girl was so calm about Alec's attempt to blast her away. If it were him, he'd have tried to hex her face in retaliation or something. "And give me my spoon back!" He shouted, as quietly as he could so as to not startle the creature in his arms. She'd jumped on him, messed up his lollies, stole his stuff and attacked one of his teammates. He didn't know why he'd ever been friends with her in the first place. He didn't think he'd know a Gryffindor meaner than Eric.​

 

[Alec Tricity]

Alec didn’t even hear the older girl when she tried to patronise her with how many years of experience she had more than Alec at duelling. She was much too focused on Lysander but the closer she got to the boy, the more his words were confusing her. Eventually she came to a halt in front of him, glaring straight into his eyes as he told the others he couldn’t work with her. He didn’t even know or even care why she’d not hung out with much recently but obviously she had made the better decision. Lysander didn’t care about anyone but himself, “Fine, have your stupid niffler, he's probably your only friend anyway,” she yelled, much too close for her proximity. She glanced down at the spoon in her hand, and after a second decided that if he wanted it he’d have to go and get it. She launched it as hard as she could over her shoulder, doubting he could even be bothered with picking up a quill anyway, his whole charade was just for show anyway, just like usual. She had more important things to be doing than arguing with someone like him anyway, like actually making progress where it mattered. “You’re a fake, Summers,” she retorted, shoving past him and deliberately bashing into his shoulder with her own on her way past, angrily storming her way back towards the castle before either of the prefects could grab her.​

 

[Willow Cullen]

Willow took a deep breath. it seemed like teamwork was not going to get the house two sets of points and two happy second years. Lysander said that he couldn't work with her and seeing her reaction she got why. as the girl pumped into Lysander she hoped that he would be able to keep a grip on the niffler and not drop him. as the girl came up past her and alexis she decided it wouldbe better to let her go. her main goal was to get the creature back she really didnt want to deal with twelve-year-old temper tantrums. she looked at alexis and raised an eyebrow as if saying goodness what's her problem before walking towards Lysander. "you okay summers?" she said using his last name as was common on sports teams. she was often called Cullen herself. and she felt a sort of pride every time someone called her by it especially when it was a teammate or somehow related to quidditch. "did you want me to come with you to professor atearas just in case the spell wears off. then i can help find your spoon, i am pretty sure i saw where it landed" she said. no seeker worth their time would not be able to find a flying spoon after watching it land. but priorities were on the creature and getting it back safely before it got hurt or caused too much chaos.[/I]

 

[Lysander Summers]

Lysander couldn't understand what Alec's problem was. She didn't seem to have a reason for always being so rough and nasty, she just was. What did someone like her want with a niffler anyway? She was a muggle-born, she didn't know anything about magical creatures, but he did. He thought himself basically an expert. If it was going to be safe with anyone, it was him, because he deserved to take care of it, not her. "What do you know?" He responded. He had plenty of friends! Most of them might have been animals, but he still thought he had more than enough human friends. She'd been one too, until she decided not to be. He watched her toss his bent spoon off into the distance with an offended gasp, which turned back into the scowl he'd been giving her before. "What the horklumps is wrong with you, Alec? And how am I a fake?" He asked, only to receive one of her signature shoves. He grunted and tightened his hold on the niffler to stop it falling out of his arms, before watching the back of her head storm into the distance. "Whatever! At least I'm not stupid like you!" He called out. Yeah, that would show her. He turned his back to her and looked up at Willow. A small sigh escaped his lips. "Um, yeah. I'm okay now that she's gone, thanks. The niffler is safe, and I can finish my quest." He told her in a half-hearted attempt to get back into the adventurous mindset he'd been in before Alec had come along. She might have been gone now, though her words still stuck with him. Was he fake? He didn't think so, but now he was questioning it. It didn't make sense, and maybe she was just saying dumb stuff to make him angry. It was definitely working. "I don't really care about the spoon that much. I just didn't want her to have it." He told Willow with a small shrug of his shoulders. He'd already wasted a bunch of quills making his trail, and he didn't expect to get them all back now. The bent one would be a nice memento, yet there were more immediate concerns. "You can come if you like! I've never met Professor Ateara before. I think she won a wheelbarrow race with my dad? So I bet she's cool." He said, now with a much warmer grin. Willow would make a good quest companion, and she seemed really powerful. He wouldn't run into anyone else ruining his quest if she was around. With the niffler safely nestled in his arms, he continued his way across the lawn, fairly certain he'd seen a tent on the grounds that the professor owned.​

 

[Willow Cullen]

willow didnt want to get in the way of the argument between the two second years if she didnt have to and she was glad she didn't. she would have interveaned if it looked like one of them was in trouble but thankfully the girl had left them and lysander still had the niffler. she nodded as he said the spoon wasn't of much concern to him if he wasn't interested then it didnt matter but she had a feeling he cared more than he was saying even if the only reason she thought htat was because she would have cared more if she was in his situation. "okay. to professor ateara's we go" she said letting himlead the way towards her lodgings. she had to smile as he said he had never met professor ateara before. she didntk now what it would be like ot not know her aunt. "well you get to meet her now and of course she is cool. she's my aunt?" she said not meaning to imply that she herself was cool but her aunt had always been cool. her work before the school was far cooler than her mums work. growing up she had always had some kind of animals around she had loved, and still loved spending the night at her aunts place once a month and hanging out with chante and seeing what creatures she had. "hang on professor summers is your dad. did i know or I had completely forgotten." she said. no wonder you are good at transfiguration" she said ruffling sander's hair affectionately like she often did to Lindon. as they walked she thought she reckoned he and lin would probably get on well. they both seemed to love animals.