The dread balloon, round II
Nov. 30th, 2004 12:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pauraque_bkRound I: Dolores Umbridge
'Perhaps we should draw straws,' suggested Percy Weasley hesitantly.
'Don't be ridiculous. Surely someone heavy should be the one to go,' said Mrs Lestrange, still emaciated from her time in Azkaban. She glanced meaningfully at Mr Pettigrew, a rival for her Lord's favour.
A look of panic flashed across Pettigrew's face, and in a moment he was gone, replaced by a ragged grey rat who darted across the floor of the basket to cower under the hem of Lord Voldemort's robes.
Dumbledore peered over the side, gauging their position. 'A wise thought, Peter,' he remarked, 'but I fear we are still losing altitude.'
Mrs Lestrange looked disappointed, but turned her gaze disdainfully to Mr Dursley. 'The Muggle, then, he's a portly fellow--'
'I should have known!' bellowed Mr Dursley, going red in the face. 'This has all been a homicidal plot, right from the start! What about her?' He pointed accusatorily at Ms Umbridge. 'She must weigh more than me by a stone, at least!'
'Poor creature,' said Umbridge demurely (though she had gone rather flushed herself). 'Losing his eyesight... perhaps it would be best to put him out of his misery.'
'He is only a Muggle, after all,' Lord Voldemort agreed, looking amused.
'I like that!' said Fudge. 'This is meant to be a peace negotiation! How would it look if we came back having drowned the only Muggle aboard?'
'Enough talk!' said Mrs Lestrange, grabbing Umbridge (who was closest to her) by the arm. 'Out you go!'
'Fine by me,' said Mr Dursley firmly, and seized Umbridge as well.
'Cornelius, do something!' Umbridge shrieked as the two of them began to push her over the side.
'I-- I'll make sure you receive a posthumous Order of Merlin for your bravery, my dear,' said Fudge, wringing his hands.
No one else seemed particularly eager to rescue her -- though Percy Weasley did look a bit concerned -- and over she went, screaming all the way down, ending in an impressive ker-splash.
There was a pregnant pause as the remaining seven waited for the balloon to begin gaining altitude again. Dumbledore checked their position, and slowly shook his head. 'Alas,' he said.
[Poll #394127]
[EDIT: This round is closed. Proceed to round III.]
'Perhaps we should draw straws,' suggested Percy Weasley hesitantly.
'Don't be ridiculous. Surely someone heavy should be the one to go,' said Mrs Lestrange, still emaciated from her time in Azkaban. She glanced meaningfully at Mr Pettigrew, a rival for her Lord's favour.
A look of panic flashed across Pettigrew's face, and in a moment he was gone, replaced by a ragged grey rat who darted across the floor of the basket to cower under the hem of Lord Voldemort's robes.
Dumbledore peered over the side, gauging their position. 'A wise thought, Peter,' he remarked, 'but I fear we are still losing altitude.'
Mrs Lestrange looked disappointed, but turned her gaze disdainfully to Mr Dursley. 'The Muggle, then, he's a portly fellow--'
'I should have known!' bellowed Mr Dursley, going red in the face. 'This has all been a homicidal plot, right from the start! What about her?' He pointed accusatorily at Ms Umbridge. 'She must weigh more than me by a stone, at least!'
'Poor creature,' said Umbridge demurely (though she had gone rather flushed herself). 'Losing his eyesight... perhaps it would be best to put him out of his misery.'
'He is only a Muggle, after all,' Lord Voldemort agreed, looking amused.
'I like that!' said Fudge. 'This is meant to be a peace negotiation! How would it look if we came back having drowned the only Muggle aboard?'
'Enough talk!' said Mrs Lestrange, grabbing Umbridge (who was closest to her) by the arm. 'Out you go!'
'Fine by me,' said Mr Dursley firmly, and seized Umbridge as well.
'Cornelius, do something!' Umbridge shrieked as the two of them began to push her over the side.
'I-- I'll make sure you receive a posthumous Order of Merlin for your bravery, my dear,' said Fudge, wringing his hands.
No one else seemed particularly eager to rescue her -- though Percy Weasley did look a bit concerned -- and over she went, screaming all the way down, ending in an impressive ker-splash.
There was a pregnant pause as the remaining seven waited for the balloon to begin gaining altitude again. Dumbledore checked their position, and slowly shook his head. 'Alas,' he said.
[Poll #394127]
[EDIT: This round is closed. Proceed to round III.]
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:06 am (UTC)...meant as a compliment, of course.
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Date: 2004-11-30 12:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:30 am (UTC)ObSlashCrack- Violet Baudelaire/Luna Lovegood OTP!!!!!!!!!!!
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Date: 2004-11-30 12:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 01:12 am (UTC)THE BASIC EIGHT has mock "study guide" type questions at the chapter ends, but they're utterly skippable if you don't find them amusing. I've blocked out a lot of WATCH YOUR MOUTH, simply because I just didn't care for it very much.
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Date: 2004-11-30 12:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:24 am (UTC)Peter should crawl into Percy's pocket and they can float away in happiness. And when Percy gets back to land he can be the new Minister and Peter can be the new Dark Lord.
And they can have very jam-y sex with each other....
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Date: 2004-11-30 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 01:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:25 am (UTC)I love this game. :D
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Date: 2004-11-30 12:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 01:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 02:01 am (UTC)I didn't vote on the first round in time, but I see it wouldn't have made a difference...
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Date: 2004-11-30 02:13 am (UTC)Well, as this is a peace negotiatio, we' obviously need Dumbledore, Voldemort, Fudge and Vernon to survive as long as possible. So I sadly have to vote for Percy this time.
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Date: 2004-11-30 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 03:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 09:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 06:31 am (UTC)Save Peter!
Date: 2004-11-30 01:54 pm (UTC)So it's Peter all the way for me.
And I'd like to hear the story of how Percy escaped drowning the first time around...
Re: Save Peter!
Date: 2004-11-30 01:57 pm (UTC)Re: Save Peter!
Date: 2004-11-30 02:12 pm (UTC)Re: Save Peter!
Date: 2004-12-01 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 08:51 am (UTC)Personally, I voted for Bella. *shrugs* I like Percy, I really like Peter, Voldemort is interesting and honestly, I can't see him as much of a threat. Ok, honestly, there wasn't much logic because I just don't want to see Peter or Percy (all though it will come down to one of them it looks like) trhown out ^^
I actually dislike Dumbledore more than Bella, but I'm a little scared to see this balloon ride without him.
Myabe next round though, he will get my vote =P
no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 09:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 02:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 03:21 pm (UTC)This raises a question: who am *I* in this scenario? I mean except for Wormtail, I don't see a Rat in this balloon. So how do I know whether I prefer a homocidal Maria Callas to a huffy and incompetent... I don't know, to whom should we compare Vernon?
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Date: 2004-11-30 03:57 pm (UTC)who am *I* in this scenario? I mean except for Wormtail
Whatsamatta? Wormtail not good enough for you? You looking for a higher caste of rodent?
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Date: 2004-11-30 04:04 pm (UTC)*rises on back feet*
*points nose at sky and closes virtually sightless eye*
*throws out other arm*
*SINGS*
I gotta be meeee I just got to be MEEEE
no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 04:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 04:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 09:46 am (UTC)::throws in vote for Fudge::
He annoys me
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Date: 2004-11-30 10:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 10:33 am (UTC)^^;;
Umm it's been a long day? . . .
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Date: 2004-11-30 12:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 12:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 01:00 pm (UTC)*votes Dumbledore*
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Date: 2004-11-30 01:32 pm (UTC)Random Suggestions...
Date: 2004-11-30 02:05 pm (UTC)Or more composite balloons from different shows. Maybe superheroes like Batman, Superman, whatever. Or, their secret identities.
I also would love a poll on how people vote in these things. Do they vote for what makes sense within the story: that is, what they think those characters would actually decide? For what would be best for the world, a la Sam would be the best choice to get the ring to Mordor? Or do they just vote for whomever they like the best?
And I think it would be cool to have 48 hours to vote rather than 24.
Just random thoughts, though I wish I knew how to set up polls on my LJ, cause I'd so do that one.
Re: Random Suggestions...
Date: 2004-11-30 03:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 02:47 pm (UTC)I vote LV, because I feel he is most likely to do something like stick his finger in the balloon and then cackle, "Drowning will not defeat the invincible Lord Voldemort! Bwahahahahaha!" Bellatrix & Peter might be more amenable after he's gone, as well.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-30 03:32 pm (UTC)