Write a story of at least 200 words that includes all the words in the list below. The words can be used as they are or in any other form (eg. pluralising them, changing their tense, etc.):
adventure
ancient
book
colour
know(ledge)
owl
parchment
quill
secret
sense
While there are no restrictions as such, we would prefer it though if your story didn’t involve someone gaining a sense of adventure through reading an ancientbook while using a colourfulquill to jot down notes in secret code on a piece of parchment with the knowledge that an owl looked on. Where would the fun be in that after all?
You’ll earn 20 beans for completing this prompt as well as it counting towards the chance to snag our shiny Quill and Ink award.
There is no deadline as such for these prompts but if you’d like it to count towards your chance of earning the award for a specific year, we’ll need it by the end of that school year. If you’re comfortable sharing, then post below. If not, email your story to us via hol.bookclub @ gmail.com (without the spaces). Oh and remember it’s a good idea to check through your piece carefully for spelling and grammatical errors as they make it harder for people to properly enjoy your work.
I'm first! Yay! I'm never first!
I briefly considered a story about a book that eats an owl, but decided against it. Here's what I've com up with instead:
The owl stood on his towering perch of books, looking down over the expansive library that was his kingdom. He was old, so old, older than the grand library, older than even some of the most ancient tomes he guarded. That was his job, to guard these special books in one of the world's most secret locations. The books contained all sorts of things, from knowledge long gone, to things that no one ever knew about. Some were simply books, others were powerful, and a few more were out-and-out dangerous. There were scrolls, wax tablets, engraved rocks, charcoal-covered stones, diaries, manuscripts, blueprints, and real books of parchment and paper. The most recent thing in there was a leather-bound volume, a handwritten explorer's log from Borneo, set out in quill and ink. Even that had fragile pages of the particular brown-spotted yellow colour found exclusively in aged paper.
Old book smell was rife in the library, along with the distinctive smells of magic, mystery, and dust. It hadn't always been this way. Once, people had come often, so very long ago. The visitors were Muggles and Wizards, goblins and even the occasional centaur, anyone and anything. They were all drawn there for the information and to sate their curiosity, as scholars and researchers and discoverers in a Golden Age of wonder. The owl acted as familiar to all those readers, writers and keepers, back then. He was the magical animalian librarian, there to help.
He remembered them fondly throughout the centuries, as though they were yesterday. But good times rarely last, and after a while, only the humans came. Then it was only Wizards, and finally, not even they dropped in anymore. The library was forgotten, and its contents and protector with it. Perhaps it was better this way, for he knew the Wizards had a good reason for hiding it under the sand, as not even the most powerful books are immune to fire. But it was so terribly lonely! Often, the owl wished for even a stray adventurer or lost Muggle tourist, but alas, he knew this was not to be. He was a magical being, created to protect, and could sense approaching intruders or danger. It was how he could tell that no-one would be keeping him company any time soon.
His charges would be safe inside Alexandria's long-lost crowning glory for a very, very long time.
The day started out normal enough. I got up, fed my pet owl Archimedes, and headed downstairs to breakfast. The youngest of my sisters was sitting, eating breakfast, as per usual. As I went to the fridge for some milk, I heard some giggling. I turned around to see Emily smiling, like she was hiding some kind of secret. "Ok. What?" "You have to GUESS!" "Um...ok....you're about to be tickled?" I asked, as I moved toward her. "What? That's not it. Try ag-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" She busted out laughing as I reached her and started poking her sides. "HAHAHAHAHA-STOP-HAHAHAHA-I'LL TELL YOU-HAHAHAHA-STOP!!" I stopped and stepped back as she pulled out a book with a colourful cover. "What's that?" "This is an book of ancient knowledge that I found behind some other books in the den!" "Ancient knowledge? Like what? How Ancient?" I grabbed the book and opened it up. It wasn't a book after all, it was a journal! The writing was faded and rather hard to read though. I went to the front page, and saw that it read, 'This Journal is Property of Arianwen Burke'. I wondered aloud,"Arianwen Burke? That's great-grandmother! I wonder if Poppy Rosier knows this exists?" Emily chimed in, "We should go find out! Maybe he can read the writing!" I looked around and found some parchment and a quill. "I'm going to write a note to mom and dad so they don't worry. Go grab your coat!" Archimedes could sense the excitement in the air and was flying about the room hooting. "Ok Medie, you can come too! To think, I was just going to clean up my broom today!" We grabbed our coats and headed out the door, wondering what adventure awaited us down the street.
Chapter 1- The big adventure (I only wrote the first part. If anyone wants to take my first part and make it their own story go right ahead.)
Once there was a ancientbookthat was the color black. This book belonged to a wise owl, but this owl was not a real owl it was actually a princess that had the power to turn into a owl. However not everyone in the castle knew this it was a secret only she, her parents, and a kitchen boy, named Maxwell knew about. One day this princess and the kitchen boy decided to go on an adventure. However, first the kitchen boy wrote a letter to the King and Queen so that they knew were the two were going. He grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote.
Dear King Ludwig and Queen Angelica,
Me and your daughter have gone to the home of a giant that we know. We will be back in a few days time. Don’t worry I’ll take good care of your precious daughter. We have to do this, because Princess Fiona senses there is something wrong with this giant and feels like she needs to go help him.
Your loyal servant,
Maxwell
After he finished the letter he packed a few things that they would need on the trip and then Maxwell and the princess started on their adventure.
It had been generations since magic had been openly used. As a matter of fact, no one had used their abilities since the Wizard Book Burning of 1956. There was a time when humans and wizards peacefully coincided- peaceful for the most part anyways. Wizards used their magic to help and improve daily lives, in exchange the humans stopped trying to burn their kind and treat them as monsters. As one usually does when they’re given something, the humans became greedy, wanting the wizards to do more and more for them. A war broke out in 1952 and lasted four long years.
Humans and wizards alike dropped like flies when one witch joined the human’s side. Her name was Moira. She used her magic to brainwash other wizards into fighting the battle. When she was a young girl her wizard father disappeared, leaving her and her mother all alone and in the slums. Her hatred for wizards only grew through the years.
Finally, another witch named Helga stepped in, possibly the greatest witch of all time. She wiped the memory of every human and wizard alike of magic and wizardry, even Moira’s. All but eight wizards lost their memory of their magic, and those were responsible for keeping the secret just that, a secret.
Clarence had spent most of his life trying to come to terms with his family’s secret. An ancient knowledge passed down from his long line of less than normal ancestors. He belonged to a wizard lineage and was kin to one of the eight wizards who kept their memory.
It was beginning to weigh on him, though- possessing such information and not being able use it? He could sense the magic surging through his veins with a promise of adventure at his disposal. Often at night he would experiment with his magic when no one was looking. Sometimes he would just conjure pure magic, awestruck by the indescribable and unworldly colours it held.
One day he found two parchment rolls and a quill pen deep in his basement. One was the seal on all of the wizards’ memories and the other, the humans’. At the bottom of the wizard’s scroll was an owl with no wings. Clarence took the quill in hand and drew the wings onto the owl- breaking the seal. This released every witch and wizard’s memories, including the still living Moira.
As I walked into the old house, I wasn't sure what to expect here. I had been told it was haunted, but I didn't believe in such stories and my curiosity had got the best of me, so here I am. I step right in to hear the floorboards creak announcing my entrance. The last owner had vanished a while back and no one knew where exactly they had gone. I did wonder, but there was no one here so I didn't feel all that bad coming in to investigate myself. After all, this would be a real adventure for me.
The first thing that grabbed my attention was a quill and parchment sitting on the table right inside the door. Curious, I looked at it to find a hastily scribbled note.
Whoever finds this, I am sorry to leave on such short notice, but I cannot stand this house anymore. I have lived here all my life and yet the fear of being all alone has started creeping in. I have gone back home across the sea where I have relatives. I do not know what to do with this old house, so explore as you like.
What an odd note I thought. At least whoever lived here didn't want their leaving to be much of a secret as they left a note explaining it right inside the door. I guessed that no one had come to investigate the house at all since the note was obviously overlooked.
The house was rather beautiful on the inside with intricately colored rugs in every room and beautifully carved statues. The stairs looked like they weren't a day old and still had that glossy look to them. I spent a while looking through every room until I finally came to the library. I had heard of such places before but had never seen such a beautiful and enormous library as this one was. Shelves and shelves of books greeted my eyes and I found myself skimming the shelves scanning every title.
Some books were ancient-looking and others looked rather new but I couldn't help but think of all the knowledge that they contained. However, one particular book caught my eye. It had an owl on the front cover and I had the sense it was watching me as I picked it up. The second I opened it, something fluttered out from its pages. I jumped back astonished and noticed a little songbird was now fluttering around the room. I opened the book again and something else flew out - a butterfly.
This probably should have scared me but I laughed aloud instead. Such magic I had never witnessed before. I set the book down, almost a bit afraid of what else could come out of it but before long I picked it back up and noticed the owl blinked at me and then started speaking.
"These creatures belong within the pages. This is where they live and thrive. I worry about what will happen to the majestic songbird and fragile butterfly you have let out. The outside world is a prison to them and a very dangerous place indeed. Put me back and let's hope they survive."
I probably should have done something about the butterfly and bird in the room, but I was scared in that instant and, placing the book back on the shelf, I ran out of the house with the horrible sense that I had done something terrible by letting those two creatures escape.
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. - Dalai Lama
It was a sunny day. Everyone is busy with their business, leaving me alone in the house. After finishing my homework, I decided to go to the library on the ground floor. Maybe there is an interesting book that I can read and increase my knowledge.
I opened the door in front of me. This library is very old; it has existed since my ancestors and was filled with many ancient books.
I walked around the bookshelves, taking books out one by one and looking for a book that I haven't read. I walked to the shelf that stood in the corner of the room, there was a book with purple colour in the middle. I pulled it out. The sense of excitement filled me when I read the title. It was a book about wild plants used for herbs. I hugged the book tightly to my chest and ran towards my room.
I walked over to my study table, then picked up an empty parchment and my quill. I started writing a letter to Aura. Tying the letter with a blue ribbon around my owl's neck, I opened my window and let the bird fly to Aura's house. I'll wait for Aura to reply to my message first, then we can start a new adventure together. We are going to look for some herbs. Oh, this is supposed to be our secret.
edited: Adding a few correction from Prof. Tarma & Prof. Sky, thank you
One day I was reading an adventure book about a flying broomstick that was on Voldemort's side so it was flying really, really, really far up looking for Harry. The broomstick found Harry and started tickling Harry. But then this giant was coming really close to the broomstick so the broomstick flew away because it was scared.
I saw a rush of colors by my window. I jumped up and ran over to my window but there was nothing there. There was nothing outside and then I looked even closer and even my neighbors were not at their houses. So, I threw on some sneakers, grabbed my pugs Mia and Max, and ran outside. I jumped on my electrason, which is a scooter that can fly or go on the sidewalks. Mine is neon green with Harry Potter Express printed on the side. I grabbed my neon green helmet and put it on. Then, I grabbed Mia and Max's helmets that are also neon green. Then, I buckled my pugs into the pug buckles. The straps are neon green and they clip onto my strap. It is clipped like that just in case there is something that I have to jump off and run, I have my pugs clipped onto the back of me. Their buckles can turn into little harnesses for them. So I don't have to worry about bringing harnesses for them. Then, I buckled myself in. I turned on my nyonicorn. My nyonicorn is a tracking device that I have. Then, I took off.
I raced around the entire city but there was nobody there. So, I got a little hungry after a little bit. So, I rode back to my house and jumped off and went inside so I could get myself some peanut butter banana crackers and some pugacornios pug cereal so I could give it to Mia and Max. After we ate our snack, I heard a little knocking sound. So, I stood up and saw an owl at my window. So, I opened my window and the owl flew in. It had a piece of parchment and a quill. The parchment said “Dear Hannah, you're probably wondering why no one is in your town. Well, I don't truly know either. All I know is one person in your city knows where everybody is and why. If you can find that person, I will give you a secret. I hope that is helpful. Love, February.”
So, I got back on my electrason and raced up the mountain called Lily Mountain of Harry Lily. I don't know why they call it that. The people who owned the city named it that because they love Harry Potter. That gave me an idea. Maybe the owners of the city might know something. So, I shot over to Harry Lane. When I got there, just the person I needed was there. There was Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis and Mia Fountain. Mia said, “I knew you would have some sense to come here. And I bet you're wondering what we did with everyone. We made those little muggles go away for a while so we could have a disco party together. So, who did we invite? We invited everybody that you know and we know. I decided to be nice this time and invite only Slytherins but if you want to come to our part, you will have to find all the artifact clues we have left you.”
So, I found all of the ancient artifacts and I brought them back to Mia and Scarlet. Mia said, “So, all of the Slytherins will arrive in an hour.” All three of us played games together. I went back to my house and grabbed my Harry Potter Clue game. Then, when they finally arrived, we had a blast because everybody brought their pets and we had a bunch of fun because there was nobody to tell us that we weren't allowed to have fun. Then when it got dark, we lit off Slytherin fireworks. Mia and Scarlet said after everyone had left, “Next time you'll have to find something different for us to come to our next party.” Then we all said, “Hip hip go HOL!”
