So the little leak in her shield was now a BIG one. Ella was getting pounded by rain and wind, her small body completely drenched. EEP! To make things worse, the wind was whipping around and causing the sand to come up and hit her in the face, HARD. "Ouch!" She squeaked, though it couldn't be heard over the storm. It felt like she had been slapped in the fact with sandpaper or something! OUCHOUCHOUCH!

And the whole hanging on to the tree thing? It was MUCH harder than it looked. Ella's arms were struggling to keep hold and it didn't help that things were flying all around her. Like...the coconuts? EEP! They were horrible. And they kept flying REALLY close to her head. The third year definitely didn't want to get hit and so she did her best to shimmy her arms down the tree, assuming that getting low to the ground would be better for her. It was during this little shimmying session that she noticed...

O____O

Nigel was flying! Like...without a broom! Merlin's beard! The third year tightened her grip on the tree, watching with wide eyes as the storm whipped the poor boy around like a rag doll. She was too busy to notice the coconut headed straight for her stomach.

...

POW.

Hey, no fair! The professor should be the best at performing the spell, so why did she get to hide in the hut? She should have to stand out in the hurricane in case any of them needed help or got hurt. It was supposed to be HER responsibility to make sure they survive, not the older students’.

Quickly Silvia put all of her focus into casting another “Protego Caelum” around herself before tucking her wand securely in its holster, hoping that the shield would be strong enough as is. She didn’t want to risk losing or damaging her wand. But she had no clue how she was going to protect her face.

Just as the magic sky began to darken and the wind began to pick up, she turned and made for the tree she had been standing near to, hugging it with both arms as best she could. Soon after the rain started pouring down. Silvia could feel it on her hands, and on her face when the wind whipped it about. The rain fell so hard that it stung her hands and cheeks, and she was thankful that the shield seemed to be holding up otherwise, for now at least.

She shut her eyes tight as sand began flying everywhere, and released her arm from the tree just long enough to pull her hood further down so it hung slightly in front of her eyes. Her arm returned to the tree and she clung to it tightly. Her head was turned downward. The wind was beating down and though she was mostly protected, she felt herself sliding down the tree trunk and was soon sitting on her knees. The tree itself was bent over so far she wondered if it would snap. Silvia could feel her wet and sand battered hands slipping and she quickly adjusted and tightened her grip. She was petite and the wind strong; there was no telling what would happen if she couldn’t keep holding on. She hoped it would be over soon.

When the professor started to spell to make Hurricane Sophia appear, Belle was quite nervous. She knew she would survive but she had to watch out for the others. This is going to be a fun class.....

When the winds started, Belle could not see. The sand was getting in her eyes. She screamed and she almost felt her feet fly off the floor. "Oh my god, this is insane!" Belle yelled over the howling winds. She decided to do her spell. She couldn't see where her wand was but she could only feel in her robes for it. After she felt for it, she remembered the incantation. "Protego Caelum!" she screamed and did the circle with a quick swish. It only protected her head not her face. Great....her eyes even stung from the sand. She used her arm to protect her eyes.

After she used the spell, Belle saw a coconut flying in the air. She saw it hit Ella in the stomach. Her eyes widened and she yelled, "Ella are you okay!?!?"

Belle even saw Nigel flying. O----O
What is happening to the students. She knew she was a prefect and try to help him down but she didn't know how. Maybe the professor might now. She is not in charge of everyone. She shielded her eyes from the sand and rain. She wished she had some type of glasses to shield her eyes.

EEHH!

Wind! Check! Rainwater! Check! Soaking, even! Sand! Present!

*cue major inner flail*

She was going to die, she just knew it. Oh, she was definitely going to haunt Bellaire down if that happened. She'd be Sir Nick's substitute in distracting students while the woman teaches. Really.. REALLY.

Her arms were being frustratingly painful as she exerted the utmost effort to stay hugging the coconut tree, but because of the impact from the hurricane she wasn't sure she could hold on much longer. That's when a body hit the tree, and yes, of course, her arms too. "OUUUUU---*cough*---CHHHH!!" Sand in mouth!

And a flattened, marred arm to pair with?!

Oh, hi Kurumi!

Grimacing extensively, Beezus tried to ask help for the Prefect but all that was coming out from her were spitting noises mixed with sand particles.

THEN....WIIIIND!!

The Ravenclaw screamed her heart out as the strong breeze literally made her fly, her arms doing more than it's capable for she was still grasping the tree, but it sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipped...until only her hands were digging on the tree's body.

NIGEEEEEELL! He was also flying! Ravenclaws were awesome like that!

But he wasn't holding into anything. The winds might take him somewhere....far, far off.

This wasn't a good ideaaaaaaaaaa.. The second year was hanging onto the tree for dear LIFE, but he caught some young Gryffindor trying to help him out. Nothing appeared to have worked, though. But it had upped his low opinion on Gryffindors. Maybe they were okay. Those Claws, though........

"MY WAND." He bellowed randomly, not aware that it had been picked up by Nige-Man. Instead, his teeth started to chatter, and it was flipping obvious. "I-I-I lost m-m-m-mah wand." How could he win Professor Bellaire's special prize without casting the spell first? He staaaaaaared at Kurumi.

He needed her HELP here.

Theo wished that she would just let the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor GO.
...
Sheesh, who was more important here?

"Professoooooooooooooor, can we stop noooooooooooow?!" PLEASE.

...If I were you I'd grab hold of a tree

That was the last warning Professor Bellaire gave before the wind started to pick up. First it was a light tug here and a light tug there of his curls but Gideon knew it would no doubt get worse. He slipped up his hood over his head and tightened his grip on his wand. "Protego caelum!" he cast again upon himself and his clothes while the storm was still brewing up, doing his best to keep a strong focus as he cast to ensure it had a better chance of holding up. As for that tree...the prefect followed the advice and the movements of the other students left outside and moved for the nearest one.

The sky was suddenly dark and filled with rain, however thanks to the spell he didn't feel it, at least on most of him. His hands were particly exposed as he held on to the tree and while his hood was up at the moment, the wind would likely see it topple back down. As if in answer the wind picked up even stronger, Gideon looking up as he heard the rattling of the coconuts hanging in the tree above him and his companions. That was certainly something to look out for...the woman hadn't been kidding. Flying,hard fruit could do some damage.

Gideon vaguely heard the yelling of his fellow students and if he fought the wind and chanced a look around he could see lips moving but it was very doubtful he could understand anything that was being said. Professor Bellaire's earlier words rung in his ears about the older kids like himself looking out for the younger kids. Kinda tough when you hear mostly just noise and your vision is becoming blinder seeing as his hood and been pushed back giving him sand, wind and rain water in the face.

"And tree leaves," he added aloud through gritted teeth as if anyone could hear him. The branches above rustling and hitting him every so often. A downfall of being tall and near them as they were bent by the storm.

Grab hold of a tree? Pffft. Bellaire CLEARLY underestimated Milton's macho strength. He had excellent balance and muscles - he was TOTALLY fine. Snort.

Milton braced himself a little bit for the wind and held his wand out in front of him. He felt the breeze begin, but waited a little bit so he could really test his strength. Above, the blue sky was being consumed by the giant grey clouds and Milton was momentarily mesmerized by the sudden darkness that covered them... And suddenly, the hurricane was coming full force. Milton was caught of guard by a flying coconut. He ducked quickly and managed to miss the coconut.

His robes were flying straight behind him and he had to hunch over a little bit to keep himself standing and it was proving to be very difficult. He raised his wand to cast the spell, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he got slapped in the face by a palm leaf and a cloud of sand entered his lungs. AAAGGHH! Milton coughed and joked and stumbled backwards, unable to stay in one spot anymore.



As he stumbled backward with the wind, he flailed his arms about and tried to grab onto anything around him. Finally, his hand latched onto something that SEEMED solid, but the weight of Milton and the hurricane sent them both flying backwards until Milton hit another tree. "AAAGGH!" THE PAIN. THE AGONY.

Despite the crack in his ribs, Milton clung onto the tree and Beezus' robes since it was kind of his fault they were there. Where did his wand go?!

"IS THIS EVEN LEGAL?!" He shouted in a raspy, sandy voice. Owieee.

Wait. Be sure that they SURVIVE? West stared a bit from his spot under the hut thingyy and looked out at the kids that were still out there. INCLUDING HIS BEST FRIEND.

Professor Bellaire totally needed to know that West would go hulk on her if anything bad happened to Theo!

Or anyone on the TEAM for that matter!

She was talking now. He looked at her and put his hand up. "Me, professor." He was about to say stuff when....



HIS BEST FRIEND WAS GONNA DIE FROM SAND!

West was on the verge of trying to rush out there AND NIGEL WAS FLYING AND OH HE HAD THEO'S WAND AND-- the twelve year old shifted agitatedly from foot-to-foot and stared-- That nice Sarah girl was trying to help Theo and eq'erghqsf'df'gkq;hsdllsfaahg.

SAVE THE SECOND YEARS!

or y'know, it'd just be him and Penelope left so they'd like, be guaranteed to be head boy and girl one day? She'd come under the hut too right? But was that worth losing ALL HIS FRIENDS? He didn't even wanna beeeeeee Head of anything except Quidditch! Nope, wasn't worth it!

SAAAAVE THE SECOND YEAARS!

Laura wasn't enjoying this at all. "Professor please make it stop." Laura looked around and saw her bestie Ella get hit by a coconut and Nigel was flying without a broom now that was cool though Hurricane Hogwarts was getting on her nerves how had the Professor got permission to do this, she was really upset and hadn't noticed the coconut flying straight towards her.

*BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

Laura suddenly felt the coconut hit her in the foot. "Ouch!!" Laura hobbled on one foot, her other foot was killing her now. "No wand here MR Coconut, so please stay away from me." Yeah that was right Laura was talking to the coconuts.

Penelope was under the hut, and she wasn't extremely happy about it. Why did her inability to perform spells have to keep her from participating in class activities? Why couldn't she just be good at these things like everyone else was? SIGH.

She raised her hand when the professor asked who else was having problems, and she glanced over at West when she realized he was there too. Thank Merlin she wasn't the only second year, at least. That made her feel a tiny bit better.

Until stuff actually started happening, and she saw just how insane it was outside the hut. Blink. Blink. That...did NOT look good. She still wished she could be out there, but mainly so she could help...somehow. She wasn't sure how, but she didn't like seeing everyone being knocked around, especially not her friends, while she just stood here in this hut because she was rubbish at being a witch. And when she glanced over at West again, it looked like he was having similar thoughts.

"Shouldn't we do something?" she asked as she looked back out to see what was happening.

Wait, grab onto a tree?! Make sure the younger kids survive?! Surely.... And those were the only thoughts Emmanuelle had time to think before the hurricane started. It wasn't so bad at first, she even managed to eek out "Protego Caelum!" But all ended as the hurricane picked up.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" And she was flying through the air, screams lost in the absolutely insane wind. She struggled and flailed all the while, as if it would make the wind put her down. Pffffft. What was she thinking of? All she knew was that this WAS NOT fun and that she was never going anywhere she could be caught one of these ever again!

Finally, she hit one of the trees, knocking her out of the air, and sunk to the bottom. She immediately grabbed onto to her savior tree for dear life. There was no way she was letting herself get swept back into that wind, nuhuh. Although, she had to struggle just to keep a hold of the thing. And there was the rather unfortunate fact that the tree she was clinging to was the perfect distance from a tree bearing coconuts for said coconuts to become missiles.

"OWWWWWWW!" she screamed as she was pelted with the brown seeds.

A hurricane is going to be conjured or whatever, we have to test our shields to see if they keep us from getting sandblasted, grab onto a tree or something.... Wait a minute! Professor Bellaire isn't even staying out here with us?, Kendall thought, watching the professor with wide eyes as she'd gone over to the hut, cast a spell on it, then started yelling instructions out to them as if through a forcefield. Okay, this is not good. She wasn't half as sure about her shield if the professor wasn't even willing to weather the storm with them. She didn't care if the woman was under the hut to teach the others how to master the charm like those of them who were braver. She was the professor, and she was pretty sure that meant she should make sure none of them got injured or killed in her lesson. meaning it wasn't the older students' responsibility. Besides, she wasn't an older student or a younger student. She was in the middle, and now she was scared.

Not scared enough to check her hair for changes. Instead, she pulled her hood tighter around her face and half-covering her forehead as she made her way toward a particularly tall tree. She really didn't want to fly, after all, and she pressed her forehead against the trunk as she'd wrapped her arms around it. At the same time things went dark and the wind picked up, so she hoped that protected her face more. Although it would make it harder to dodge things, even though it was already hard since she was plastered against the trunk like a barnacle. She twisted her neck so her face was visible, though, as people started yelling about losing wands, flying and not wanting to die, She was keeping her mouth shut, and squeezed her eyelids closed as she saw a cloud of sand coming toward her along with what looked like some of the thatched roof from a hut. Oh, this isn't going to be fun, she thought, fighting the wind to curl her legs around the trunk as well even as it bent into an awkward curve. She was NOT going to die in this lesson, and at least so far it looked like her shield was holding on her cloak. She wasn't wet yet. Just terrified and about to find out what it felt like to get hit by thatch.

Ow.

Minerva was standing still breathing headily. She had lived in the muggle world as a kid, she had seen what Hurricanes did to Alabama, Florida, and all those other places. She was terrified to actually be in one. There was no way the professor would do anything that could really harm them, right? She felt the wind picking up and then something grab her hand. Looking down at her hand she was on the move before it registered that it was Sutton. Feeling the sand hitting her she whined from the pain for the little pellets coming at her. She had played paint ball once and this was much worse then that she thought.

All of the sudden her hand was empty as something pulled the girls apart. Stopping she tried to find which way Sutton had went, but the sand was moving around so much she had no clue which way to even look. Minerva tried to move forward, but the wind was knocking her back. She tried harder to run towards an object she could make out in front of her, but the wind kept pulling her until she lost the fight and fell to her back. Rolling over to her side Minerva held her face with her hands hoping it could help protect her face from the painful sand.

Sophie was still holding on FOR DEAR LIFE to the coconut tree as she saw EVERYTHING happen around her through her flailing hair.

ELLA WAS HIT BY A COCONUT!!

"ELLA!" AARGH! Sophie coooughed more sand out of her mouth and she let go with one of her hands from the tree to take her hair out of her mouth.

Which was a bad idea....

Sophie was blown away from the tree, and she dropped to the ground, trying to grab onto ANYTHING AT ALL, but there was just sand. NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!! She didn't want to fly around like Nigel!! So she tried her best to stay flat on the sand, but she was still being blooown awaaaay until she hit another tree. She wasn't able to see anything now, but she did feel the tree hit her side.

Or... she was thrown against the tree. Anyway. She was close to another tree now, which was good. The third year - now COMPLETELY COVERED with sand - hugged the lower part of the tree and felt there were some feet there already. She'd have to share the tree with someooone!! She wasn't sure it that was good... Looking up, she realised it was

THEODORE!

Oh Merlin, he wouldn't shoo her away from 'his' tree, would hee?? Sophie knew how moody her little friend could be sometimes. But no time for moodiness, Theodore! They had to stick together naaooo!!! The brunette got up with difficulty, not letting go of the tree and well, when she was almost stading up she had to pull Theodore closer to hug the tree with her. That was it, the both of them could make sure they were stuck to the tree together, right?

RIGHT!! NO FLYING AROUND PLEASE!!

She spat out some more sand before trying to talk to him. "Th--Theo!" Could he even hear her?? "Hold on! I think th-" PPPPFFFFFFTTT!! "this will be over soon!!" She said loudly so he could hear even though the wind was FREAKING LOOOUUUDDDD!!!

Her hair was still slapping her face. There was NO USE in trying to pull up the hood anymore. NO. USE!!

This was ridiculous.

How was this allowed? The professor was putting the students in terrible danger and causing them pain. Was SHE going to sit here and heal them all when this whole debacle was over, or would they all simply have to flood up to the Healer? Somehow, Sutton got the feeling that the healer would NOT be happy about the latter.

She had no idea what had happened to Minnie. They were supposed to be in this together, and not even 10 minutes in, they had lost each other. Army crawling through the sand (with one good arm, mind you), Sutton began groping her way around the rock, but she didn't find Minnie. That meant she was somewhere out there.... Alone and scared.

Sutton had to find her.

How would she do it with all of this sand blowing in her face though. She groped away from the rock, keeping her eyes and mouth shut as she crawled across the beach floor. Standing up sounded like a terrible idea. The longer she searched for Minnie, the more terrified she became.

GRRRRRRR! "This is awful!!!!!" she shouted at the endless stretch of sand surrounding her. Her jaw set, Sutton came up and sat on her knees. Enough was enough. "Protego!" she yelled, casting the basic shield charm before her and concentrating with all her might on shielding herself from the sand. Sutton wasn't sure that her shield would be powerful enough to protect her from anymore coconuts, but at least she could open her eyes now.

It was still extremely hard to see, but at the moment the wind gusts changed directions, Sutton spotted a blonde figure laying in the sand, several feet on the opposite side of the rock. Getting up on her feet but staying crouched as low as possible to keep the wind from catching her, she made a mad dash for the rock. The wind suddenly changed directions and she was slammed hard against it, her injured shoulder hitting an area of the rock that was jutting out.

Sutton felt hot tears down her face, making paths through the sand... and then she felt water that was cold. Her protego caellum charm was failing, but she had to help Minnie first. Sucking in a deep breath that sent a spike of pain through her shoulder blade, Sutton ran toward Minnie, diving out of the way of a coconut heading for her and landing hard on the ground. She stretched out her painful left arm and gripped Minnie's wrist. Once again, she cast "Protego Caellum!" over herself, and then she cast another basic Protego charm before her and Minnie's heads to protect their eyes from the sand.

Er.

Elliot saw the wind...saw the rain...SAW THE WAVES...and she...well, she panicked. She simply DROPPED to the ground, curled up into a ball...and stayed like that for a few seconds before even realizing it...WAAAIT! She was totally supposed to be protecting herself! She tried to get up, but as the wind grew stronger, she decided...hey, it might be best to stay down. Plus, she couldn't get knocked around if she was already in the sand...which, speaking of, was flying into her eyeballs and making them REALLY watery! "Protego Caelum!" she shouted, and the protection was...slim. Sure, it made the wind stop a bit...but rain was still pouring down...it must not have been strong enough...

Elliot groaned..."PROTEGO CAELUM!" and the rain stopped, but only for a minute...then it started to pour again..Elliot felt her hair whipping about behind her...she curled up into a ball, deciding that that way, she wouldn't be blown anywhere...

Well, she was wrong. Before she knew it, the sand was whipping about all around her and the wind was sliding her along the sand...MERLIN'S SOCKS! Elliot was kind of..scared...now. She uncurled herself and kneeled, but the wind yanked her roughly backwards...towards the trees...OH GREAT!

She tried to stand so that she could walk away..but...that didn't happen. Instead, the blonde was plummeted towards the tree trunk...and SMACK there she went, right into Soapy....Elliot's eyes rolled into the back of her head, but she managed to grab a hold of Sophie's arm, roughly, and didn't fall..

Stupid Hufflepuff has almost killed her! But she was still holding onto her for dear life...

Awkward. ...

Minerva had her face covered but could still feel the sand stinging her hand. This was horrible, her worse nightmare, ok maybe not worse nightmare, but it had to be close. She felt something hard hit her stomach and she let out air, What the heck?? Pulling one of her hands down she felt the object, coconut... great. Would this ever end. Minerva decided she was just going to stay in the position until class ended if she had to, but what if it didn't end, what if class would leave and she would still had her face covered. The professor would never leave students in a hurricane, right? Minerva wasn't so sure, if it was Lafay she knew the answer would be yes she would, but she wasn't sure about.. stop thinking like that Minerva you will be fine.

Just then she felt something on her again and heard a muffled sound. Now what was going on, Minerva then felt as if the sand wasn't hitting her as hard. Maybe it was finally stopping, Minerva took a chance and looked around. No it wasn't stopping she could see it all around her looking down she saw Sutton and smiled, "Thank I owe you one." she screamed. Trying to get up she got closer to Sutton, "Where should we try to go? This is horrible."

He wanted to cast on his face? And after the professor had just advised them not to? Vivi shook her head at him and shoved back her hood, but the panic-stricken expression and his pallor stopped her from protesting. Maybe it was ill-advised, but he wasn't well about all this.

Sometimes you had to do what you had to do to make it through to the end. She nodded and tipped her wand at him just as the professor began to talk again.

"Stay frosty, Vick."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davvy_Wavvy

Before unleashing the hurricane on the students Professor Bellaire went over to the large hut where most of the younger ones were gathered and performed the protego caelum maxima charm. She would of course be staying under the hut with the younger ones, safe and sound. It was so terribly hard getting sand out of places she just didn't want to deal with that today.

She addressed those outside of the protective shield from where she was standing.

"If I were you I'd grab hold of a tree!" She warned. Giving them a fe seconds to scramble about Sophia unleashed the hurricane on them.

First there was a gentle enough breeze then it started getting stronger tree leaves start dancing in the wind and then the rain. The beautiful blue of the charmed sky is now dark grey almost black and the rain drops are now no longer drops but feel like bucket loads of water being poured down..[thats if you can feel it that is]. After a little while the once dancing trees will bow so low their leaves should be able to hit you or touch the ground, please be mindful of the flying coconuts and hut debris..dodge them if you can.

"Older students please ensure that the younger ones survive my class thank you."

As for Sir Nick, he could talk to her under the hut mhm.

She turned to the ones that were gathered under the hut. "Okay so one at a time, who's still having problems with casting this charm?"

A tree, hmm? Vivi scoffed at the direction as the wind began to whip up around them. There was some sand flying, but her cloak was offering adequate protection and keeping her face and hair dry. Moments later, however, the wind began to howl and the rain poured practically sideways.

Vivi clutched her wand to her chest inside her cloak and braced herself for the onslaught. No way. She could stand in this... she was small and apparently easy to knock off her feet, but she wouldn't be the first to fall. Around her, students crashed to the ground, and, if her eyes weren't fooling her, something large and student-shaped flew past on a particularly strong gust.

She was dry, but there was sand creeping into her cloak and she tumbled to one knee when attempting to move toward the nearest tree. This. Would. Not. Do. This rampant abuse of power by a professor, tossing students out into danger and telling them it was all in fair play... it was terrible. She'd...

She'd deal with it. She wasn't going to run and tattle to her mother or the Head.

With a defeated flip of her wand through the sleeve of her cloak, Vivi cast an Incarcerus charm, sending thick ropes to wrap around the nearest tree. Clinging to the end of the rope, Vivi pulled herself toward the tree and left the loose end across the sand behind her for anyone else to pick up.

Perhaps she could give the younger students something to hold to? Over her shoulder, Vivi blindly shot more ropes, hoping she would catch trees and offer students a lifeline... and not end up tying someone to the nearest object.

The little first year braced herself for what was to come. With all the feeling and focus she could find, she cast “Protego Caelum!” over herself. The professor let loose the storm, and Eliza felt the wind picking up. She watched grains of sand start rolling towards her, faster and faster. Right, tree. She remembered her key to survival. Where’s a tree?! She was starting to second guess herself as she looked around hurriedly. There! She ran to the closest coconut tree and flung her arms around its trunk. Okay, I should probably cast that again, just to be sure.

She stood firm against the even stronger winds. She pulled her wand out to cast her protection spell again, only to find herself in the sights of a rather large coconut. “Holy smokes!” she cried. It was flying like a rocket towards her face. Hurry hurry hurry!! “Um, um…PROTEGO CAELUM!!!” she shouted while she cast her spell and leapt back to the tree, legs swinging in in the wind from the force of the wicked gales.

Trees were bending, waves were chopping, students were… flying around in the air like popped balloons?! Is the teacher going to save that boy? she worried. Her arms were beginning to get tired from holding onto the tree for dear life. Her wrists were throbbing from the pressure of the rough bark on her skin.

Wait a minute…she looked to the sky. It was dark and definitely very, very wet - but she was not. I’m doing it! She didn’t feel any rain or horrible sand grating her face! She felt bad for the students whose spells hadn’t held up. Suddenly the eleven year old was feeling rather brave. She tried to think of a way she could help the other students. But wha-…was that? “Ouch!” She felt a couple stings of sand on her cheeks. No, no no no…She would not let this storm get the best of her. She knew her spell was good, she could feel it.

She gasped for a breath in the hurricane winds and bellowed, “PROTEGO CAELUM!” again. She felt the shield meld back over her again, stopping the painful pinging of the small debris.

She hoped the storm would end soon. She wasn't sure how much longer her little arms could hold on!

The brunette, damp, even dripping all over with her pathetic short hair splattered in various directions over her face, still grasped her tree with all the strength her fingers could muster. She was like a cat now, holding on for dear life with her claws.

Yet she was losing grip...slowly...slowly...her fingers couldn't take much of the impact, it was going to let-----

KYAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!

Who in the name of Merlin's white and knee-length was pulling her leg?!! Beezus flailed, kicked, swayed with the strong wind as she tried to get rid of the ominous creature preying on her poor leg. "Lerrggoo!" she mumbled with difficulty, sand particles almost entering her mouth.

"LEMMEEEEE GOOO-----!!"

..Too late. Her clawed fingers had lost it's vigor. And she yelped as her body flew backwards, her assailant still on her heels.

AND THUD!

Her elbow hit a tree! A tree! A tree! Without any more second thoughts, her right arm swung to hug the tree! *FLAIIIIIIIIL* But someone was sharing her tree, and at the same time tugging forcibly on her robes. It was Milton! He was the leg strangler! "LegoMi'dun!LEGGOO!" She demanded, screaming, as she swallowed tiny bits of sand and rainwater.

COUGH. COUGH. That was her treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Sutton came up a little bit to sit on her knees, hunched down, allowing her left arm to rest on the top of her leg while she still held on to Minnie. Yelling right next to Minnie's ear in an attempt to be heard over the wind, Sutton responded, "I don't know! I can't hold on to anything against the wind... not unless I put my wand away.... Hurt my shoulder!" She was trying to use as few words as possible but still be able to be heard. Still protected behind her shield charm, Sutton looked around. It seemed the trees weren't being much help. Students were still being blown and hit with things.

Think, Sutton, Think...

There had to be something... something they all SHOULD know that would keep them safe. Besides the one they had learned today, Sutton only knew three other types of shield charms. Protego, which seemed to be effective against the sand, Contego, which would only shield a specific object, and Impiriano, which was a shield against piercing objects. Her spellbook's definition of a "piercing object" though had been vague, and this didn't seem like the time to try it.

She was smarter than this, Sutton knew it. She just needed to think. The Protego charm could only protect them from one side at a time, and it had to require all of her concentration to keep it until the storm ended, so they had to find a way to protect their backs. Looking around, her eyes settled on the large rock she had once planned to use as an anchor. The two girls were small enough... they could easily curl up on one side with their backs against it, and maybe if they cast Contego on it, it would repel anything that flew at them from behind...

It was better than sitting out here with no protection but Sutton's wavering Protego charm.

Catching Minnie's eye again, Sutton used her wand to point toward the rock. "Well put our backs against it... Protego in front!" she yelled over the roaring storm. Hoping that Minnie understood, Sutton gripped her wrist tighter, and came up to her feet in the lowest crouching position she could. She was going to have to drop her shield to cast Contego on the rock. Leaning in to Minnie's ear, she yelled, "Cast Protego in front of us!" and demonstrated the wand movement for Minnie, though the older girl probably already knew.

Sierra could do nothing but just...blink.

She'd never experienced a hurricane, but...coconut missles? Muggles houses that attack you? Wild tree branches on a roll? Okay, this just didn't sound like anything nice. She was no wimp, but she honestly hoped she never--...

WHAT?!

This was what they were going through in no time at all?! O_O!!!

At least there was a little something extra for the witch or wizard who managed to luck out and get the best of fate's throws by the time the storm ended. Sierra was just hoping to get out alive, though.

Right. Hurricanes + Sierra =



Truth be told, Sierra was a little tempted to run under the hut with the little ones. She even had one foot headed in that direction when she noticed that Vivi and Kurumi had stayed out. Right. No way would Sierra chicken out now. Somehow, she didn't think she'd ever heard the end of it if so. From Vivi, at least.

Tree. Tree. She needed to grab a hold of a TREE.

Suddenly, she was flailing about trying to get to the nearest tree. Her eyes grew as big as quaffles as she stumbled around in search of a tree. Could she handle this?! Was she prepared?! Oh, dear Merlin, why didn't she get under the hut?!

Help me, Kurumi Hollingberry!!!

When the gentle breeze began, Sierra knew not to be fooled. She immediately whipped out her wand and twisted and turned it in the direction they'd been taught. "Protego Caelum!" she said, but she couldn't be sure if it's worked just yet.

Where was the nearest tree?!

The wind whipped hard just then, and Sierra's feet nearly came out from underneath her. Just at that time, she saw Vivi toss a rope back, and Sierra just knew it was attached to that tree Vivi was latched to.

She grabbed a hold of it, relief washing through her. She braced herself, waiting for the wind to go by while she was safely latched to the tree. THEN... Oh, my MERRRRRRLIN, the rope wasn't attached to anything? Her feet went out from underneath her, and she landed hard on her bottom. The wind skipped her across the ground until...

SMACK!

Sierra face-planted into Vivi Branxton's legs.

Perfect. Just perfect.

Finally, the onslaught of coconuts was over, and Emmanuelle was able to get a good look at the damage. Or, you know, as good a look as one could get with sand flying around. All she saw were a couple of minor scratches and bruises. Which was good, she guessed. She just clinging desperately to her tree, wishing that she had chosen to go in the hut after all. Being called a coward for the rest of the term couldn't be as bad as what was happening now.

Em looked up at the neighboring tree suddenly, hearing an ominous cracking sound. Dear Merlin, the tree looked like it was about to topple! She started trying to shuffle around to the other side of her tree, but it was to late. With a loud, sick crack, the tree fell and Em was trapped under a ton of palm fronds, unable to move.

Well, at least I can't get blown away now.

Milton was IN PAIN. The wind and the sand and the rain were KILLING him. And he kept getting smacked in the face with palm leaves! And why was Beezus yelling at him?! "I'M TRYING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!" he yelled back. JEEZ. But seeing that she was holding onto the tree, Milton let go of her robes and held onto the tree with both hands.

"DO YOU HAVE YOUR WAND?" he yelled at her. Because he had lost his in the hurricane and they NEEDED that dang protego spell or else the sand was going to sandpaper his eyes out and he was NOT okay with that!

Just then, Milton spotted a COCONUT MISSILE headed straight for Beezus' head. "WATCH OUT!" he shouted and flung himself onto Beezus (rather heroically, I might add).

SMACK!!

The coconut smacked into Milton's skull at a million miles per hour and sent him flying backwards an into the hut where Professor Bellaire was with all the younger students. And there he laid. FLOP. Unconscious.

LETGOMILTON! What was he talking about? He? Trying to save her life when it was him who caused why she lost grip on her coconut tree where she could've been safer because Kurumi was there, and now she was in the most ridiculed, catastrophic situation in her entire life!

"MerAhnd!" My wand. *panicked face* Where was her wand? It was on her back pocket! But she couldn't reach for it right now, can't she? Where was his own wand anyway? He was the older student here, and Captain no less!

THEN A COCO WAS COMING HER WAY!

She was really going to die now! It would hit her head, she'd end up in a coma and slowly decay! MEEEEEEEEEEEPPPP!

O___________o

Milton, in a split second had toppled over her..and he was the one....who got hit by the coco cannon.

Due to the impact, Beezus fell rather hard to the sandy ground, her face buried on the sand, limbs immobilized...sort of. But oh, her Captain! HER CAPTAIN SAVED HER! Where was he?! Was he dead? Oh nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.. She won't forgive herself because she even attempted to kick his head!

She sprawled and crawled on the sand, feeling as if she was drowning into the depths of the fine particles with every movement that she made.