Wind's Nocturne by Acacia Carter

Rated: 3rd-5th Years •
Summary: There is magic the likes of which humans can barely remember and seldom experience. There is, however, a handful of men privileged enough to experience a part of it: the Dryad's Consorts.

Written for the last third of Madame Alex's Character Triathalon!

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Many thanks to Maple for the beta; I couldn't see myself sending this one to anyone else.

Anything you recognise is JKR's. Anything you don't recognise is possibly mine, but probably JKR's.

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Wood-nymphs, more commonly known as Dryads, are first and last mentioned in the Potterverse by Fleur in Goblet of Fire. In Greek mythology, these cunning magical creatures are entirely female, and must capture and seduce human men in order to bear daughters and heirs to their forests. In other works of literature they are described as bold and highly territorial, with voracious, er, "appetite" for particular intimate activities. So, basically a shy Herbologist's every fantasy...

We Must Not Sink Beneath Our Anguish, But Battle On by The Last Marauder

Rated: 3rd-5th Years •
Summary: Think the first time Lupin saw Harry since he was a baby was on that eventful train journey in Prisoner of Azkaban? Well, you're wrong, they met once before, when Harry was very small. And it was this first encounter that helped Lupin realise that we must not sink beneath our anguish, but battle on.

Wisps of Smoke by majestic_ginny

Rated: 3rd-5th Years •
Summary: As Draco Malfoy walks into a dusty shop in Diagon Alley, his eyes fall on something that makes him recall a day he wants to forget.

This is majestic_ginny of Hufflepuff writing for Round One of the 2012 Character Triathlon.

We'll Be Young Forever by Proserpina

Rated: 6th-7th Years •
Summary:

“You and I, we'll be young forever!” *

After a long, interesting, sweltering summer the Marauders are back for their sixth year, and they feel as though their teenage lives have only just begun.

James has been pursuing Lily for years, and he sure as hell isn't going to give up now. Sirius might actually be falling in love (though of course that can't be possible, can it?), and Remus is struggling with problems in his own family. Meanwhile, Peter has to decide how much worth he can put on friends who he will never live up to. And then there's Lily Evans, a girl who's starting to fall for the very man she swore not to. Diana McKinnon, her best friend, keeps finding herself staring at a certain grey-eyed Gryffindor, even though every piece of logic she has tells her that he's trouble.

But even though there's the looming danger of NEWTs, pranks, oily Slytherins, and physical education, a much bigger problem has presented itself. The Marauders' sixteen-year-old world isn't the safe place it used to be. There are rumors of danger and dark magic throughout the school, and of a powerful dark wizard named Voldemort. The Gryffindor sixth years have to decide where their true allegiances lie and how much they are willing to sacrifice for a war that seems impossible to win.

*Title and quote taken from the lyrics of Katy Perry's summer hit Teenage Dream.

Note 3/26: Ok guys so I know that I haven't updated in forever, but I promise I'll finish the story! I'm struggling with some stuff, but hang in there, I haven't forgotten.

Lots and lots and lots of love, Olivia

What It Takes to be a Black by PInk_Witch

Rated: 3rd-5th Years •
Summary: Three sisters. One Dark Lord. This story is about how the choices they made affected who they turned out to be.

Where We Started From by Equinox Chick

Rated: 6th-7th Years •
Summary: Dean Thomas slaves hard in the Department of Magical Sports and Games (or rather he doodles on his blotter and ignores his ever expanding in tray). But the work is deathly dull, until one day his boss hands him a pair of tickets for the Appleby Arrows V Holyhead Harpies game.

He's delighted to be going until he realises that Ginny Weasley will be flying.

For although she's now single, Dean isn't sure they can ever go back.

Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling. For one thing I've disregarded her epilogue - ooopsie
Thank you, thank you, to mah flist, especially Kara who has listened to me moan, Natalie who urged me to write Dean!Smut, Alex for commiserating with spiralling word counts, Emmah for 'langered' and Jess for cheerleading.
This is that annoying Equinox person writing her eighth story for the GH Cotillion thingie. *wibble*

To my utter delight and complete surprise, this story won Best Chaptered Story in the 2012 QSQ's ~ Non-Canon Romance.

What Comes Before Death by goldensnidget92

Rated: 6th-7th Years •
Summary: Helena Ravenclaw told Harry how she died. What she didn't tell him was the whole story that came before her tragic death.

Love, betrayal and heartbreak coloured the last months of her life; but the Bloody Baron wasn't quite as evil as has been supposed.

I am unbelievably proud to announce that this story won The Untold Story Award at the Great Hall Cotillion Challenge AND was nominated for the Quicksilver Quill Awards 2012: Best General Story!

White Jade by AidaLuthien

Rated: 1st-2nd Years •
Summary: The youngest prince of China prepares to leave the capital to go to the Dragon Pearl.

This is AidaLuthien of Hufflepuff House's final for the Charming Characters class.

Ways to Say Goodbye by LoonyLupin

Rated: 3rd-5th Years •
Summary: Andromeda and Ted Tonks married nearly thirty years ago, against the wishes of Andromeda’s parents. She was disowned because Ted was a Muggle-born.

In the same summer that Harry Potter went off to find Horcruxes, wizards like Ted are being hunted. He knows what he has to do now. It’s the most painful decision he’s ever had to make. But he’s going to make these precious hours count.

One-shot companion to "From Opposite Sides".

What Luna Sees by Northumbrian

Rated: 3rd-5th Years •
Summary: Does Ginny have a serious rival?
Who is the most fancied bloke in the DA?
What Lunacies happen at Christmas?
This is Northumbrian of Ravenclaw House realising that this long planned story scrapes into prompt 3 (Operation Mistletoe) of the Great Hall-iday challenge, and that my story title is an even worse pun than the challenge title.