Creature Chronicles: NatalieSS

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Subject: Creature Chronicles: NatalieSS Thu Feb 23 2017, 17:01

Name: NatalieSS
House: Ravenclaw

Creature: Niffler, extra sensitive
Quest Location: Australian Outback
Quest Dates: 1st-31st January

Potential Problems:
Intense ranges of temperature from day to night
Poisonous creatures, both magical and non-magical
Long periods of isolation from other humans
Possibility of a sphinx or dragon in the localisation
Other nifflers in the area

Your quest will take you through the treacherous Australian Outback. If the temperatures don't do you in, the creatures just might! Careful of those desert animals, both magical and non-magical. Some of them have a nasty bite! You're trying to find something...but what is it?

You should make thirty-one entries spanning the month of your quest. This does not need to be in real-time (i.e. a post a day). You can take however long you need to complete your quest. The more detail you put in, the most points you'll take out!

Good Luck!

Subject: Re: Creature Chronicles: NatalieSS Thu Mar 02 2017, 04:16

The Back Story

It was a adventure I was after, not a business trip. I had agreed to go to the Australian outback to track and elusive magical creature that was keeping even my Australian colleagues on their toes.

My bosses in the 'Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures' department at the Ministry in London had been contacted by the 'Control for Magical Creatures of the Outback' department in Australia. Their operatives had exhausted their efforts and resources trying to capture a creature that had tormented muggles in the vast Australian outback. Trouble was, they hadn't got a viable story as to what the creature actually was. The incidents were so sporadic and unusual, they were flummoxed. And so they had contacted us to see if they could borrow a fresh pair of eyes to help them out. My boss, Hortensia, instantly thought of me as the right person for the job.

"They need you out there for a whole month" Hortensia had informed me as I sat behind my desk flabbergasted. She sat across the desk from me with pleading eyes. "Please Natalie! I will have Henry cover your assignments here while your away" she bribed. I shook my head in shock.
"I mean I guess I could, mum could look after my cat and feed my plants" I shrugged.
"Exactly...your all covered then!" She chirped smiling.
"Fine" I huffed "But I want to be off for another month after that to recover, I mean this is the Australian outback were talking about!" I demanded.
"You got it!" she agreed, a bit too eagerly "You leave in the morning. I shall let them know" she clapped her hand on my shoulder and rushed excitedly from the room.

Day 1

I appirated the next day. To the location in the outback by a range of small rock hills that they had given to Hortensia. When I appirated to my intended destination, I was in the middle of a vast red desert, or what seemed like a desert. I turned to see the red jagged rocks behind me. Squinting in the blinding sunshine, I spotted 2 men resting against the rocks so I walked over to them.
"Good afternoon. Is one of you Jackson?" I asked looking from one to the other.
"That's me love, G'Day" Answered the one in short khaki overalls raising his hand and waving. He then offered it to me which I shook happily.
"Nice to meet you" I smiled "and you are?" I asked looking to the chap in the red shorts, blue cap with his chest bared. I felt rather silly in my long white cotton trousers, cream polo shirt and red canvas pumps.
"G'Day, they call me 'The Ripper', 'cause I'm so good at what I do!" He beamed proudly.
"Ah, rack off Cooper! Never have I heard such bull dust!" Jackson laughed slapping Cooper on the back. Copper recoiled and gave him a sultry look of mock disgust. I stood there in confusion, not knowing what Jackson had meant.

"Anyway Darlin'"Jackson said turning back to me "I'm stoked to meet ya'. You seem Dinky-di to me!" he smiled and nodded at me.
"Thanks...I think" I smiled back unsure.
"So, They say in London that you may be the sheila who could catch this wiley devil. And I see you've come prepared" He gestured to my kit bag. At that moment Kit, my niffler, stuck his head out of the small hole in the side and yawned. "And who's this little guy?" he asked.
"Oh this is Kit, my niffler." I got him out and showed them. Kit struggled in my hands to get back to the bag, I suspect he had not quite woken up from his nap yet.
"Niffler eh? Plenty o' wild'en's about here, but I aint never seen one so tame." Jackson exclaimed.
"Oh well, his mother abandoned him in a forrest in England when he was only a week or so old. I found him on an expedition and nursed him with baby bottles. He hasn't left my side since" I cooed looking lovingly at Kit.
"Shame that, poor little fella. To business then eh?" he shook his head and looked back at me.
"Oh yes!" Kit scrambled back in to my bag. "So, this creature you've been having trouble with. It is winged I'm assuming?" I asked getting the file from my bag an reading the few notes I had.
"Not a clue. All we know about that is that its fast enough to be in, cause havoc and out quicker than we can get there!" Cooper answered.
"And your efforts in trapping it?" I asked wondering myself what sort of creature I'd be looking for.
"Its as cunning as a dunny rat that thing" Never seems to hit one place more than once" Jackson admitted, shifting his weight from foot to foot whilst looking at them ashamed.
"Right well. I will contact you when I need to" I said looking up form the file.
"Righto then!" Jackson said looking up. "I guess we'll wait for ya' to call eh?" he nodded "Come on Cooper! Lets get some Amber fluid!" He said and dissaparated.
"C'ya Darlin'!" Cooper chirped and did the same.

Alone in the slowly fading sun, I was starting to feel tired and weary. I looked down at Kit who had stuck his head back out to survey our surroundings. He looked at me unsure of what to think.
"We'll be all right Kit" I assured him stroking his head "Your not the only thing in there are you?" I laughed and he smiled and squeaked.
I looked around. The sun seemed to be setting the distance and it was getting dark. I rummaged in my bag and brought out a piece of paper, a sleeping bag and pillow. I scrunched the paper up and put in on the ground next to where i laid my sleeping bag.
"Wingardium Leviosa" I said and the ball of paper floated an inch or two in to the air. "Lacarnum Inflamari"I shot at it and it caught fire.
"Protego Maxima" I cast around myself and Kit and bunkered down for the night.

Subject: Re: Creature Chronicles: NatalieSS Wed Mar 08 2017, 12:08

Day 2 (just the morning)

What a night. Kit kept waking me by jumping in to my sleeping bag scared by a tiny lizard or some such animal. I cast a few more protection spells to make him feel better.

It was about 4am. I had kept the fire ball burning all night so I was reasonably warm and comfortable and sleeping quite soundly. Kit squeaked for what seemed like the 100th time, but it sounded distant, like he was in a cave or something. I awoke and sleepily searched in my bag for my Wand.
"Kit?" I yawned when I had got it "Lumos" I cast the light around where I was I couldn't see him anywhere. "Kit?" I whispered alarmed, suddenly aware I may have been surrounded by lot of little hazardous creatures. I heard a squeak coming from behind me so I sat up and turned to the rocks behind me. I cast my wand ahead searching. "Kit? Where are you" I whispered worryingly just as my light hit an opening, I looked into the little cave.

The light reflected off of Kit's eyes and I could see that he was hid behind a small rock but also saw a huge rattle snake coiled in front of him. Its tail emitted a steady low buzzing sound and it hissed at me as it turned to the light. All of a sudden it sprung itself at me and it was all I could do to get out of the way with its tail grazing my cheek as it whizzed past. It landed on the sand not far and turned to me and coiled itself ready to strike.
"Vipera Evanesca" I screamed closing my eyes just as the snake sprung to life again.

I felt heat on my face and I opened my eyes, only for them to be filled with a waft of black smoke from the Snake that was no more. I could barely breath I was so frightened, quick heavy breaths escaped my frozen lips as Kit squeaked and threw himself in to my lap.
"Uff" I huffed as he balled himself up right in to my stomach. "Well, this looks like to be an interesting day." I smiled at Kit trying to breath normally. "Why were you in there?" I asked tilting my head. He squeaked and pulled what looked like a gold tear shaped coin from his pouch. I laughed and shook my head. "Have you been raiding another nifflers hoard? Jackson did say their were plenty about" He gave it to me and I stared at it intensely.

On closer inspection it was a coppery scale. It shone in the weak sunrise as I caressed it with my hands. I searched in my bag for my notepad and pen and jotted down a few notes.

2nd Jan - 4.06am - Copper scale found in rocks near campsite. Dragon? Vipertooth?

I pulled back my head in shock and confusion.
"Well done Kit, Nice find" I complmemted him putting my pen aside and stroking him."But why would a Vipertooth be all the way out here? They hail from Peru!" I looked at my notepad confused and picked up my pen again.

Smugglers? Pedlers?

I jotted quickly. I couldn't be sure as 1 scale was hardly proof of anything. I would have to do more exploring

Subject: Re: Creature Chronicles: NatalieSS Fri Apr 14 2017, 11:21

Day 2 (rest of the day)

Due to my rude awakening I decided to start me day's investigations early and search the rock range I was on. I climbed down in to my kit bag which had a maximized super undetectable extending charm on it. The little kit room I had was small but usable. I washed my face and put on my dependable exploration gear. My khaki cargo trousers and vest with similar jacket, my comfortable black and green walking boots and as ever my sun hat. Kit jumped in to his usual pocket in my trouser, I grabbed the case file and headed up.

The sun was now blistering, and it was only 7am. It beat down on the rocks range where I was which gave them a very disorientating heat haze. I looked at the case file and read a complaint.
"Okay Kit, Well we may have to get to the top and see what damage has been done" I said as I read. "Defiantly a dragon I think given the 'depletion of mountain goats in the area noticed by muggle animal activists, some found to be burnt or charred beyond recognition. Muggles fear bush fires being the cause as foliage in the area also charred and burnt'. Hmmmm" I thought deeply.

I walked and climbed over rocks for what seemed like a few hours when I fainally reached the site I was looking for. It looked like a nesting site of some sort. Crushed, charred branches in a large circle on top of one of the higher hills. I could see why any dragon felt at home here, but how would they have got here in the first place. Kit sniffed the air and scrambled out of my pocket, off to investigate.
"You do your thing Kit!" I nodded as he waddled off. I got out my wand and the file and read 'Muggles hikers that stumbled upon the spot reported it to the nature authorities. Outback agents were dispatched to deal with the disturbance caused and all muggle have now received memory charm treatment'.

"Homenum Revelio" I chirped to be safe, nothing happened. "Good I'm alone" I nodded and looked back to the nest. Thousands of small charred bushes littered the hill top. Looked like they had been laid on by something large. I crouched and poked at them with my wand. After looking for clues, Kit suddenly popped his head out from the middle of the nest and squeaked. I jumped.
"Kit, I've told you before, don't just pop out at me like that, honestly your worse than Thursday" I grimaced as I seemed to be already missing my cat. He squeaked again. "Have you fond some thing you clever lad?" I asked excitedly rubbing my hands and stepping over to where her was.

I saw what looked like a huge shackle and chain buried under the squashed burnt shrubbery. I blew the debris away, only to be greeted with a group of the biggest muggle spiders I had seen. I jumped up instantly and cringed at the sight of them, Kit was faster than lightning into my kit bag laid at the edge of the nest. "EW! Dragons, snakes, banshees, Easy but spiders! Urgh! Arania Exumai" I shot at them with a bright light and they all quickly scuttled away.
"Okay Kit, gone now" I huffed looking over to the bag. It moved for a moment and then was still. "Fine, you stay there then". I nodded and crouched down again.

The chain was made of strong stuff and it looked like it had been gnawed by some enormous teeth. The end of it was blackened and had obviously had been torn from something as it had a large piece of concrete or rock hanging from it. I made my note book and pen appear in my hand. Large chain, magical most like. Pulled with force from wall? floor? Common practice for dragon peddlers. Blackened from fire, gnawed by large anxious creature. I shook my head in disbelief. Shocking I thought.

The shackle was blackened too. It had obviously been prized apart and looked partially melted. I couldn't tell the size of the leg of the creature it held. I had an idea. Putting my note book aside I clutched my wand. "Reparo" I said as I waved it over the huge shackle. May be if I had an idea of how big the leg was, It may help immensely to know what size of creature I was looking for. The shackle shuddered slowly repaired itself. Once done, I got my tape measure from my bag and measured it.
"Hmmm, a meter. Not huge but sizable." I muttered to myself grabbing my book and noting it down."Kit, I think this may be a Vipertooth. Small legs, coppery scale..." A thought suddenly came to me. This nest must be littered with scales knowing how anxious this animal must have been. I got my broom out of my bag and hovered above the nest.
"Vovulna ventum" I called moving my wand in circles. The resulting whirlwind drove most of the top layer of the charred shrubbery away. Slowly, it revealed a small sparkling dusting of coppery scales in the nest. I stopped moving my wand and grinned at my achievement. I landed back down and picked up a few of the big scales.
"Poor thing!" I frowned feeling sorry for the poor creature."Kit, you'll love what I found" I laughed as his head appeared out of the bag and saw his eyes widen with excitement. A flurry of activity ensued as I let him and a few other nifflers that had appeared, obviously smelling the booty, clean up for me. Kit got most of the scales as he seemed to be the biggest, and scared the others away from his find.

As I climbed down back in to my kit bag that night, after I had found a suitable campsite, I contemplated the day. Kit was reluctant to give up the scales but I finally tickled them out of him and gave him a carrot for his efforts. As I looked at them on my small table, I pondered what awful things these wizards could have done to make a dragon shed scales like this. I hoped I would find them soon, becauase any more dragons getting loose and we would have a disater on our hands.

Subject: Re: Creature Chronicles: NatalieSS Tue Sep 24 2019, 09:52

Day 3:
Try as I might to ignore it, I dreamt all night of dragons in cages with silhouettes of large men with spiky teeth and red eye smiling evilly as they heaved the cages too and fro. A blast of fire from a welsh green blew my way and shocked me awake. I sat in the early dawn sunlight gathering my bearings. 'Kit?' I yawned 'where are you?'. He poked his head out of my kit bag and yawned, he obviously felt safer in there after yesterday morning. 'Ready for another day of helping mummy? There may be more shiny scales in it for you?' I smiled encouragingly. He looked uninterested at me for a second, then promptly disappeared back in to my bag. 'Fine, have it your way then' I yawned again fumbled out of my sleeping bag.

After a quick wash and change, I read the next compliant in the report file on my small table in the kit room. A muggle sheep ranch owner had complained to the authorities that 'some giant creature' had eaten half of her flock. There wasn't much information for me to go on as the muggle authorities assumed she was going stir crazy, living so remotely, and put it down to her leaving her gates open. I would need a little more to go on if I was to assume that it was the same 'creature' I was looking for. I got up and looked about my many pile of books here and there. 'I know its here somewhere, I really should tidy this place up more often' I said to myself as I riffled through one pile after another. 'Ah, found it' I swivelled round to show....no one. Kit lay on one of the two camp chairs, twitching as he slept. 'Oh no, I'm talking to myself already. 3 days in and I miss...people. I miss Thursday more though, at least she has the courtesy to look at me and pretend to care when I am going mad' I scowled jokingly as Kit. He sniffed and and turned away still sound asleep.

I opened the blank note book I had gotten from the 'Experimental Magical Devices' department before I left on to the table. 'Accio Quill' I piped and it whizzed across the room knocking a few papers off the sideboard it came from. 'Oops, probably nothing important' I shrugged.
'Henry' I wrote on the note pad hoping it would work. I stared at the ink intently willing it to. And to my surprise, it disappeared. 'Good so far' I nodded waiting. Thankfully my name in Henry's neat hand writing appeared on the page.
'Ha! It worked' I laughed. Another note appeared as my name faded.
'Need help? I could do with the distraction' I looked and felt sorry for him.
'Double work load?' I wrote smirking as I knew he was covering my work load on top of his own.
'Yes now that your down under. Anyway what do you need?'. I think he wanted me to ask him to come out and join me, but a triple work load for someone else was not fair.
'Do we have more info on what the sheep ranch owner saw? All I have is a 'giant creature' she saw in the distance' I sat waiting. After a few minutes, another message appeared.
'Nothing else in your file? There was a report from our lot out there' my brow furrowed in confusion. I looked again through the file and didn't find anything.
'No'
'Okay well the copy that we have states she thought she was looking at a mirage, with a big shadow. Tough one that' he asked.
'Maybe, I have found a few cooper scales at a site I think was used as a nest' It would make sense, to me at least, if what she saw reflected the sun or the desert around it with copper scales.
'Vipertooth!!??!!' He had obviously scrawled excitedly at the realisation.
'I don't know, a few scales proves nothing conclusively.' I scowled at the page, disappointed at my own lack of progress.
'But I did also find a meter circumference manacle and chain that had been melted. May mean a dragon' I added.
'Peddlers?' I knew he would not have liked that.
'Seems it. But why bring a vipertooth out here?' I wrote shaking my head at the idea of the villains.
'Some Pure bloods will buy anything to show their status. Poor thing. Anyway good luck. Miss you' I stared while the ink slowly disappeared. I suddenly felt so alone again.
'Yeh, you too.' I scrawled and closed the book.

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