Goldilocks; Fifty Redheaded Delights for Madame Laksh - Sa13+
 

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Red Bangs && High Heels <3
+50 for the pre-Hogwarts Gold


For Tegz,
who inspires me.
♥


{ To Do List }

1. Accio
2. Avada Kedavra
3. Braking Charm
4. Blasting Curse
5. Colloportus
6. Crucio
7. Confundus
8. Diffindo
9. Disapparate
10. Engorgio
11. Expecto Patronum
12. Furnunculus
13. Flagrate
14. Horn Tongue
15. Hurling Hex
16. Impedimenta
17. Imperio
18. Incarcerous
19. Jelly Legs
20. Knitting Charm
21. Langlock
22. Legilimens
23. Levicorpus
24. Lumos
25. Mobilicorpus
26. Morsmordre
27. Muffliato
28. Nox
29. Obliviate
30. Oppugno
31. Orchideous
32. Petrificus Totalus
33. Point Me
34. Protego
35. Quietus
36. Reducto
37. Relashio
38. Rictusempra
39. Sectumsempra
40. Sonorus
41. Scourgify
42. Silencio
43. SpeRevelio
44. Stupefy
45. Tarantallegra
46. Tergeo
47. Twitchy Ears Hex
48. Unbreakable Vow
49. Wingardium Leviosa
50. Waddiwasi

Pink = Done

______________________

Theme #1: Accio
The Story of Grades


"Gold, please don't."

Gold Laksh looked up from her desk, and her bright, green eyes gave a little roll. "You're such a spoilsport, Sachie," she said, as she closed her Arithmancy textbook, and rose gracefully to her feet. "What difference can two butterbeers make?"

"We have an exam tomorrow," Sachie glared at her. "THE exam. This is it, Gold - fourth year final. Tomorrow. Accio Arithmancy book."

"Why doesn't that worry me?"

"Because," Sachie had risen to her feet, too, but the blonde's lips were pursed, and she was far from happy. Quite unlike Gold, who was now leafing rather lazily through a storybook she had bought, yesterday. "This is NOT a game. You need to understand that, Gold Laksh. There is more to life than parties! Than boys!"

"Such as?"

"Grades, you idiot!"

Gold raised an eyebrow. "Remind me how many O's I had, last term, Sachie."

"But of course - you always manage to get good grades, Miss High Heels," Sachie muttered darkly. "It's not fair, Gold. Why don't you have to study, like the rest of us? How can you REMEMBER?"

Gold grinned.

-- She really wasn't in the mood to argue.

Theme #2: Avada Kedavra
A Big Block of Cement


"What a pretty quill!"

Gold grinned at Sachie. She should have known her best friend would like it - it was a fuzzy pink one, feminine to the core.

"Thanks," she said, as she dipped it into her ink-pot. "Dad bought a set, yesterday. You should snag a couple, I don't really need more than two."

"Yeah -" Sachie began.

"Miss Laksh, Miss Tartan," a stern voice said, and Sachie paused, mid-sentence. "If the two of you are done with your discussion -" he held both in a most piercing gaze - "may I please continue with my lesson?"

"Y-yes, sir," Sachie said, meekly.

The professor continued to hold them in his gaze.

"What?" Gold asked, a little perturbed by his action. "Sir," she added, to be more polite. She did not, after all, want to sound rude. Because she wasn't.

"May I please continue with my lesson?" The professor asked, most icily.

"Yes, sir," Sachie mumbled.

"The question was directed at Miss Laksh!" He snapped, in a tone that suggested he wanted to Avada Kedavra a big block of cement, into oblivion.

Oooh. Gold got why he was angry, now. "If you want to, sir," she said cheerfully.

Theme #3: Braking Charm
That, my Friend, is Life


Phew. Gold wiped sweat off her brow, as she plunged into a dive, landed on the ground. It was tough stuff, this new post of Quidditch Captain.

"... has the latest Braking Charm," a tall sixth-year was boasting to a smaller girl. She had tried out for Seeker, and the tall sixth-year had assured her, only half a minute ago, that she would not get it.

He would.

"Guys!" Gold clapped her hands, to draw attention to herself. "Chasers next, please?"

She turned away, for a second. When she had accepted this badge, earlier this year, she had not expected she would have to deal with such a large number of people. Not expected she would have to deal with stuck-ups like a certain sixth year, either.

But that, my friend, is life.



*
"LAKSH!"

He thundered down the corridor, furious. Gold handed her books to Sachie, nodded at her best friend. The hint was enough - Sachie knew it was best to leave.

"Savage?" Gold asked, pleasantly. If he used her last name, she would use his last, too.

"That post of seeker belongs to me!" he thundered. "How dare you -"

"Want to go out with me, this weekend?"

Theme #4: Blasting Curse
One Broken Door, One Wrong Turn


"G-Gold?"

Gold paused, but did not turn round to look at Sachie Tartan. "What's the matter?" she whispered. "You know we have no time for talk, Sachie."

"No, listen," Sachie's voice shook a bit, and Gold had to sigh. What was wrong with Sachie Tartan? Sure, they had broken into Professor Vector's office at one in the morning, sure they were about to steal a bit of his stuff for use in their own potion, but heck, they needed it!

Besides, it was not like they could back out now. How could they leave now, two confringo-s and one broken door later? They needed to steal the ingredients they wanted, leave before the professor woke up. They could always replace what they took, later on. But, for now, they needed to hurry.

"Come on," Gold whispered. She tugged at Sachie's sleeve, eyes on the corner cabinet. "We need to hurry."

"But Gold -" Sachie's voice was positively terrified now. "Gold - turn around."

"Cut it out, Sachie!" Gold snapped. She threw the handkerchief in her hand on the floor, whipped round to glare at her friend -

-- and found herself looking at a livid Professor Vector.

Theme #5: Colloportus
You Kissed the Wrong Girl, Partnah


Gold raised an eyebrow the moment she stepped into Madame Shell's. It was a comfy, little teashop by the sea, quite an attraction for teens, courtesy the spectacular views it provided.

Quite an attraction for Leo Morgan, too, it seemed.

"Morgan."

That noise he was making - worse than that squelch Colloportus produced. He looked up - and his eyes widened in horror. Broke his kiss so quickly, in fact, she actually wanted to grin.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked, one eyebrow still arched.

"You don't get it, Gold," Leo stammered. "I - we - it's not like that -"

She pulled up a chair next to him, and sat down. "You thought I was at Sachie's, and wouldn't be here until tomorrow?" she asked cheerfully.

He had thought that. But he was not going to say it out loud, of course. Wasn't it bad enough that she had caught him kissing someone else, behind her back? His partner looked up, a French girl who did not understand English, and it was clear she was confused - at least he was safe on that side. Paris probably thought Gold was a friend.

"Gold -" he began.

"We're over," she said sweetly.

Theme #6: Crucio
The 'Food' Exam


It was not that she did not love Sachie Tartan - they were quite inseparable, in fact. It was just that Sachie's company was more unbearable than the Cruciatus Curse, when exams arrived.

The two sat in the library now, Gold's head on her arms - which were placed, quite lazily, on a table. Sachie, meanwhile, had a quill stuck behind her ear, and her eyes were the size of saucers as she closed one book, and opened another.

"What if I don't pass, Gold?" she asked, with a lump in her throat. A knot in her chest, too. "My parents are going to be so disappointed, you know that. I - do you think the authorities are going to expel me, too?"

Gold stifled a yawn. "You always scrape by with an O or E in every subject, Sachie. Don't worry, mate."

"But I have an entire chapter to tackle!" Sachie groaned. "Only two days left, and an entire chapter to study! How in the name of MERLIN am I going to manage a pass grade?"

Gold rose to her feet. "Let's go get something to eat, Shiny. I'm hungry."

Sachie glared at her, in response.

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Theme #7: Confundus
No Hospital Wing, Please


It was golden in its lustre, and Gold's lips curved into a pretty smile.

"David - how gorgeous!" she exclaimed, as she threw her arms around him. He had transferred there only two months ago, and she understood why he was so grateful she had helped him out, but this?

This was seriously very pretty.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, relieved. "Early Christmas present, because I plan to go home, for the holidays and I ... well, wanted to give it to you, by myself."

"You shouldn't have," she smiled. "It's so pretty, it looks like ... gold." She grinned, at the last word. Gold. GOLD.

"It is," he said quietly.

Her eyes widened. "It is? Whoa, David, it must be really expensive."

There was something like confusion in his eyes, now - he could have passed for someone who had confundus after-effects, seriously. She had never seen him this way, before. He nodded, then bit his lip. "Umm ... Gold?"

"Yeah?" She was actually concerned about him, now. "You alright, David? Do you have a cold? Want me to drop you to the Hospital Wing?"

"No, I -"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Will you be my girlfriend, Gold?"

Theme #8: Diffindo
The Tale of the CABBAGE


Cousins.

FAVOURITE cousins.

Then why did they fight so much?



*
"Gold, Lavonne, cut it out," Mrs. Laksh called out from the vegetable garden, her sleeves rolled up to accommodate gloves. "When will the two of you learn to get along for more than twenty -"

THWAAACCKKK.

Mayona Laksh's eyes widened. "GOLD LAKSH! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? COME HERE, THIS INSTANT!"

No response.

She heaved a sigh, returned to the veggies. It was comfort to know that they, at least, could not run away from her call.

- Or launch themselves at a cousin they couldn't live without, because said cousin claimed to be able to cast a better Diffindo.



*
"I can't believe I will get to meet them!" Lavonne Darren squealed. "The Broomsticks. HERE. In FRANCE! Can you believe it?"

"I have tickets for the after-party," Gold said, with a grin.

Lavonne stopped in her tracks. "Whoa!" she said. "WHOA! How - who -?"

"Dad."

They high-fived, hugged, and Gold did not wave her cousin off, at the door. "Come in for a bite," she said. "I ordered pizza, earlier."

"Sounds good, Goldie -"


Mayona Laksh looked up when the two walked in, arm-in-arm, and rolled her eyes.

Theme #9: Disapparate
The Speed of Light


CRACKKK.

Gold clutched at the nearest piece of furniture as a tall, messy-haired boy with brilliant, blue eyes apparated into the living room.

"Don't do that!" she frowned as she straightened up, shook her head, and perched herself on top of a table. "I know you can't believe you passed your apparition test but -"

"You didn't touch a nerve," he grinned.

Gold rolled her eyes, ignored Lavonne Darren's elder brother, and turned her attention to a magazine on the table. It was kind of pink, with a pretty girl on the cover, and Zeeshan sniggered loudly.

"What?" she asked, not looking up, but turning over a leaf. She wasn't actually reading the contents - she had read them at least twice, before. Was actually rather fed up of them, and could not wait for a new issue.

"Don't read it," he said casually.

Gold raised an eyebrow. "Why?" The moment she asked the W-question, she knew it was a mistake.

"Because you can't look like her -" he pointed at the girl on the cover - "Even if you try."

"SHANI!"

She grabbed the nearest heavy book - he disapparated at the speed of light.

Theme #10: Engorgio
This is NOT a Mnemonic


It was that time, once more.

"How about Twiddlethumbs?" Sachie Tartan said, enthusiastically. "What do you think of Twiddlethumbs?"

Gold glanced at the pet her best friend was gushing over - a little Speckled Padloper tortoise, not more than eight centimetres. It reminded her, not of seawater and the smell of salted air, but of what had happened to Sachie's last pet.

"Remember what happened to Cinammon?" she asked, rather dryly.

Sachie gave her a look. "It's not my fault, Gold. I didn't know Orion wouldn't take good care of him. Trust me, I -"

"Sachie," Gold cut through, very gently. "You know you can't handle pets. You even sold off that kitten you purchased week before last, and she was the most manageable thing, ever. Seriously, why bother with another?"

"Because pets are cute," Sachie insisted. "I even ordered a larger aquarium for - for - what are we going to name this tortoise, Gold?"

It was kind of clear she could not argue with Sachie, on this matter. "Engorgio?" Gold suggested, with a shrug.

Sachie blinked. "But it's ... tiny."

"Ever heard of foil?"

"Oooh, I get it!" Sachie grinned. "FOIL method! Polynomial expansion!"

EhWHAT?

Gold blinked.

Theme #11: Expecto Patronum
See YOU in my Office


"Let me demonstrate."

Oh, good. Their new teacher was no mere show-off, as she had seemed at first sight - she was a TOTAL show-off.

"Expecto Patronum."

It was a burst of silver light, perhaps a star. Gold grinned, for it was lovely, and she had seriously not expected it to be. A burst of applause rose through the classroom, and the new teacher raised both hands to silence it.

"I know it's awesome, darlings, no need to clap like that. Any questions?"

Gold's hand shot into the air.

The professor flashed her a huge smile. Gold thought she had practiced it - it looked that way, you know. "Miss -?" she asked, clearly.

"Gobblesticks," Gold offered politely.

The young woman raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Laksh," Gold grinned. "Gold Laksh, ma'am - and when are weee going to learn to make these pretty things?"

Heck, yeah!

The professor raised an eyebrow. "This is advanced magic, Miss Laksh. You will not study it until -"

"Then why show it to us now, lady?" a boy at the back asked.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "You two will see me in my office, after class. Is that understood?"

Oops.

Theme #12: Furnunculus
There's a Reason Hospital Wings Exist


"Gold."

"But I like purple rabbits," Gold mumbled, in response. She clutched her blankets closer to herself, and rolled over to her side. "Please mum, no eggnog for breakfast. I want -"

"GOLD," Sachie cut through, irritably. "Wake up, PLEASE."

"No eggnog," Gold muttered.

But Sachie Tartan had decided that drastic situations DID call for drastic measures - the third-year grabbed her friend, and shook her, hard.

"OWW!" Gold cried, as she was jerked back to earth from Planet Dream-on. "Sachie Tartan - my gosh, what in the name of Merlin's pinktoe?" Her mouth had dropped open, for Sachie looked like one who had been attacked with a super-effective Furnunculus - and yes, the sight was not a pleasant one.

"What HAPPENED?" Gold cried, sitting up and quickly rubbing her eyes to see better. "Did you get into a fight? What time is it, anyway?" She grabbed the wristwatch placed on her bedside table, and peered into its dial - four-thirty, in the morning.

"Heck, Sachie, what happened?!"

"It's ... some sort of ... allergy," Sachie mumbled unhappily. "No idea what happened, I woke up and - what do I dooooo?"

"Hospital Wing," Gold said firmly, as she rose to her feet.

Theme #13: Flagrate
Happy Eyelashes


UGHH.

Gold mumbled something dark under her breath, and the new professor looked up from her desk. "Did you say something, Miss Laksh?"

"No," Gold said, rather firmly. But, to be honest, she wanted to pick the nearest book, and FLING it at this new woman.

Sure, their questions had been a little disruptive, but not this disruptive. That woman, she had put them in detention for one week - for one, WHOLE week - and given them the task of unpacking her vast collection of books, tidying it, stacking it into new boxes, and marking each box that became full to the top.

It was sweaty work, and Gold hated it.

"Flagrate," the boy who sat at the back of her class muttered, as he marked a new box, and pushed it aside with one hand. "Heck, how many more boxes --- pass me that book, Laksh."

Gold tossed it at him, then mumbled something under her breath again. The professor looked up, once more. "Did you say anything, Miss Laksh?" she purred, quite happily.

Gold's patience snapped.

"I said thank you for the awesomely handsome partner, ma'am," she said sweetly, batting her eyelashes at the boy next to her.

Theme #14: Horn Tongue
Latin in the Garden


"UGGHH!"

Sachie's voice was one that suggested she had been the unfortunate victim of a Horn Tongue Hex, and Gold raised an eyebrow, as she shouldered her spade.

"I can't believe you're going to dig up worms, Goldie," Sachie said, with a shake of her head. "Your heels are going to get dirty."

Dirty heels! Not EVER! The very thought made Gold want to cringe. But she stood her ground, gave Sachie a look. "Number one: for the umpteenth time, Sachie Tartan, I am NOT digging up worms. I am setting up a garden -- and, more importantly, number two: I plan to wear flats. NO dirty heels. Ever."

"Number one - what's the difference, Goldie? They both involve mud. Number two -- they both involve dirty heels, too."

Gold rolled her eyes, removed her spade from her shoulder and -

"What are you going to do with THAT?" Sachie asked.

"Well, I was going to put this end in the ground," Gold replied sarcastically, sticking the spade into the mud and leaning on it a bit.

Sachie blinked.

"I don't ... get this."

"Go brush up your Latin, or something," Gold replied, throwing up her hands in despair. "Please."

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Theme #15: Hurling Hex
Rainwater Quaffles


Gold bit her lip, threw the quaffle with both hands --

Score.

*

Wet, sloppy, very muddy - this was her Quidditch team after four hours of practice in a terrible bout of rain. Gold plunged into a dive, landed in a spray of mud that tasted tangy, like rust or old iron.

"Good job, team."

"I need a bath," the seeker said, as she rubbed her hands for warmth. "Gosh, my fingers feel numb."

The wind picked up, knocked at shut windows, at the doors of warm rooms, and Gold shook big droplets of water out of her bright, red hair. "We need to practice," she said, tones quiet. "We have to defeat -"

"We have to," a voice cut through. "I can't believe they had the nerve to place a Hurling Hex on my broom. Those cheaters."

"Don't worry," Gold said, firmly. She had been pretty mad when his broom had thrown him off, and their rivals had had a good laugh at their expense, but they could not dwell on that, now. "We're going to beat them, fair and square."

They trooped back to the School in a wet huddle, but their spirits could not have been higher.

Theme #16: Impedimenta
The Day of the PURPLE Rabbit


Third year finals.

Gold stood outside the little room, Sachie at her side. There was no queue, because most of the students were too nervous to care. Gold was not, but she was certainly glad of the absence of the queue - because, that way, Sachie could be by her side.

... and yes, Sachie was a huge moral support, even if you weren't nervous.

"Laddle, Rosier - Laksh, Gold -" a loud voice from the interiors of the room began to call out.

"G'luck," Sachie said, clapping her on the back. Gold grinned, waved at her best friend, and stepped into the circular chamber, after Rosier. Professor Twidfeet sat at a rather comfy stool by the far wall, and he beckoned her closer with a warm smile - she had always been one of his favourite students.

"Ready for the Charms practical, Miss Laksh?" he asked pleasantly.

"Aye aye, sir!" she said, with a mock salute. Which was when Rosier gave a little scream, and ducked rather messily. Gold's eyebrow shot up, and she turned round -- only to see a purple rabbit leap at her!

"What is that?" she asked, stunned.

"Someone messed up their Impedimenta," professor Twidfeet laughed, in response.

Theme # 17: Imperio
Nothing Like a Hug


Yes.

She had said yes.

It was sort of, Gold could not help thinking, David's luck that she was single, at the time he had asked her if she would be his girlfriend. Because, to be honest, it was not often that she was.

Did she love him? Well, love was a strong word. Gold was pretty sure she had never fallen in love. Not yet, at least. But like, she certainly did. He was handsome, he was always up for a laugh, and he was good, healthy company, - and that, as far as Gold was concerned, was enough to guarantee that he would make a good boyfiend.

She pulled a bit closer to David now, as the two of them stepped into The Imperio - the new teashop was named after the Imperius Curse, David had told her and, frankly, that was sort of disturbing. But he had assured her the place attracted no indecent company.

Well, that was fine with her.

"Do you want coffee, or tea, Gold?" David asked, as he pulled up a chair for her, and she sat down. "Or both?" He grinned at that last, little question.

"I want a hug," she replied sweetly.

Theme # 19: Jelly Legs
The Black-Eyed Pea[brain]s


It was time for the pre-practice match talk, and Gold was late. She glanced at her wristwatch --

-- Time to run.

"You're LATE!" a voice chided. "- and -- gosh, you look windswept. Don't tell me you ran here in those." He pointed at her high heels, and smirked.

"Shut it," she snapped. She really was not in the best mood, right now. "That team! Morgan tried to hit me with a Jelly Legs Jinx when I stepped out of Arithmancy. We had a bit of a fight - well, a BIG bit of a fight - and he's going to have a black eye for quite a while, now."

The seeker grinned. "Good work!" This was her cue to give Gold a thumbs-up. But that hardly made Gold feel better. She pretty much hated how their rivals were willing to stoop to dirty tricks, to have their way. She had faced her share of nasty people before but, now that she was Captain, she was a target more often.

You would think that would give her an ego-boast. But it didn't.

Didn't.

"Forget it," she shrugged, as she sat down. "Let's talk about nicer stuff."

Theme # 18: Incarcerous
You Know You Asked


Orton Savage hated her with a passion, that she knew. But when her seeker came down with a terrible cold, three days before a Quidditch match, Gold knew she had no choice but to ask him to step in - he was, by far, the best seeker she could get, at this moment.

The hardest part was, of course, how to ask him if he would like to substitute the present seeker, for a while. For all she knew, he might yell Incarcerous the moment she stepped in front of him, and then leave her for someone to find, and untie. Gold KNEW this would be tough.

But it was necessary.


*

"Oi! Savage!"

The corridor was empty but for him, and Gold clutched several books as she stepped - late - out of Potions -- only to see that he was about to disappear, at the end of it.

He turned round, and his eyes narrowed. "What do you want, Laksh?"

Ummm ...

"You know Quartz is out with a cold and -"

"Get to your point, pea-brain."

WHATT? How dare he talk to her, that way?

"- and you're STILL not going to be asked to play seeker, this match!" she snapped.

Theme # 20: Knitting Charm
The Garden and the Sock


There were certain things the two of them would never be able to understand about each other - Sachie Tartan would always be freaked out by Gold's love for gardening, and Gold, by her friend's passion for knit-work.

The latter stepped into the former's house now, her hair dyed yellow-orange at the tips in the spirit of the freshly-arrived summer vacations - a sign that she was glad, of course.

Only to roll her eyes when she found her friend sitting cross-legged on a pretty, blue rug by the fireside, eyes screwed up in concentration, and silver-grey knitting needles at the busy.

How boring.

"Hey, Sachie! Want to go fish a bit?" she asked, as she dropped, on the warm rug, besides her best friend. "Dad says he can drop us at -"

"Not now," Sachie instructed, in quite an authoritarian voice. "I have to knit this sock. Wish I were of age -- a Knitting Charm would make my work easier." She sighed, as if in memory of School, which allowed her ample opportunity to brush up on her skills of said charm.

"You're boring," Gold teased.

"You're a garden," Sachie shot back.

Theme # 21: langlock
Cranky, Pretty Witch


Zeeshan Darren would not leave her alone. It was as if his life depended on how much he teased her - Gold did not dislike him, but they could not never get along like good friends.

She heaved a sigh, now, as the double doors of the living room swung open, and her cousin walked in, mouth forming into a smirk the moment he saw her.

"Hi, Green."

"If you call me that ONCE more, I will Langlock you into -"

"Why?" He cut through. "Gold is a colour. Green is a colour, too. Plus, they both begin with a G. In fact, even garbage begins with a G. A capital G." He stuck his tongue out at her, and Gold rolled her eyes.

"You're hopeless, Shani. Hopeless."

He grinned, walked up to her, and picked the magazine on the circular, glass-table in front of her. "The Pretty Witch," he read out loud. "My gosh, Green, what the heck is this magazine doing with you? It says pretty witch, not cranky -"

"SHANI!"

He grinned again. "I came to see Aunt Mayona, you know."

"You know she's not home, Shani! She's in London, and -"

"You cranky witch, you."

"Idiot."

Theme # 22: Legilimens
My Father is a President


She had not known that her mother was a Legilimens and, now that her father spoke of it, Gold's eyes widened.

"You two never told me!" the twelve-year-old exclaimed, a fat book of stories in her lap, and bright, green eyes on her dad, whose face was hidden behind the morning's newspaper, as he helped himself to another pancake.

"You never asked," he said, through a mouthful of food. "How was I supposed to know you would be interested, darling?"

"Dad," she said, most exasperatedly. "You know - oh, forget it." She was irritated now, not because he had not told her, but because the newspaper was like a wall between them - she wanted to see his expressions, know if this was a joke.

Not that her father would lie to her.

Still.

"Dad?" she asked, after a moment.

There was a crunch of paper, as he folded the newspaper and placed it aside, to get a better look at her. "Sweetie?"

"Are you a Legilimens, too?"

"Gosh, no," he replied, with a grin. "Do I look like one? The only thing I am is the secret, super-evil president of the Underworld."

She had to laugh.

Theme # 23: Levicorpus
What do YOU Know?


"Team! STOP!"

Play paused, and twelve players in robes that flapped round their knees, courtesy the wind, turned to look at Captain Laksh - twelve, and not thirteen, because their seeker was out with a cold, and their Captain had yet to find a replacement.

The Captain's reason? She wanted Orton Savage on the team, because it would be unfair to ask anyone else, but knew she had ruined her chances of this.

But she called them back to the ground now, because she knew there was going to be a bit of trouble, right here, right now. Proof? The dot in the distance that was Orton Savage. He was coming closer by the second, and Gold knew this was going to get snappish.

"We booked the pitch for today, Savage," she said, before he could open his mouth, as he stepped in front of her. "It's out-of-limits for anyone not on the team, so I will have to request you to leave. Please," she added, all sweetly. For effect and all, you know.

"I should have been seeker!" He thundered. "I know you -"

"I know Levicorpus," she said, thoughtfully. "What did you say you know, again?"

Theme # 24: Lumos
High Heel Hallucinations


Oooh, secret passageway!

She had stumbled on it, quite by accident, let me assure you. Yes, Gold Laksh had certainly not been sneaking around School, after dark.

It was quite a wonder to her, that this stone wall could slide aside, to reveal a shortcut. The shortcut -- she had been through it last night and, though it only led into the grounds, the lack of clarity of vision - she had been too careful to light her wand - had not allowed her to see what treasures the length of the tunnel, itself, could hold within its rough, stone walls.

"I'm not sure we should do this," Sachie whispered from behind her. "You always get us into trouble, Gold. Remember the time we -"

"You always say that, Sachie," Gold replied. Her own tones were low, for they were out of bed well past curfew, and she did not want to wake anyone up. That would, of course, be quite the disaster. "You can go back, if you like and - MY GOSH! Is-that-a-high-heel? Lumos."

There was a flare of light -- and Gold groaned.

It was not a high heel, but an oddly-shaped cardboard box - what a disappointment!

Theme # 25: Mobilicorpus
Her Pink Jimmy Choos


"Gold, Sachie, come down this instant! We're going to be late, and you two -"

"- will miss the train, if you don't hurry up," Gold completed her mother's sentence brightly, as she jumped down three steps to arrive at the foot of the staircase. "You say that each year, mum, and we have yet to miss the train. We're ready, by the way - everything's packed. Let's go."

"Mobilicorpus," Mr. Laksh said, wand pointed at their luggage, which rose into the air. "Have you double-checked everything? You left those pink heels of yours, last term, Gold, and you made such a fuss about it. Are all of your heels packed, this time?"

"Triple-checked them, this time round," Gold declared, with confidence. She had not, for the life of her, been able to figure how she had managed to leave her pink Jimmy Choos behind, last year. Of course, she had been quite shocked, when she had found that out, on day one of her third year. "Where's Mr. Tartan?"

"He's in the kitchen," Mrs. Laksh said, as she stowed a package in Gold's hand, and she skipped out of the lounge.