Hi, I'm going to represent Hogwarts in this challenge. Now onto the story

Hmgh? What's going on? Did something just fall off a table somewhere? I sit up in the 5th year dormitory of Ravenclaw. Looking around and rubbing my eyes to wake myself up a bit. Everyone's stuff is still here but the girls aren't. I don't think there's something going on. But something feels off, like a sense of foreboding. I should investigate, but where to start? I think outside the window would be best if I can have a great view point. I climb out of bed hearing a crack. Shit! Where are my glasses? I fumble around for my glasses, finding them immediately, putting them on. I see my wand broken in half barely being held together by a few strands of wood.

Great, I haven't even started and my wand is broken. At least it's not my glasses but still. I take my wand from the ground going to my trunk for a cloak. Ok now I can go out the window. It's going to be dangerous but stay calm. I open the window and put one leg out then the other. Find sturdy footholds and keep climbing down from the tower. I reach the ground after 30 minutes? I turn away from Hogwarts to think of a plan only to realize I'm in a clearing now? Huh? I was just by the school? I turn around and see that in between me and the school is a maze. This isn't just an illusion right? I reach my hand out to touch the maze and feel a normal leafy texture.

Not an illusion. But how far away am I from Hogwarts? I climb a tree to try and get a better view, and I'm not sure if it's just me or the maze is actually this big. I should just get back to school, no point in looking for the others now. Am I in the forbidden forest? Wait, how far does the forbidden forest reach? I should be careful anyways forbidden forest or not. I climb down from the tree and start heading in the direction of Hogwarts. How late is it? Will the moonlight be any help at all? I wonder as I just walked on with nothing to defend myself with. Being athletic doesn't count.

I do have my broken wand but I'm not sure if I should trust it. Maybe I could try lumos? Should be harmless. I guess. "Lumos" nothing happened? Yet? I feel like the consequences will come later. I keep walking forward with the moon being no help at all. Maybe I'll see a thestral! But I haven't seen death before that sucks. I'm pulled out of my thoughts hearing a *crack*. "Who's there? Are you a creature or a human?" *A big cat's head starts to emerge* "Oh! You're some kind of cat? Awww–" *the stinger starts to become more defined* "---AH nevermind, not safe I should run now." "Now come on, I'm not that scary. Why don't we have a chat here?" I hear a male voice say. "Nope! I don't feel like staying to find out what will happen. With you being a manticore who has a lion's head, scorpion's stinger, and maybe wings for good measure?" I say while running away.

"Huh you were able to get right, I guess your vision adjusted to the darkness tonight." Why does his voice carry so far? We're in a forest not a cave. Just focus on running. "Hello there pretty girl. Thanks for making this an actual hunt and not just freezing up. Now, time to eat you!" "How about no. Also you should've been looking ahead." I see a yew tree up ahead and climb it running along the branches. "You think trees can stop me? I can just track your scent." he yells, still chasing me from the ground. No duh! I'm not that dumb, this just puts some distance between us.

Hey when did the trees change? Have I been running for a while? It feels like I could sl— *slips off pine needles onto the ground* yep pine needles easy to slip on. And has that guy still followed me all this way? "You better be worth it for making me run all this way" Wow very dedicated. Ack spider webs are on me, I hope I didn't disturb any spiders. *trips on the end of a tree branch* Huh? Oh I tripped on the branch, but that's fine my reflexes should help me catch myself. Or not? I'm falling? Bouncing? In the air because of a spider web below me that works like a trampoline. What is this web for since it's not sticky and won't catch any flies. "Oh but it can catch prey because you haven't tried escaping yet. The bouncing distracts the prey and then we can catch them." "Did I say that out loud? Sorry for disturbing you giant spider... Wait, Giant spider?!" "Yes, and you're still bouncing—" "hmm. So since you're a giant spider you can't be a tiny spider species people see more commonly. So you're an acromantula! Wait I should have been escaping and figuring this out not staying in place." *face palms* " But if I do it will still be a chase because of the manticore I met *shrugs* I'll risk it."

I position myself upright to get off the web, but before I can even start moving farther the web is shredded by the claws of the manticore. "Fancy seeing you here manticore." "It's Jaltindeekh. Jorogumo." "That doesn't matter. But why are you on our territory?" Jorogumo asks. Jaltindeekh responds with a slight growl "hunting my dinner, that made me chase them for a while. And what do you mean our territory?" "Can't you smell the mixed scents around here? Our cluster lives in this territory and you are invading." I'm just going to start backing away because tension seems high right now. *slowly starts to back away* But it's funny that both their names start with J. They could be a duo. Wait, how do you pronounce the manticore's name? Jal-tin-deekh? Jal-lin-deh? Jal-lin-tek? Nevermind that doesn't matter Joro-gumo is easier to pronounce. Stop getting distracted me. ... It's quiet too quiet. I thought a battle might be the result. Wait behi— "Found you! You thought you could escape" Jorogumo said, chasing me. "How are you moving so fast with all the dense undergrowth? And where's Jaltindeekh?" "Oh the rest of the cluster is holding him off. I've lived here my whole life. Did you not expect I would adapt to the environment?"

Wait, I just said dense undergrowth. Does that mean I'm getting farther from Hogwarts and closer to some other territory? Did I run in a circle? "Uh I dunno. But you probably give up because I was able to outrun your friend for a bit." I replied back while also thinking about my predicament. Should I try to use my wand? It would be risky if I did? And I would have to use simple spells so they hopefully don't hurt me in the backlash. Wingardium leviosa on myself, incendio at Jorogumo, and spongify just to be safe? Ok "Wingardium leviosa" I say pointing at myself, the spell starts to lift me up a few inches off the ground but now I'm spinning out of control. Dang it now's not the best time to be wearing my cloak, it's going to get in the way. I should just wrap it closer to my body so I can cast spells easier.

I wrap my cloak around myself and don't see Jorogumo. I decided to shoot blindly since Jorogumo and Jaltindeekh seemed pretty persistent either way. "Incendio. Incendio. Incendio." I hear a scream of agony, hopefully I hit Jorogumo and not some innocent animal. "You pay for burning me. But no worries, I can easily catch you soon." Jorogumo says, suddenly appearing behind me. Did he get an adrenaline boost? And I should have been looking at my surroundings. Multitask me, don't focus on one thing only. I see some various sized stones stacked on top of each other. "Spongify" I say and hope my landing won't be too hard. "Ow. That barely seemed like the spell worked. Which is probably what happened."

I'm surprised that I didn't get more sirius injuries from spells failing with my broken wand. Nothing seems to be broken or sprained. So maybe just being sore or bruised for the next few days? Wait... I feel like I'm forgetting something. Jorogumo! He's probably caught up to me now. But why do I hear thumps like a big beast is walking? "You forgot about me didn—" "Vicky?" *wand glows really bright* Ah that's bright. Thanks for coming in at this time, lumos I guess. But did you have to be so bright? And who's Vicky? Someone this person or creature knows? My name is Victoria not Vicky. But I should take the confusion and run.

I run away using the moonlight as my path and my wand light dies down. But as I'm running I get picked up by my cloak and thrown onto the back of something. I find a place to hold onto the invisible creature, and the creature starts running and takes off into the sky. Is this a thestral?! I can't see it because I haven't seen death before. But this is still nice, and we're heading towards Hogwarts. This was a really lucky break. But my luck has been all over the place tonight so I probably shouldn't question it. I was just... nevermind. We land in the courtyard outside of the main entrance of hogwarts. I get off asking "Why did you save me? I don't think we've met before. But thank you for taking me back to Hogwarts. Maybe I'll see you again sometime in the future?" The only response I get is the thestral having me pet their muzzle before they take off leaving me to my thoughts.

"V! There you are! Why are you only in pajamas and why are you not wearing any shoes?" My friend greets me very worried. "Oh I must have forgotten in my haste to get here." I say while rubbing the back of my head. "What do you mean? You aren't really a morning person, I'm surprised you're up this early. Where were you?" "It's not that important where I was. Let's go get some breakfast!" Was it all a dream? But why hide the third task from everyone else? Did the teachers cast a spell to make everyone forget? Or are they going to announce what the third task was when they announce the winner? As we walk into school I feel my legs aching from last night and some scratches burning from moving. So it wasn't a dream if I'm feeling pain right now. But this seems like one big mystery I shouldn't question.