This is optional if you want to explore. The Pottermore site is now open, and it is unbelievable. You’ll need to register to access the site, but it is well worth the time.
J.K. Rowling adds some background history to many of the characters, places, and things from the novels that you would not know from just the reading.
For those of you not familiar with Harry Potter, the second prompt is for you. Choose one of the two questions to answer. Five quality paragraphs. Since you are writing a story, think in terms of intro, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
There once was an ugly green monster living in the swamp beside a small village named St. James. This monster had no friends everyone was very afraid of this gross thing. No body ever dared too get within 10 feet of his wretched body. He smelled of sweaty feet and poop.
Sam stood at the station, waiting for the city transport bus to arrive. All around him were the other zoo lovers shuffling their feet and glancing at their watches, the bus seemed to be running a little late. Sam could barely contain his excitement. This was the day he had been waiting for, the day he had been dreaming of since he was a little boy.
He remembered it well, the first day he visited the zoo. That was ten years ago but to him it could have been yesterday. When he was only 6 years old his parents took him for his birthday. But this was no ordinary zoo; it was the zoo of mystical creatures. Most others contain exotic animals like jungle cats and unusual species, but this zoo houses a different kind of sort, and these creatures are the stuff of legends.
Other zoos have wolves, Midnight has werewolves. The usual zoo might keep cougars and panthers in cages, Midnight locks up najiivo skin walkers. From mermaids with voices that will be the death of you and Abaasy, demons with iron teeth to ogres and dragons, this zoo has it all. Every legendary species you could ever think of can be found there, but not everybody makes it out the gates alive. But this did not concern Sam; in fact it didn’t even cross his mind as the bus finally arrived.
A short time later the bus pulled through the extravagant wrought iron gates of the mystical zoo, which automatically opened, revealing the creatures that they enclosed. Flashbacks from years ago replayed in Sam’s mind as they drove past cage after cage, with the occasional aquarium or shatter proof glass room. It looked almost the same, but they had added new magical beings he noticed as he read the label on a cage. It said “Drude, possessing demon.” Inside it, a man sat reading a book. When he saw Sam looking he smiled, revealing teeth as sharp and pointy as toothpicks. Sam quickly averted his eyes.
The bus stopped and everyone filed out, then went their separate ways. The bus driver said “be back at the gates in 3 hours” and then sped off. Sam, not knowing where to start, went to the Drude. When he reached the cage the Drude did nothing. He stayed observing, but got bored when the Drude didn’t even look up from his novel.
“Uh, hello… Mr. Drude?? Aren’t you supposed to do anything?” Sam asked as politely as he could. Apparently it wasn’t polite enough. The Drude slolwly set his book aside and walked to the front of the cage, like a lion approaching an antalope. He tilted his head and smiled sinisterly, ” if you would like me too, I guess I could” he said in a voice as smooth as honey. He reached out and touched Sam on the forehead. And that was the last thing Sam remembered before everythig went black.
Stupid human Shax thought as he watched his old body fall crumple to the floor through the eyes of his new one. Didn’t he read the cage label? Possessing demon? This guy is short on brain cells. But oh well, this a chance to be free again he told himself as he made his way to the other side of the zoo. Time to find Sage and get out of here. Eeq
Finding the fallen angel wasn’t hard. His presence suffocated Shax, but not as badly as it would if sage was returned to his former glory. Demons and angels don’t get along, but Sage saved his life and Shax still owed him for that.
As he walked by the other zoo inhabitants he could tell they were not fooled by the human body. Hisses and growls and voices pleadig to be set free we directed at him with every step he took. But Shax ignored all of them until he was at the sign marked “heavenly beings.” he snorted, Sage used to be a heavenly being, but that was before he fought in lucifers army. Along side Shax in fact. But when the zoo owners asked Sage what kind of species he was, he replyed angel in that annoying singsong voice of his that seemed to mesmerize mortals. So that’s where he was put, with the other angels, much to their dismay and his glee.
He forced himself through the door and was immediatly assulted with nausea for being near his enimies. As he was struggling to focus he heard that hated voice. “come to spring me outa here?” Sage drawled sarcastlically, smirking at Shax. He looked the same, all golden looks and white wings, but his expression was far from holy, which was the only thing that suggested he was fallen.
“yes, please take him” another angel cries. Other voices like wind chimes joined him, saying similar words. Sage wipped around, “who said that?” he said, glaring at everyone. “You know what, I don’t like you guys either. I don’t buy your “holier then thou” attitudes so you guys can preach your bible verses to someone else” then he looked at Shax expectantly. Shax rolled his eyes, took the bars in his hands and melted them. Sage looked at his hands, sighed and said “my powers are cooler.” and with that he stepped out of his prison cell and snapped his wings out.
“Don’t” Shax growled. “we take the bus as it would be less conspicuous.”
“Well I am not taking Edmonton transport wearing these ridicoulous white robes. Wheres yours? and how did you get a human to touch you?”
“Some kid didnt read the safety instructions beside my cell and asked me for a demonstration of my powers.”
“Well lets get your body back and get as far away from this place as we can.”
Shax stopped walking and turned to him, “there is no we. I get you out of here and then we go our seperate ways.”
“Thats kinda not how it works Shax, your stuck with me… Forever!!!” Sage replyed, then laughed maniacly.
Ignorig him, Shax converted back to his original body. Sage then opened the iron doors. Shax couldnt do it himself because iron is posionous to Drudes. “what will happen to him?” Sage asked, pointing to the boy that now lay on the ground at his feet. “he will wake up in a few minutes” shax replied. ” but lets go. We have a bus to catch”
Sam woke up with a massive headache and no memory of what happened. He sat up slowly and blinked a few times. What happened? He saw the Drude, who touched him… Nothing after that. Just as he was starting to panic he saw the bus pull through the entrance. Everybody started getting on and Sam, wanting to get a decent seat, hurried over. Only when the bus pulled away did he notichere two men sitting across the isle from him. They were polar opposites; one had black hair, the other blonde. Blue eyes to black eyes, black clothes to white… Robyes? The blonde one saw Sam looking and arched an eyebrow. The other one turned to look at him also, black eyes trained on him. It was then that the memories hit him. Being trapped in his own body, unable to move or control anything. His eyes widened and his mouth made a perfect O. The bus stopped and the men stood up and got off, but just before they pulled away the bonde haired man caught him staring out the window and winked. And with that, they disappeared.
One day while I was walking down the street I came across a strange device. I decided I would take it home and try to figure out what it was so I started my long trip back. Stepping through the front door I began questioning the power of this phone like device. Heading for my room I was searching through the apps that were equipped with what I found out to be called the IPHONUS. It is a magical device that is used by wizards themselves. I began asking myself what I would do with a phone that could produce magical spells. I continued searching through the apps when I heard a knock on the front door to my house. I marched over only to find out that it was the original owner to the Iphonus I held in my hand. So that’s the story of how I nearly got myself a new machine the great Iphonus.
i was walking down the street when i noticed something shinny it was an ipone i picked it up an went home when i got home i turned it on at first i thought it was jail broken cause it was very awkward the way it turned on instead of the apple sign it was a magic wond when the phone finished loading i went throgh the apps on said wishes i tapped on it an a mic came up an the phone said say a wish an it shall come true so i did i wished that i had bugatti veyron in 5 seconds i looked the drive way an there was nothing so i put the phone down an went to watch tv, when i sat down i heard a vehicle pull in the drive way i got up to check there it was a bugatti veyron i ran to grab the phone i look at the screen it sai your was was completed , i couldnt believe it i had a magic phone :O
One day there were creatures like no other. And they were all captured and put into a zoo. The zoo thrieved and many people came to see the creatures. one day one of the mythical beast, a shape shifter, escaped for its enclosue and reaked havoc in the zoo. A young girl named Lilith made the mythical beast fall in love with her. The beasts name was Eryx. He was very handsome in human form, but could turn into a horrifying beast in a split second. They lived together for many etirnity’s, but one day Lilith disapeared with no trace.
If I were able to keep an app from the iPhonus I would want to keep the Lumos….but if i were also able to chose a second one I would pick the Remembrall App.
This one day at band camp I was walking down a trail in the woods with Melanie. I was walking ahead then all of a sudden I hear her scream and I look back and see her on the ground, I turn back to help her up & we notice 3 iphonus’s on the ground covered in grass and leaves. We picked them up and checked if they were ok and turns out that they were still brand new, never used. After that we went back to camp and showed my brother and asked him to set them up for me and Melanie and if he did I would give him one. When he was done setting them both up they broke within 2 weeks , NEVER GET AN IPHONUS .!
“Welcome to The Zoo of Magical and Mythological creatures!” How many times a day do I say that. I hate my job. No one appreciates how much I know about these creatures. It takes a lot of knowledge to lead these pathetic tours.
My goal is to become the head researcher one day. It’s what I initially applied for but my application wasn’t taken seriously at all. Apparently my knowledge of the average weight, sleep pattern, diet, habitat and flight speed of the Griffin wasn’t nearly impressive enough.
Yesterday I was leading a tour of students from Hogwarts that were here for a field trip. While walking them through the Likalotapus exhibit, the Likalotapus is basically a mythical dinosaur that inhabits the dark forest. When we were almost through the enclosure I was randomly attacked.
The Likalotapus has 9 inch claws and 5 inch teeth that could kill an elephant in less than a minute. Unfortunately it apparently just wanted to toy with me. It picked me up in its teeth and tossed me into the concrete wall. The impact broke every bone in my body. I won’t be able to go back to work for 6 months.
As painful as it is to be lying in a hospital bed crippled, I’m happy I don’t have to go to work. As I said before I hate my job and I’m happy about anything that lets me get out of it. At least I don’t have to lead any more cheesy Hogwart’s field trips.
A Day at the Magical and Mythical Zoo
Spring was walking among her friends when she looked up at the sign that hung to their left. But then she stopped completely when she clearly saw what was written on the sign that was covered with leaves. It said “The Zoo of Magical and Mythical Creatures”. When her friends noticed she wasn’t with them, they looked back and found her still standing there trying to peer into a dark place that was surrounded by tall, rusting metal bars as if to keep something in a cage. When Spring slowly looked up, she noticed them looking worriedly at her but she just waved her hand telling them to go ahead. They nodded their head and started walking since they know they could trust her. Moments later, there was a loud noise, kind of like growling coming from inside the metal gate. At this, Spring’s curiosity got the better of her. Spring looked around her but didn’t see anyone nor did she see anyone inside the “zoo”. So she took a deep breath and walked up to the large opening to the gate. She slowly started walking inside. As soon as she did, the odd sound came back. Spring jumped and then gasped as a bright light lit up a cage beside her. There inside the cage, was a dragon. It had red beady eyes and purple, scaly skin. The dragon was huge compared to her. She let out an ear splitting scream. She ran away from the cage but came upon another. When the light went on in this one, there was a unicorn. This didn’t scare her as much, so she went up closer it to get a better look. The unicorn was a snow, white color with a rainbow colored mane and tail. Spring couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She knew there was no such thing as dragons or unicorns. Worried, she ran back the way she came in, not wanting to see what else was locked up in this strange zoo. When she was out passed the gate she let out a breath. No one needs to know what I saw, she thought, as she ran to catch up to her friends.
There are days I would love my own Iphonus! I would love an app that would clean my house, cook meals when I needed, get me to Edmonton or anywhere else quick and one to convince my children that completing homework is a must!
Wonder what those apps would look like on a phone? Any creative people out there.
School’s out for the summer! Cassidy, Rachel and I are camping out in the woods just behind my house. This being the first time sleeping in a tent we didn’t want to be too far away from home(especially the bathroom).
It was also the only way our parents would let us because they figured we are too young to be on our own. Of course we thought differently, we are 14 and responsible.
We set up our tent and put our mattresses and sleeping bags inside. Rachel and Cassidy set off to collect some wood while I took out the supplies for supper. Hotdogs and s’mores…yum, camping favorites.
The fire was up and burning in no time, warming the air around us. We sat around roasting hotdogs until they were perfectly done and then made and ate delicious, sticky s’more’s. What more could a group of friends ask for?
The night was coming upon us and as I was looking through the colours of the flames I saw a flashing red light. I pointed it out to Cass and Rach to see if they could see it too and they did. We got up from our chairs and headed toward the flashing light. I ducked down and crawled under the bush. It was an Iphonus! I let out a screech! Rachel asked if I was okay and I said wait to see what I found. I held up the Iphonus and both Rachel and Cassidy let out a screech I thought would bring my parents out of the house. Who could that belong too?
We brought the phone back to the campsite and went into the tent to check it out. The apps on this phone were not like any of the ones on my IPhone. We didn’t know what to think, should we try one and see what happens or just leave it alone? Cassidy thought it would be okay to try one. I closed my eyes and hit the lumos button and poof our tent lit up! Now what? Rachel says try another one and so I did, extendable ear. Shhhh! Who is that talking? We listened and recognized it to be my mom and dad talking about their day at work. This is kind of cool and creepy at the same time. Let me try one asks Cassidy. She looks at the rip in the tent and decides to see what the reparo app would do. It worked the rip is fixed.
Should we try something more adventurous Rachel asked? I am a little bit of a scaredy cat but didn’t want my friends to know so I agreed. She pushed marauders map and it appeared to lead us outside. We began to follow the directions on the map. It led us back to the place where we found the Iphonus. All of a sudden the phone was sucked back into the bush. We got down on our hands and knees to look for it but it wasn’t there.
The three of us looked at each other and shrugged! We went back to the tent and decided we should keep this to ourselves. Who was going to believe us anyways?
I think that IPhones are crazy everyone has one, saying oh yeah there such a good reliable phone nut yet if you drop them a whole 3 feet and the screen would be completely shattered and cracked to crap. If I was going to buy a phone I wouldn’t blow my money on an iPhone when I could buy a more dependable phone that would actually last longer than a week’’
“Wake up Mills we’re going to the zoo” said my annoying cousin Dale. As I heard him laughing I realized that this will be the first time I got out of this jail they call a house. We get in the car and dale can’t stop talking about the new zoo in town. It’s got weird creatures like dragons and griffins they were said to be found on a mysterious island in the Bermuda triangle. When we got there we had to sign a contract to say that if we got hurt by one of the animals we could not press charges. The first moment we walked in I almost got hit by fire from the dragon. i couldnt believe all the magical creatures before me. I thought to myself this is going to be a crazy day.
One day a boy named Nathan entered a very dark and treacherous house. Although it was very dark and black in the house, he was able to feel around the dark room, and felt on top of a dresser only to find an accessary of some sort. It was an object that looked like an iPhone; he unlocked it only to find the many apps that came with it. They were not normal apps. They were apps of some other sort of language or something. There were apps such as ‘The Hallows’, ‘Stupify’, and ‘Marauders Map’. He was searching through the apps, but then he heard a crawling noise and chattering. He looked around and nothings in sight. However, he kept hearing strange noises, so he put the phone in his pocket and kept searching the dark house. As he was looking up, there was a huge cat like creature standing in front of him! He quickly grabbed the phone out of his pocket and touched the ‘Stupify’ app and it ejected a big red light. It hit the creature and the creature disappeared right then. Nathan then touched the ‘Marauders Map’ app, and suddenly the map of the house came up. He then was able to find the exit and find his way home. He would never set a foot back in that house. But on his way home he looked to his left, there was a small kitty. He went to pet it, but it ate him.
Once upon a time there was an environmentalist who was cleaning the flower beds and cutting grass around a small town of Rexford Junction. It was heavily populated with mythical creatures, elves, leprechauns and humans not always a good match. Well anyways the environmentalist was helping out the community when something fell from the sky and knocked him out but when he awoke there was an object beside him. He didn’t know what to call it when he was thinking it had a sudden burst of light that lit the screen. He thought it was a god that had lost his interest in something and had dropped it for the earth to consume and to withhold. So when he was done working he brought it to the king. When the king saw it he said that he had once seen it in a dream he told the environmentalist that he would take care of the object and that he would call it the IPhonus. The king said that he would bring it to a scientist to see of what was contained in it. When it got back the scientist said that it was controlled by its own energy which he said was slowly dying. But he said he couldn’t figure out what was in in the small object.
But one day the trumpets sounded and the whole community was called to a meeting with the king. Once everyone arrived the king was announced and the meeting began. He began by saying that someone in the community had found a small object that would be called the IPhonus. He asked for his guards to go and find the environmentalist that had originally found the discreet object that now not knowing it was going to be a highlight for a long while. When the king started to speak again he started to mention a new beginning and a new future. When the king was done with his boring speech he announced the environmentalist and everyone started cheering for a new revelation. Meanwhile word had spread to small man and he had already started the mission. On the way home Jack the environmentalist met his friend the Leprechaun he gave him a hug and said he had to go home because he was tired. When he got home he put his hand in his pocket to start trying to figure things out but he couldn’t find it. He checked his bag and it wasn’t in there. He thought back to what he last did with it, but found nothing out of the ordinary. The next day he reported to the king that the IPhonus had been stolen. They put posters in the streets describing it. Then one day as he was walking by his Leprechaun friend he saw something in the pocket of his cloak and when he walked by the Leprechaun ran and wasn’t found after. Jack the environmentalist went home and thought of a way to get the IPhonus back. Then it hit him he would steal his pot of gold. The next morning Jack set up his trap and when he started to hypnotize the Leprechaun he said
“Where is your pot of gold?”
The Leprechaun replied “under church in the basement “
So that evening he went to the church for confession and after he went into the basement and there in the middle of the floor was his pot of gold. But as he was leaving the Leprechaun returned and saw the pot of gold. He said to Jack the environmentalist
“Why have you taken my gold?”
He replied “because you stole my IPhonus”
Then he said “give me my gold back”
Jack said you give me my IPhonus back and do a jig for me and I will”.
So the Leprechaun did the jig and as he was dancing the IPhonus fell out of his pocket and like that a dragon came down and gobbled it up. They sent the best nights of the land after the dragon and slayed it. Inside they found the IPhonus.
That evening they found the antibody for the IPhonus and they started to collect the main ingredients for it. The environmentalist got a free one and he was the founder so he got all the money that would be from people buying it off the king and queen. When they finished building the first one the king asked the environmentalist to figure out everything he could about it so they could make a manual. He went home and started just pressing buttons but nothing was working so he left and went out with his friends. When he woke up the next morning the phone had turned on and the screen had owl mail on the bottom with a one just to the side of it. So he clicked on it and there was a scripture. It read I’m here to help you in the future also to expand your world, to a new era. Once he was done reading it he clicked the reply by accident and a keyboard showed up. He pressed the I and it showed up on the screen. So he continued to type the message and then when he was done a green light showed up and not knowing what to do he clicked it. When it was done he clicked on the circle and it went back to main menu. When he was done with the messaging he clicked on another object. When it opened I saw a picture of myself. I clicked the bottom of the screen and it captured the picture. When he was done with that took it to the king and he said that it was good enough and that the people of the community would figure out anything else that was optional. So the environmentalist walked home and on the way there he was crowded by a whole bunch of people who were asking questions. The environmentalist said that it would be out tomorrow for one hundred dollars. When they slowly started to disappear a little boy came up to him and asked him
“Will this benefit in the future”
The environmentalist said
“We sure hope so”
The next day the IPhonus came out and they sold fifty of them in less than five hours. The environmentalist went to tell the king the news and to pay him five percent of the earnings. That was the last time anybody found anything better than the IPhonus. Their future was improved and so were their lives.
iPhonus
On a sunny evening, I was walking along the shore of the beach by my house, when I saw something shining slightly in the sand. My first though was to go see what it was, so I did. I picked it out from under the sand and filled with joy when I saw the little iPhonus logo. I quickly took all of the sand off of the phone and went inside. I unlocked the phone, eager to discover what apps were on it and found a whole bunch of games, a time stopping and mind reading app. Oh boy! “When and where did you get this iPhone?” My mom asked, startling me. She didn’t know what an iPhonus was. “I found it on the beach in the sand a few minutes ago, and now I’m going to see who this belongs to.” I replied. She nodded and trailed into the kitchen, working on dinner.
After a dinner of macaroni salad and steak, I did the dishes and took a shower. After, I sat on my nice warm bed and explored the iPhonus again, trying to find the owner, which wasn’t a success earlier. By midnight, I gave up and played every one of the games at least once. I was exhausted and fell asleep while exploring an app called exhaustion. I should have guessed, but I didn’t think it would work on the person handling it. When I woke up, it was 12:16pm. I got dressed and strode downstairs to the kitchen for lunch. “Good morning.” I said to my mother. “Good afternoon.” She corrected.” So Becky, I have been thinking about that iPhone you found yesterday. Did you find out who the owner is yet?” She asked. “No. It didn’t say anything about anyone. It didn’t even have an apple ID to get apps.” I said, astonished at the fact as I said it. How did the apps get on the phone? Oh, my bad. It’s an iPhonus. It was probably owned by a wizard. Duh. I thought to myself, blocking out most of what my mom had said. ”Do you understand?” She asked. “ Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention…”I replied.
So it turns out, I had to make fliers and post them around, asking people to call the number. If they got the number right and called it, I would have to give it back. Weeks passed and I got a call. “Is this Bob?” asked the stranger.” Um, no. I think you have the wrong number.” Then a click at the other end. That was the one and only call I got in a whole month. “You can keep it.” My mom said, out of the blue. It took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about. Then I stared at her in disbelief. “For real?” I asked. She nodded her head and said “We gave people a whole month to claim this phone, and no one has…” I interrupted her. “THANK YOU!” And just like that, the iPhonus was mine.
Slightly confused, I wandered along Diagon alley.
My little barn owl cooed at me and fluffed his feathers; bits of ochre fuzz floated around and fell to the ground like a nice brown snow.
I finally stepped up to a quaint little shop, with a big sign above the doorway that said “Olivanders.”
Quite a peculiar shop at that, I decided to stroll through the door way.
A man on a rolling ladder was setting tiny boxes onto huge wooden shelves. He was sliding to a another shelf when caught my eye.
“You must be Seles’ daughter! Come in!”
He stepped off of his ladder and walked towards me.
“Ah, so the great Seles has decided to send her daughter to Hogwarts! What a pleasure that you came into my little shop!”
He stepped over to a filing cabinet and pulled out a folder with my name on it.
He observed a couple of papers and documents; than sauntered over to one of the shelves and grabbed a little box.
“Here it is!” he exclaimed.
I opened up the teeny box and found a fine russet wand. On the inside of the lid there was a little paper that stated “B8229 Fir weave and Unicorn core; Very flexible.”
A huge grin spread across my face and I flicked the wand.
“FFZZIP!” I turned one of the pens on the counter into a huge spider!
Mr. Olvander’s eyes grew wide. “Galloping glazers!” He exclaimed as he jumped back.
The startling arachnid was nothing but an adorable creature to me. I reached my hand out in front of it and whispered “It’s okay! I won’t hurt you!”
The curious little spider crawled onto my hand and made a purring-like noise.
I petted it and let him sit on my shoulder.
Mr. Olivander escorted me out (in the kindest of ways) back outside.
Everything wandered by so fast, and I was already on the train.
A young boy named Scorpius sat beside and greeted me.
He was a nice boy; he had short blond hair and had piercing pastel blue eyes.
He was shy, but determined. I already knew who he was.
He was Draco’s son. It was also obvious of that considering he looked exactly like his father.
When the train came to a stop, we stepped out to a large dock.
We had to take small boats, along with escorts to the large castle.
“Hogwarts” I thought to myself; and at the bottom of my throat I quietly squealed.
No light bulbs to be seen, but millions of candles lit the corridors to a golden hue.
We went to a large banquet room and were assigned house teams.
A talking hat would be placed onto a student’s head and would be decided from 4 groups.
Gryffindor: The heroes, the brave.
Hufflepuff: The sidekicks, the more-so passive.
Ravenclaw: The smart kids, not like nerds but a formal type of smart.
Slytherin: The conniving, or sneaky.
Scorpius was assigned Slytherin. Again, just like his father.
I was called up to the stand. As nervous as I was…I continued forward.
I sat on the chair and scanned my eyes across the crowed.
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
Hmm Hufflepuff…I was not really surprised. I’m not a bookworm, or a huge hero…and I’m not exactly evil.
Well my quest is surely not done. But it is an awesome beginning to a whole new story.