Since all details about the competition were undisclosed, Carl did not know how to prepare for it. As the day of the first challenge approached, he got more nervous - many of his friends and Housemates wished him good luck, which he greatly appreciated, but it also made him feel more pressured. He wanted to do a good job, so he got down to practicing spells and revising theoretical facts, hoping it would help in his challenge.

And here he was, for his first IMPS challenge. At the edge of a forest. The Hufflepuff looked around him - the trees surrounding him were so tall that they blocked out the sky and there was barely any sunlight down here. The thick fog covering the area made the atmosphere even more eerie and mysterious.

Well, he'd better go inside... Carl took a deep breath and stepped through the forest.

"Lumos." He said and a light appeared at the end of his wand. He could see better now, though the only things he could see so far were tree trunks and more darkness ahead. He continued, feeling braver than before.

Did the big bad outlines scare you? Did being here in the Forest do that to you? Fear and the cold certainly was not a good combination.

Be cautious as you go ahead…

The glow of light from your wand should help as you cast it here and there. What do you see? More trees? Shrubs? Weeds? Glowing eyes of various creatures lurking about? Whatever you see so far, will not prepare you for that bone chilling scream that pierced the air without warning.


“ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!!”


Quick! Someone needs help!

Are you willing to plunge further into the Forest?

As he stepped on a twig on the ground, a loud SNAP reverberated around the forest. Carl flinched, his heart racing. Okay, that was nothing. Now to continue...

He directed his wand left and right as he moved forward. There was nothing unusual to see and his heartbeat returned to its normal pace. Once, he saw glowing pairs of eyes - belonging to creatures of the forest - staring at him from afar. He froze on the spot and looked back. Were they part of the challenge? The question seemingly answered itself when the eyes disappeared after a moment, uninterested in the boy. He was back to being alone, wanting company more than ever... even if it meant having to deal with monstrous creatures.

That was when he heard the bloodcurdling scream. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!!” Carl jumped. Before he could think it through and weigh his options, his numb legs were already carrying him towards the direction of the voice. Somebody needed help! He held his wand high above his head, so that he could see more clearly.

Running towards the sound of the screams took you quickly to a small clearing where an elderly woman had collapsed on her knees. “No, no, no,’’ she was murmuring repeatedly. Besides that, she gave no sign of being capable of movement.

One could say she was paralyzed with fear.

What was the root of her fear?

Your question was answered almost immediately as you noticed what was towering over her. A figure, some of its rotting flesh protruding from a hand just revealed from under the robes.

How disgusting.

Shoving past thick leaves and jumping over fallen tree trunks, Carl tried to predict what he would find when he got to the source of the scream. It sounded like a woman, but he was not entirely certain. Why was she screaming? Was she in danger? What kind of danger was she in? The questions ran through his mind as he ran towards the sound of the scream.

Soon, he found himself at a small clearing. The Fifth Year came to a halt and observed the scene before him. There was an elderly woman who was on her knees. Right, she must have been the one who was screaming. Upon approaching her, a worried frown on his face, he heard the word she was murmuring over and over again, "No, no, no…"

"Ma'am? Ma'am, are you ok-" He started, but stopped short when he noticed it - the figure towering over her. He saw the rotting hand and stepped back a little. That was clearly not human. He held his wand in front of him, trying to think of spells he could use against it.

But what exactly could he do? He did not even know what it was, or what it could do.

He chose not to cast any spell yet, as the thing was in close proximity with the elderly woman and he did not want to harm her. Instead, with his heartbeat racing again, he watched it for any further action.

The thing senses your presence and turns its hooded face in your direction. You hear the rattling as it drew breath.

“He-help me,’’ the woman sobbed.

The creature turned its attention back to her after determining you’re just going to stand there. You posed no threat. Without hesitating, it lowered its hood as it bent closer to the woman who was petrified with fear.

Didn't you hear her plea? That creature may be up to no good.

When the thing turned its head to his direction, Carl saw its face under the hood. Although he had never seen anything like it before, he understood - it was a Dementor. The rattling breath, the scabbed skin, the hood; they all matched the description he had read in his textbooks.

With the realization however, came a sudden feeling of depression and sadness. He remembered the car crash. He was three years old and his family was returning home from a Christmas party at his aunt and uncle's place. They were on the motorway, his parents chatting about subjects little Carl could not comprehend. In the past, he had never remembered anything that happened afterwards, but now some of his memory was coming back to him. A lorry crashed into their car from the back. He had burst into tears from the shock, but his parents did not cry. He remembered thinking that his parents were very brave. To three-year-old Carl, Christian and Zelda Leonard had died as brave parents.

He had survived the car crash, but would he get out of this forest alive?

The woman's sob woke him out of his trance. She needed his help... so he had to help her. He had to fight the creature. It was bending closer to her now, presumably to perform the Dementor's Kiss. He did not know the elderly woman - she could be a criminal, or a Dark Witch - but nobody should get their soul sucked out, for any reason whatsoever. That was worse than death. He had to help her, and so… he had to cast the Patronus Charm.

Carl had practiced the charm often, especially when he became a Fifth Year and his classmates began to cast Corporeal Patronuses. He himself had only succeeded in conjuring small vapors. He was willing to give it a proper try this time and hope it works.

He had to think of a happy memory… his mind quickly landed on a memory of his first day at Hogwarts. He had made new friends at Platform 9 3/4, traveled to the school on the Hogwarts Express and had been Sorted into Hufflepuff. He remembered having the Sorting Hat lifted over his head and seeing his new Housemates cheering for him. He remembered vividly, that he felt welcomed. He was truly happy that day.

With his wand, he began drawing circles at the direction of the creature. "Expecto Patronum!" He yelled. A silver burst of light shot out from the tip of his wand and he squinted his eyes, unable to adjust to the sudden brightness. An animal - a St. Bernard - went "running" across the clearing towards the Dementor. He held his wand firmly and watched. Was his Patronus working?

You did well. Your Patronus is strong enough as it tore off at the dementor. The dementor in turn forgot about its prey and it glided off in a great hurry.

Congratulations. You have saved the woman’s life.

The woman, shaking heavily with fear and cold, looks around at you. “Is i-it go-gone?’’

My, my. Look at the state of her. Perhaps you can offer some other assistance.

Carl watched as the Dementor glided away. He did it! He had made it go away! And… he had managed to cast a Corporeal Patronus. The St. Bernard ran back to him and he smiled, reaching out to pat it - but it disappeared as soon as it reached him. Oh well. Thanks for the help, little guy!

Some of the warmth, light and optimism returned to him now that the Dementor was gone. He turned to the woman, who still looked frightened. "Yes, it is. You don't have to worry about it anymore, ma'am." He said and walked closer to her, though cautiously, since he did not know who she was or what she was capable of doing.

As he got a closer look at her, Carl noticed that she was shaking heavily. "Oh, um… Caelum Saepio!" He pointed his wand around the area to cast the Insulation Charm. That would keep them warmer for the time being… "Do you think you can stand up? We'd better get out of here, it's not safe in here." He bent down in front of the woman and offered the hand that was not holding the wand.

"Thank you,'' she said in a stronger voice. The ominous feeling that she had earlier was gone by a fraction. The weird words and the stick you were pointing surprised her. “Did… d-did you d-do that? I f-feel warmer.’’

She prepared herself to leave as you suggested but she did have some urgent questions.

“Wh-what is that you’re wielding? What are th-those words? How did you get rid of that in-invisible thing?”

Will you answer her questions? Will you ignore them and do something else? Either way…

Do something.

Suddenly there was movement beside you. When you look around, you’ll see a fat, balding man coming towards you. “Time’s up. I’m sorry you were not able to finish the task on time.’’ He was a Ministry official and had been Disillusioned the entire time, tracking your progress throughout the challenge. He waved his wand at the woman. As you watched, you were surprised to see her turn into a dummy.

“This playing card is a portkey and will take you back to the Stands.’’

When you take it, it whooshes you away.

OOC: You are now free to read the Viewing Area and the other competitors’ threads.