TMQ #138 -- Elvis vs. Einstein

Discussion of TMQ #138 -- Elvis vs. Einstein (http://www.mugglenet.com/editorials/themagicquill/tmq138.shtml) by Robbie Fischer.

DOUBLE CHALLENGE

SURVEY: Which "blast from the past" would you like to see featured? (A) The International Conspiracy of Cliches. (B) The Murder on the Hogwarts Express. (C) Signore Maledicto di Bestemmia. (D) Madam Hunsicker's activities during the Grindelwald war.

CONTEST: What magical creature do you think would be funny and/or scary to find hiding under your bedclothes in the middle of a dark, silent night?

Joe Albequerque Joe-Albequerqueed! Buffalo buffalo buffaloed! First-rate!

Oh, definitely the Murder on the Hogwarts Express. That's completely unresolved as of now and it would be neat to tie it into Uncle Radu's ring. But if you're got something ready for Madame Hunsicker I'll make that my second choice.

Scary would definitely be the lethifold, but close behind would be a boggart of any kind. After that ... well, a jarvey would be good for some slapstick, especially if the conversation started before the critter could be forced out into the open--or if the jabbering jarvey were mistaken for a nocturnal visitor that one was expecting.

Elvis is back! And in the building! Ha, ha! Good one, Robbie! I was really pleased to win with Einstein (the swine).

I would pick 'Murder on the Hogwart's Express' or whatever Madam Hunsucker was doing during the Grindelwald wars.

A creature hiding in the sheets? Hmmmm.... I say either a dragon's egg or an ashwinder egg.

I say Murder on the Hogwarts Express, though the International Conspiracy of Cliches is always welcome ;)

And I agree with greyniffler about the contest, the first thing I thought of was a lethifold (although that woldn't be funny at all *shivers*)

Survey: I have to say B.
Contest: Er... um... I guess a banshee. Since they're human shaped, you would know it was under your sheets as soon as you saw the bed, but you wouldn't know what it was until you lifted the shhets, which would be scary. ANd their screams can kill, and in muggle mythology, they warn of death.

I vote for A.
What would be funny under a bed, hm, besides Dobby, how about a yak?

Survey: (B) The Murder on the Hogwarts Express.

Contest: Well, since you said they'd discover it in the middle of the night... a Puffskein. ;-)

"The Puffskein is found worldwide. Spherical in shape and covered in soft, custard-colored fur, it is a docile creature that has no objection to being cuddled or thrown about. Easy to care for, it emits a low humming noise when contented. From time to time a very long, thin, pink tongue will emerge from the depths of the Puffskein and snake through the house searching for food. The Puffskein is a scavenger that will eat anything from leftovers to spiders, but it has a particular preference for sticking its tongue up the nose of sleeping wizards and eating their bogies. This tendency has made the Puffskein much beloved by wizarding children for many generations and it remains a highly popular wizarding pet." [Emphasis mine.]

p. 34, Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them by Newt Scamander

Survey: The Murder on the Hogwarts Express.

Contest: I think that the most digusting creature that I could find under my bed would be wormtail!!! ( he says, waiting for the arguements to begin....).

Elvis vs. Einstein was absolutely brilliant. It moved quickly and was very believable (in an unbelievable way). My only constructive critisism would be that it could have been longer - keep writing Mr Fischer you have a talent.

Perhaps so, but I believe that Wormtail has been removed from the picture.
I'm wondering, though: were you thinking of him in human or animal form?

I've always thought that he was more disgusting in human form, but I don't think he would fit under my bed!:)

Which form did you prefer?

Neither! I'm surprise that Ron Weasley isn't permanently scarred from knowing who his pet really was.

gregyniffler: I'm surprise that Ron Weasley isn't permanently scarred from knowing who his pet really was.

I've wondered if he had something to do with Percy's ...err ...temporary insanity. And I've wondered if the reason Percy gave Scabbers to Ron is because he'd somehow found out the rat was actually a wizard.

I've steered us a bit off topic, but I wonder if that wasn't Percy realizing just how uncool his pet was once he started at Hogwarts.

I would like to see a character who is an unregistered animagus. Having him or her wait under a bed in the middle of the night and then pop out and transform seems like a perfect introduction.

Elvis vs. Einstein was absolutely brilliant. It moved quickly and was very believable (in an unbelievable way). My only constructive critisism would be that it could have been longer - keep writing Mr Fischer you have a talent.

Thanks, mischief. Now if I can just scrape together enough discipline to write an original book... >prayers<

Einstein was a hoot!
If you are still taking comments, I think it's time for B; a good murder (but I'm also in sympathy with all those 'Hunsicker is a good second choice' folk -- she was such fun!)

Scary under the sheets made me immediately think "Leithifold"; probably because of the example in Scamander. But to be more original, what about an Acromantula. Just a little one. Really tiny, as in just hatched ... just hatched and couldn't have crawled far from the nest yet...

I always feel a particular panic when I see a microscopic cockroach stuck in my sink, " where is the rest of the tribe?" you know.

As for Scabbers, you two, I think he got so tired of boring, stuffy Percy that he bit and annoyed him into giving him away. (And how did Peter ever persuade a stuffed shirt like Percy to adopt him, anyway? There's the real puzzle.)

How about an underground world, just hiding under the bed?
It could even be the real world! I would just love to see how a character would react when told he/she (and all wizards/witches in general) don't exist.
Incidentally, would magic work in our world? If it does, put me first on the waiting list for a wand.

Actually, that post was for the previous thread (if its still open). And I was just joking about the last question. But could reality be put in a bottle? Then our characters could just take a little dose of reality.

I turned in #140 to the editor yesterday. Keep your eyes peeled!