Someone had posted in a recent slice that one evening when they were too tired to work on the slice they wanted they used a random word generator that gave her several words. She then (not so?) simply gave short a memory or factoid invoked by said word. Easy peasy-ish. I liked that idea knowing as we wound down I would have at least one such “It’s after 11 I need to post a slice moment!” and here it is.

I have no idea where or what I clicked, but I wound up with this:

Well I’ve done it now. Never one to give up a word challenge, I played the hand I was dealt. And also because I am a self-flagellating glutton I was determined to use all three words.

Though I know this is not what you meant or the option you used on your slice, this is what I got and thus makes this partially your fault – you know who you are. Stop smiling!

So without further ado – I give you “Parentronustring”

Parentronustring – an extremely rare form of the Patronus spell. Users invoke the same Patronus spell of Expecto Patronum. However instead of a spirit animal appearing it is the spellcaster’s parents who have move beyond this earthly plane. Please note the use of plural here. Yes, the young witch or wizard first casting this spell is an orphan.

For reason no one has been able to explain, both parents will have died of causes other than magical or ill-intent. Usually it is from something medical such as an untreatable terminal illness. Or a random freak accident such as struck by lightning in a storm. It is always both parents that have died from such causes. The parents may not have died at the same time, but both have passed away at least a year before the young witch or wizard has received their invitation to wizarding school letter.

The shock of this is often so disturbing to the child they immediately reject it. Akin to the Sorting Hat, that sometimes takes the wants of the user into consideration, so does the Patronus spell. Once the student of the Parentronustring finds the courage to cast again, it will be of a figure, a spirit animal, more palatable to them.

A Parentonustring’s first casting invokes the parent who died first. The spell has the suffix of “string” because, unless a traumatic event of such magnitude cause a change – Tonk’s Patronus changed when she fell in love with Lupin. Snape’s Patronus matched Lily Potter’s Doe because of his lifelong love of her – for the rest of the witch or wizard’s life one parent then the other will appear in a rotating string.

Do forgive me J. K. Rowling.

<>==========<>

Here I am hast minute posting on Day 22, of the Slice of Life Writing challenge for 2020 – let’s see how others are slicing it: