Wanna give me a prompt?

[girlyswot]

Saw this meme and thought it looked fun (if a little scary):

1. Give me a list of THREE (or more) stories that I would NEVER write.
2. I will pick one of the story suggestions and attempt to write a snippet.
3. Spread the meme on your own LJ if you want.

Harry Potter snippets:
For viverl: Childless Charlie at The Burrow (Now with new, added Happy Ending for ladywhizbee)
For tdu000: George after the battle
For coonassblondie: Hermione and Viktor playing Truth or Dare
For ladywhizbee: Nightmare Nibbles
For girlspell: Fire Island
For megan29: Poor Brown-Eyed Charlie
For kinderjedi: Vot is the point?
For bookwormsarah: Lady Flutterby

Antonia Forest snippets:
For ankaret: The end of Patrick and Nicola's marriage
For lizarfau: The Auction Room


More still to come and I'm still accepting prompts. This is fun! All done. Thanks for playing, everyone!

Comments

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

1) Charlie likes dragons better than girls. But what about boys? One of the Slytherins dares another to find out.
2) All good things must come to an end, Nicola and Patrick's marriage included.
3) In this Founders-era fic, Salazar, Godric, Rowena and Helga are all at American high school!

I love this meme and am going to steal it. :)

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

#2 is making me cry even just to think about it. But #3, now that sounds like fun crack!fic.

I thought you might enjoy this.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

In the end, it was easy.

The cottage that she still thought of as the Tranters' was empty. Jon arranged for the carpets to be cleaned and Lucy put up new curtains for her. Patrick packed her books into boxes and drove them round in the back of the Landrover. Then Nicola got in the car with him and they went to sign the papers. She refused his offer of lunch in The Red Lion afterwards.

She had thought it might be awkward, saying goodbye. But Patrick seemed to know what to do. He got out of the car with her and bent to kiss her cheek. Nicola curled her hands into fists to stop herself from reaching to put them around his neck. She knew it wasn't allowed any more.

'So, I'll see you on Sunday.' They'd agreed that, no matter who had kids visiting at the weekend, there would always be a family lunch. Lucy and Jon had offered to host the first one at Trennels.

Suddenly Nicola realised that they hadn't agreed this properly at all. 'Will you bring... her?'

Patrick flushed deep red and turned his eyes away.

'I think you should,' Nicola told him, more certainly than she felt.

'You'd have to call her by her name.' He shot Nicola a teasing glance that almost destroyed her.

'Fine,' she managed. 'One o'clock?'

'Fine.'

She stood outside the door to the cottage, watching as he drove back across Marlow-land to Merrick-fields. It was the hardest thing she'd ever done.



####

Now excuse me while I go and crawl into a corner and sob for hours..

[viverl.livejournal.com]

OKAY! :D

1. Charlie/Draco - Hogwart's teachers gone wild
2. Harry/ Ginny - Harry wears her dresses (don't know where that just came from... O_o)
3. Charlie - a depressing family feast as the only one without a little family of his own

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

The Burrow had always been full of children. For as long as Charlie could remember, Mum had been keeping the biscuits on the top shelf so that first he and Bill, then Percy and the twins, Ron and Ginny, and now hordes of grandchildren couldn't reach them. The broom shed was always locked, and the protective Charms around the lake had to be renewed every year.

Percy's youngest was holding her hands up expectantly, so Charlie hoisted her onto his lap and reached around her for his firewhiskey. In the middle of the floor, Lily Potter was solemnly performing a solo version of the hokey cokey. Screams from the next floor indicated that Harry's boys were beating Ron's. Or possibly vice versa. They were still waiting for Bill's crowd to arrive. Charlie sipped his drink and watched as George very carefully instructed little Fred in the art of placing a whoopee cushion under Grandad's backside.

He couldn't not come. He knew that. And mostly it was fine. He wasn't lonely, or sad. There were girls enough if he wanted them. It was just that, watching all his brothers and sisters with these little people whose whole lives depended on them... Well, it was harder than he'd expected, that was all.

Charlie downed his drink, tipped Lucy off his lap and went to help his Mum in the kitchen. She welcomed him with a knowing smile but said nothing, just pointed to the huge mountain of potatoes that needed to be peeled.

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

1. Brown-eyed Charlie (Song-fic based on "Brown-eyed Girl, obviously!).

2. Lily really does think James is an obnoxious bully and chooses Severus because he is such a sensitive soul.

3. A story that doesn't have any jokes in it or make me laugh even just once.

I won't do this meme because "Stories TDU would never write" is just too easy for everyone else and, naturally, I wouldn't write any of them.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

If you think I'm going to be drawn in to writing #1, you've got another think coming. And I can't write sensitive!Severus. So it'll have to be #3. Hmmm...

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

'Does it hurt?' She pressed firmly on his chest and watched for a wince.

George gritted his teeth and shook his head.

Madam Pomfrey pretended to believe him. The hex wasn't serious and if it helped the boy to have something else to think about at the moment... 'Go on then,' she sighed. 'Send the next one in.'

He was limping as he crossed the room. But when he opened the door, she saw strong, freckled arms reach out to hold him steady. Madam Pomfrey reached up to wipe away a tear, hardly knowing which twin she was grieving for.

[coonassblondie.livejournal.com]

Oh my word, what to come up with? I'll try to make you giggle a bit:

1. Charlie has decided that Harry Potter is a deluded teenager and his brother Percy has the right idea about the boy. He disowns his family and decides to stay in Romania the rest of his life, with no love for anyone but his dragons. (yay for flangst!)

2. Hermione and Viktor discuss their fantasies and realize they have fallen for the same man: Percy Weasley. (I started to write Charlie, but that may be something you would write, lol)

3. Fred and George have decided that it's time to get serious and act more like their brother Percy, studious and responsible. They shut down the shop and go back to Hogwarts to finish their seventh year and take their NEWTS, chaos ensues. (this might actually have potential...lol, crack fick will abound)

I am so stealing this meme.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

He tilted the bottle in her direction and raised an eyebrow. Hermione bit her lip. She'd had too much already. 'Fine. Truth.'

Viktor's grey eyes gleamed. 'Which Weasley?'

Hermione frowned. 'What do you mean?'

'Which Weasley?' he repeated, his lips curving into a wicked grin.

She blushed. 'Oh.' Damn the man. Why had she ever allowed him to persuade her into playing this childish game. 'Well, um, I suppose...' It would be easy to say Ron. If only she knew how to lie more convincingly.

'Truth, Her-my-nee.'

She pulled her skirt down a bit further over her crossed legs and looked determinedly at the fire. 'Percy. Okay?'

Viktor stared at her for a second, then began to laugh. Hermione watched in some annoyance as Viktor wheezed his way through the next five minutes.

'It's all right,' she told him tartly. 'I know perfectly well he's not interested in me.'

That caused a fresh outburst of laughter.

Eventually Viktor got himself under control. 'Poor Her-my-nee.'

She shrugged and turned away. 'I don't see why it's so funny, though.'

Viktor's lips twitched again but he manfully held back his giggles. 'Is not funny.'

Hermione glared at him.

'Is only that... I also.'

'You also?' She frowned. 'You, um, fancy Percy?'

Viktor winked. 'I have good taste, no?'

[ladywhizbee.livejournal.com]

Oh, now this sounds like to much fun to pass up...hmmm...

*schemes*

1. Argus Filch and Madam Pince sharing a moment of passion in/over/around/on top a pile of moldy shoes.
2. Hagrid and Madame Maxine sharing a moment of passion in/over/on top a vat of squelching grubs.
3. Charlie/Neville slash *cackles evilly*

I am so NOT stealing this meme.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Ewwww! At all of them. Just, ewwwww.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

He was drunk. Very drunk. And if he wasn't already, he would be soon enough. If it took a whole gallon of firewhiskey, Ron would keep drinking until he was certain the memory was wiped out completely and permanently. He'd ask Hermione to Obliviate him, only she'd want to know why and then he'd have to Obliviate her and he wasn't sure his Charm work was up to it in this drunken state.

Experimentally, Ron closed one eye. No good. He could still see them, squirming in each others arms and, ugh!, kissing. More firewhiskey. Okay, that was better. At least now his brain was focussed on the surroundings rather than the main act. What was that, anyway?

Oh god, he was going to be sick. The smell of mouldy shoes, the squelching of maggots, the slurping of Hagrid, the toothy grin of Filch, Neville's naked bottom...

Ron vomited.

***

'Good work, Ron.'

'How long?'

'Seventeen and a half minutes.'

Ron rinsed out his mouth and ran his fingers through his hair. God, he looked awful. George was grinning at him in the mirror.

'Want to share?'

Ron grimaced. 'Not particularly.'

George laughed. 'It can't be worse than the time Fred dreamed that Snape was running naked round the Great Hall with Flitwick cheering him on from the inside of a giant pumpkin.'

Ron shuddered. 'Much worse. You know, I think these are ready. Have you got a name yet?'

'Nightmare Nibbles: Let Your Friends See How Bad Things Could Really Be.'

'Okay. Just promise me one thing.'

George cocked a questioning eyebrow.

'Don't ever let Hermione eat one. She's bound to dream about me and I'll never hear the end of it.'

[girlspell.livejournal.com]

Dumbledore/Charlie Charlie & Albus decide to take a vactation 0n Fire Island

Harry/Snape Harry and Sev decide to take a major step in their giddy, new relationship. they go dancing.

Hermione/Harry Harry, tired of Ginny's infactuation with herself after being a big Quidditch star falls for Hermione. Ron had left her. (Not so original, this was a prompt on a Harmony site)

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

A/N Clearly this is AU and Dumbledore is not dead.

'My dear boy, I am so sorry. If I had known...'

Charlie shook his head. 'Don't worry about it. It's been very restful.'

Albus smote himself across the forehead. 'You should have said something.'

'Honestly, it's fine. I got to see the salamanders. And even Mum won't have been expecting me to have met some nice girl while I was here.'

Dumbledore shook his head. 'I can't remember the last time I read someone wrong.'

Charlie shrugged. 'Lots of people make the same mistake. I'm thirty-five and single.'

'And, if I may perhaps add...' Charlie raised an eyebrow. 'The tattoos suggest a certain... flexibility, shall we say? And there are the socks.'

'Socks?' Didn't everyone wear socks?

Albus pulled up his own trouser leg to reveal a garish Argyle pattern of magenta, lime and cerise. Charlie looked down at his own identically clad feet.

'Ah.'

[megan29.livejournal.com]

1. Brown-eyed Charlie ditches his fiancee at the altar
2. Brown-eyed Charlie has a terrible accident, which leaves him permanently disfigured (but SITLL brown-eyed!)
3. Brown-eyed Charlie quits the dragon job and starts raising Kneazles

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

'He's waking up.'

The world was fuzzy and black, then silent again.

***

'Charlie? Look, his hands are moving.'

Mum? He smiled.

'Oh, Charlie.' He felt her press a kiss to his cheek. She was wearing the same scent Dad always bought her for her birthday. He reached out and someone took hold of his hand and squeezed it. Charlie squeezed back.

'He's going to be okay, Molly. He's a strong lad. He'll be fine.' He wanted to nod to show that his dad was right, but something wasn't working right.

'Sleep now, Charlie,' Mum whispered.


***

The third time he woke up, he remembered what had happened. The dragon that had loosed its bounds, the desperate attempt to bring it under control, then the flame that had threatened to engulf them all.

He also realised he was in pain. His left leg seemed to be on fire still. His stomach was in knots and his shoulder was being stabbed from the inside. He thought his head was probably hurting too. If only he could see.

'Awake, Mr Weasley?' He didn't recognise that voice, but still he nodded. 'Good. We're going to remove your bandages now. Please keep your eyes shut.'

The nurse was gentle as she pulled the strips away.

'Hold still now,' she instructed. Her fingers skimmed lightly over his hair and face. Charlie tried not to wince as she found the sore spots. Burns, he guessed. Maybe cuts and bruises from the landing. 'Well, Mr Weasley, do you want to see the damage for yourself?'

She fetched a mirror. 'Open your eyes.'

The world was fuzzy again. It took several moments before Charlie could focus sufficiently to make out his own features. He'd bear scars from this, but nothing worse than he already had. Only...

'That's not me.'

The nurse gave him a strange look.

'It's not,' Charlie told her firmly. 'Look at it.'

She rolled her eyes, but humoured him anyway. 'Yes, it is.'

'Get my mother in here.'


***

Mum took one look at him, then turned on the nurse. 'Can it be fixed?'

'I'm sorry, Mrs Weasley. I have no idea what you are talking about.'

'His eyes.'

The nurse frowned in confusion. 'I assure you that your son's sight is unaffected by the incident.'

Molly brushed that aside. 'His sight may be unaffected but his appearance isn't. Look at him! My beautiful, blue-eyed boy...' She sighed.

The nurse turned quickly to look at Charlie once more. He opened his eyes as wide as he could in mock-innocence. 'Oh. I... oh. I am sorry.'

Charlie lay back against his pillow and closed his eyes. Perhaps he could find another story, another family... Only, who would want to write a dragon handler with eyes the colour of dragon dung? He sighed and said goodbye to all his chances of being the romantic hero.

[kinderjedi.livejournal.com]

Hmm.

1. Viktor/Ginny at Bill and Fleur's wedding
2. Charlie decides he's tired of dragons and takes up the Dark Arts post at Durmstrang.
3. Snape and Madam Rosmerta share a quiet moment. Shampoo is involved.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I'm not ignoring this, but I'll need to re-read bits of DH first. I'll get to it later.

[lizarfau.livejournal.com]

Three post-Kingscote scenarios ...

1. Miranda/Miss Cromwell slash
2. Solicitor Jan Scott defends Peter after he's committed some crime and ends up before the magistrates ...
3. Nicola and Edwin pash ...

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I'd love to do #2 but my knowledge of magistrates courts is too limited. *has led sheltered life* So here goes nothing...

Miranda recognised her immediately. Those iron-grey curls tamed into rigid waves could not possibly belong to anyone else. She bent her head and feigned greater interest in the scratched Hepplewhite chair than it really deserved. It wasn't one of his better pieces to begin with. And in that condition, it wasn't something The Shop would even consider.

She moved on to the Chippendale bureau, glancing only once to see that Crommie was now inspecting a series of rather good Meissen figurines. The bureau was excellent, as fine as it had appeared from the catalogue. Miranda marked her own book with an 'X' and pencilled in a large sum by the side.

Her father had agreed to extend the range of objets d'art they offered in The Shop, after all. Those figurines might be just the thing.

'Splendid, aren't they?'

Miranda replaced the shepherdess carefully beside its pair then turned with a polite smile and an outstretched hand. 'Miss Cromwell.'

'Miranda. How high ought one be prepared to go for that, do you suppose?' The blue eyes were as piercing as she remembered and certainly Crommie had lost none of her bluntness.

She picked the figurine up once more, checking carefully for cracks and chips. 'Not more than £1500, I should say.'

###

She lost the Chippendale bureau. A phone bidder who she suspected was representing a foreign investor had shown no signs of slowing. Miranda had dropped out £10,000 higher than she'd intended. Calmly, she crossed the item out. Her father had long since taught her not to wish the world otherwise. If she'd paid the final amount, they'd never have been able to sell it on at a profit, however lovely it was.

Half an hour later, after a quick and unsatisfactory cup of tea, Miranda returned to the auction room. The porter was showing off the first figurine, a rather ugly setting of Europa and the Bull. Bidding was sluggish, and she was almost tempted to feel it would be a bargain. No bargain if it won't sell, she reminded herself.

The shepherdess started quickly, rising from the auctioneer's valuation of £800 to a very respectable £1250. Someone dropped out. The auctioneer glanced round the room, checking for interest.

'Going once...'

On impulse, Miranda raised her catalogue.

'A new bidder. £1300. Do I see £1350? Yes, £1350. £1400. £1450.'

Miranda's pulse quickened. This was the most dangerous moment of the auction and the thrill of the chase was on her. She lifted her book once more.

'£1500,' the auctioneer called, nodding in acknowledgement. He turned to Miranda's opponent. '£1550,' he confirmed.

Miranda's pulse was racing. She was about to give her wave when a voice sounded behind her that gave her shivers down her spine.

'Not more than £1500, I should say.'

She didn't turn round. She daren't look. But her hand slowly returned to her lap and, with only a tiny sigh of regret, Miranda caught the auctioneer's eye and shook her head. A hand was placed on her shoulder. With uncharacteristic trembling, Miranda raised her own to meet it.


***

And now I need a shower. *shudders*

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

May I join in?

1 Snape buys bath products
2 Filch buys bath products
3 Snape/Filch use bath products

*shudders*

Can you tell my pipes are clogged so I can't use the bathtub at the moment?

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I guess this is nearest to #3, though the 'use' may not be quite what you intended.

Severus peered into the cauldron, wrinkling his nose at the odour. Lemon verbena and dittany. He shuddered. Still, the potion was precisely the shade of primrose yellow he had hoped for. He gave it one more stir with his wand and turned the flame off. By morning it should be ready to decant. Snape began to attach the labels to the sterilised jars:

Lady Flutterby's
Magickal Potions for the Modern Woman

Soothing Bath Foam
Will Soak Away The
Stresses And Strains
Of Your Busy Life

Severus eyed his products with disdain. This was the last shipment before the holidays ended. And the last time he would supplement his meagre income in this undignified manner.

[girlspell.livejournal.com]

Dumbledore shook his head. 'I can't remember the last time I read someone wrong.'

LOL...great line.

[stripydinosaur.livejournal.com]

oooooohhhhh.......nooooooo!!!

well done on this....but....(sob)

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Is that for the Nicola/Patrick? I sobbed too, if it's any consolation.

[stripydinosaur.livejournal.com]

the above anonymous was me - stoopid broadband logged me out!

[coonassblondie.livejournal.com]

*laughs hysterically at brown-eyed Charlie* As a fellow blue-eyed Charlie writer, this story is absolutely hilarious.