21 Jan 2020, 18:49
Liberation
@Elliot Price, @Jo Morgan, @Pericles Dralt, @Rafael D'Spacito, @Snow Jones
After Evelynn fell silent and Jo took up the mantle, the redhead was immediately intrigued. And pleased. She recalled the enthusiasm of the girl in the common room and how Jo had mistakenly started retracing steps right there, as though thinking that had been the scene of the crime. It had been Evelynn who had actively corrected her. Rather than head to the Headmaster's office after the investigation in the common room had simmered down, however, Evelynn had rushed out to the hospital wing to meet up with Meenauh. She was thrilled to know that Jo had made good on the correction and listened with vapid interest to the verbal report.
Her brows rose in surprise. A kicked in door? Portraits gone? Letters between their very own Headmaster and the victim? That was an interesting start. And it only seemed to grow more intriguing. A missing sorting hat -- what on earth could somebody want with that? -- and the mysterious arrival of a letter…
Her gray eyes snapped to the letter as Jo pulled it from among the collection of evidence. Quietly, she hopped from the desk to her feet and padded around to read over Jo's shoulder as the latter read it aloud. Jo's thoughts mirrored many of Evelynn's own. But there was something more that Jo didn't mention, and perhaps hadn't realized. The redhead had noticed almost immediately -- it wasn't difficult given the size difference -- how the first capitalized letter from each sentence seemed to spell something out.
T - A - K - I - E - T - O - N - O - R - A.
Without the 'I', it said 'Take to Nora'. Only… who was Nora? And it was strange… there were other capital letters that didn't need to be capitalized. Like the 'R' in 'Root', or the 'S' in 'Sloth'. She couldn't make out any pattern in the remaining letters, though. Something to puzzle out later. She fell back after that set of observations to give the stand back to Jo and Rafa, listening as they continued.
A few of the details were mistaken. The Hogwarts Express didn't take them to Hogsmeade; the students walked there, or took carriages, if the weather was particularly nasty. As far as she had understood, anyway. It was too close for train. The Ogres bit was interesting though. She hadn't been to the ball, but the attacks had been hot gossip. And if there had been dust on the furniture…Evelynn wondered if perhaps this had been an issue long before Jo had arrived on site. Exactly how long ago had the Headmaster gone missing? And then there were the potions ingredients. She didn't recognize the potion that they were for, but it didn't strike up another thought. One she had been intending to bring up later in the meeting anyway -- there had been several articles, now, in the daily prophet reporting several cases of ingredient and potion theft. Now more than ever, she suspected there was a connection. She'd have to make another trip to speak with Professor Price, she decided.
She hung those thoughts up for later consideration as Rafa brought to light a whole new set of information. Evelynn's brows shot up at the mention of Pygmy Puff skulls in the hearth. Naturally, she stepped forward to take a look at them, still careful to stay out of his spotlight for the time. She glanced up curiously at the mention of a…pensive? She wasn't sure what that was. Another thing to inquire about. That the fireplace contained ash wasn't all that surprising, though, especially if there was dust on the furniture. Although…it was strange. She would have thought the house elves would clean the office like they did elsewhere in the castle.
The burning of the wand was an interesting suggestion. Floo powder… dead pygmies… She didn't know any creature that would willingly wander into hot flame, though. Foul play was the only thing she accepted there. Then there were the love letters, and the …wait, draught of the living what now?... Evelynn parted her lips to inquire, but Jo was already speaking about another letter, one written clearly in code. Even from her vantage point a few feet away, she could see what it was going to say before Jo had transcribed it to the board.
WAR BLOOD EVIL HAG.
What was that about… Evelynn innocuously cleared her throat as a fleeting image of Dolores as an ugly hag came to mind. Or maybe, it was a hag that had impersonated Dolores and they had done well in slaying it? But rather someone had taken advantage of the situation to capitalize on getting rid of Potter? Or perhaps this whole thing was set up by a hag? Evelynn had a flash of dread as she recalled a campaign involving a Night Hag. Sure…it was make believe and at a table with dice in the muggle world, but she was quickly realizing that many of those creatures she had thought to be strictly fictitious were actually real. And night hags were terrifying.
A voice at the back drew Evelynn's attention. It was Snow.
"..What?" Evelynn asked, cocking a brow in bemusement. "It might be hard ruling out possible culprits yet. We don't have much to work on. Mr. Potter, Mr. VanCleaf, and Professor Lear are the only ones so far, but I don't think any of them are likely. I mean… We are trying to clear Potter, for one. VanCleaf was there for Potter's arrest and was vocally apologetic. If he had done it, I don't think he'd have stuck around, or have had that sort of reaction to the arrest. And if it was Professor Lear, I don't think he would have enchanted the tapestries."
But something else caught up to Evelynn then about what the girl had said. Again, she tilted her head in confusion.
"And sorry…did you say 'she'll be at the hearing?'… You know the trial is over, right? That's why we're here. Because he was found guilty and is sentenced…" She paused for a moment, then added, "And not sure we'll be able to do much on our own. I think we should talk to Professor Price again, and take that letter to Professor Jensen."
Just as she quieted, a hand went up elsewhere. Her attention wandered over to land on the unfamiliar Ravenclaw boy that she hadn't had the chance to meet earlier. Given the sentiment he had shared earlier about the missing wand, she was curious to hear what he had to say.
"Oooh…." She breathed quietly, almost happily, under her breath at the reading and deciphering of one of the "love" letters. She had been silently scanning that one over Pericle's shoulder as well as he had read it aloud to those gathered. Another piece. Finnlay. And whatever 4.4.24 meant.
"Do you think that could be coordinates of some sort? On a map or in the night's sky? Maybe a passage in a book, or the reference number to a book in the library?"
It was then that she noticed the slackening of Pericle's jaw however, and the aversion of his gaze from the letter to the door. She followed it.
"Professor Price!" She said in alarm, brows raised. For a second, she had a gut-wrenching feeling that they were all about to be in trouble. But logic quickly overruled that. According to Jo and Rafael, he had already been made aware of at least some of this. And to be honest, this was rather convenient.
"What information?" She asked, her attention fixed keenly on the Professor. "I'm glad you're here, actually. We could really use your help."
Her curiosity had definitely been piqued. And there were several matters she still wanted to bring up. The articles, the details of the tapestries, assigning talking to the witnesses, etc. They had already discussed so much, and yet, they were really only just getting started.
24 Jan 2020, 05:51
Liberation
As Elliot made his way into the classroom, he did his best to make eye contact with each of the students. His expression was one of worry, but the older man did his best to reassure them with a smile. They were not in trouble. Well, not the detention kind anyways, but he was simply here to assist and learn what they had discovered.
“Hello Miss Decipio. I will do my best to help, but I do not have all of the answers. It is my hope that we can all work together to uncover the truth behind this mess,” he began as he came to stand before the chalk board. Under any other circumstance he would have been proud of their efforts as he skimmed over what they had written down, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. He turned to address the class. “As you may know, I was taken to Head Master Lear’s office by Jo Morgan after she and Rafael discovered that it had been broken into. Since then, I have spent countless hours pouring over the information and evidence that has been uncovered. At first, it all seemed like separate events, but I think I have some information that may connect the dots.”
“First, I will begin by telling you something that has laid heavy on my chest for some time. You are all aware of the attack by the pair of half giants during the Masquerade Ball. However, that was not the only attack on Hogwarts that night. Professor Browne, Professor Zahid and myself were lured away from the ball by a half giant and led into the Forbidden Forest. It was there that we fell into a trap. The half giant was not what it seemed. In fact, it wasn’t even human at all. The half giant was a Hag that used its wicked magic to transfigured it’s appearance to look like one. Fortunately for the three of us, we were able to escape. Also, a fellow student by the name of Galton Lansdale was poisoned that night and sent on a violent frenzy. Possibly some of you remember?”
Elliot paused for a moment to set his belongings down on the nearest table and let the information set in.
“Now, I know that may be a lot to digest, but allow me to continue. I have brought with me two copies of the Daily Prophet. I will start with the December edition here. I’m sure that you may have read it, as it is the issue that first posted that Harry Potter has been found guilty of the murder of Dolores Umbridge. I see that you all too have noticed that this did not make the front page. Odd indeed, but I would like to point out something else from that issue.”
“If you look on page six, you will see an article about a group of Scottish and Irish squibs that have united together to form a group called S.C.A.R. The Squib Committee Advocating Revolution. This group claims to have been formed to advocate for squib rights. The article is about a sit in that they staged, but if we read closer, two of the members present were half giants. Not only that, but they claim to have ties to those “with power” that will assist them when they prove they are serious.”
“This leads me to page five. Here there is an article about a break in at the Yaxley Family Potions Repository. The article claims that the thieves used Muggle means to complete their heist of a mass amount of Veritaserum, Draught of Living Death and various poisons. The theft was also quite similar to the break in at the Department of Mysteries, where a powerful pair of artifacts were stolen in 2018. I believe those artifacts to be the mask and glove that were used to control one of the students during that time. The same mask and glove that Mr. Potter and his partner Mr. VanCleaf were at Hogwarts to investigate the night Dolores Umbridge was murdered.”
“Let’s move on to the January issue here, front page. The SCAR organization has quickly moved to violence. After lacing the drinks of the patrons there with the Draught of Living Death, they attacked, killing twelve of them. It would surely seem they made a move to prove that they are willing to kill for their cause. Perhaps to impress those “with power”, and look at the Magical Blotter section. November 30th, Muggle means used to steal components from the Weaver family in Cardiff. December 12th, the Ministry’s trace charm detected a possible dark wizard in Hogsmeade. December 21st, a brawl broke out in a pub in Waterford, Ireland. Some claim the ale was spiked, sound familiar? And again! December 29th, Muggle means used to break in and steal components from the Malfoy family.”
“I know this all may seem like coincidence, but let us look at what Jo and Rafael found in the Headmaster’s office. Let’s look at this first letter from Professor Lear.”
“Now, as you have written down, some of the letters appear embellished. Spell them out and it says, “Take to Nora.”, which I do think means Professor Jensen, as it is her middle name. However, let’s look at what ingredients have been requested and where they are to be sent to. These are in fact the ingredients for the Draught of Living Death. The very same that was stolen from the Yaxley Family Potions Repository as well as the potion used in the attack by SCAR at the Leaky Cauldron. The letter requests that these ingredients be brought to the Hogshead pub in Hogsmeade, the very place the Ministry’s trace picked up on a potential dark wizard. Perhaps, instead of this actually being a request for potion ingredients, it is a clue to where the stolen potions are being stored. Let’s move on to one of the other letters.”
“Here we have a letter addressed to Dolores herself, but more disturbing than that is the hidden message you have already deciphered. Evil Blood War, Hag. As I see it, the blood war he speaks of is the one that the SCAR organization is trying to start, but Lear also mentions the Hag. It is my belief that the Hag my colleagues and I encountered is directly related to the SCAR and the half giants that attacked the school and possibly poisoned Galton. Perhaps what they referenced to as someone, “With Power.”
“Now, I have asked myself time and time again. How does this have anything to do with the Potter trial? We need to find more evidence, but why else would Professor Lear address these cryptic letters to Dolores? Why was she here at the same time that Potter was here investigating the mask and glove? The very same artifacts that were stolen in the same means as the potions and poisons. I cannot connect them all as of now, but this reeks of conspiracy.”
Elliot finally came to a pause, letting the information set in.
“Hello Miss Decipio. I will do my best to help, but I do not have all of the answers. It is my hope that we can all work together to uncover the truth behind this mess,” he began as he came to stand before the chalk board. Under any other circumstance he would have been proud of their efforts as he skimmed over what they had written down, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. He turned to address the class. “As you may know, I was taken to Head Master Lear’s office by Jo Morgan after she and Rafael discovered that it had been broken into. Since then, I have spent countless hours pouring over the information and evidence that has been uncovered. At first, it all seemed like separate events, but I think I have some information that may connect the dots.”
“First, I will begin by telling you something that has laid heavy on my chest for some time. You are all aware of the attack by the pair of half giants during the Masquerade Ball. However, that was not the only attack on Hogwarts that night. Professor Browne, Professor Zahid and myself were lured away from the ball by a half giant and led into the Forbidden Forest. It was there that we fell into a trap. The half giant was not what it seemed. In fact, it wasn’t even human at all. The half giant was a Hag that used its wicked magic to transfigured it’s appearance to look like one. Fortunately for the three of us, we were able to escape. Also, a fellow student by the name of Galton Lansdale was poisoned that night and sent on a violent frenzy. Possibly some of you remember?”
Elliot paused for a moment to set his belongings down on the nearest table and let the information set in.
“Now, I know that may be a lot to digest, but allow me to continue. I have brought with me two copies of the Daily Prophet. I will start with the December edition here. I’m sure that you may have read it, as it is the issue that first posted that Harry Potter has been found guilty of the murder of Dolores Umbridge. I see that you all too have noticed that this did not make the front page. Odd indeed, but I would like to point out something else from that issue.”
“If you look on page six, you will see an article about a group of Scottish and Irish squibs that have united together to form a group called S.C.A.R. The Squib Committee Advocating Revolution. This group claims to have been formed to advocate for squib rights. The article is about a sit in that they staged, but if we read closer, two of the members present were half giants. Not only that, but they claim to have ties to those “with power” that will assist them when they prove they are serious.”
“This leads me to page five. Here there is an article about a break in at the Yaxley Family Potions Repository. The article claims that the thieves used Muggle means to complete their heist of a mass amount of Veritaserum, Draught of Living Death and various poisons. The theft was also quite similar to the break in at the Department of Mysteries, where a powerful pair of artifacts were stolen in 2018. I believe those artifacts to be the mask and glove that were used to control one of the students during that time. The same mask and glove that Mr. Potter and his partner Mr. VanCleaf were at Hogwarts to investigate the night Dolores Umbridge was murdered.”
“Let’s move on to the January issue here, front page. The SCAR organization has quickly moved to violence. After lacing the drinks of the patrons there with the Draught of Living Death, they attacked, killing twelve of them. It would surely seem they made a move to prove that they are willing to kill for their cause. Perhaps to impress those “with power”, and look at the Magical Blotter section. November 30th, Muggle means used to steal components from the Weaver family in Cardiff. December 12th, the Ministry’s trace charm detected a possible dark wizard in Hogsmeade. December 21st, a brawl broke out in a pub in Waterford, Ireland. Some claim the ale was spiked, sound familiar? And again! December 29th, Muggle means used to break in and steal components from the Malfoy family.”
“I know this all may seem like coincidence, but let us look at what Jo and Rafael found in the Headmaster’s office. Let’s look at this first letter from Professor Lear.”
“Now, as you have written down, some of the letters appear embellished. Spell them out and it says, “Take to Nora.”, which I do think means Professor Jensen, as it is her middle name. However, let’s look at what ingredients have been requested and where they are to be sent to. These are in fact the ingredients for the Draught of Living Death. The very same that was stolen from the Yaxley Family Potions Repository as well as the potion used in the attack by SCAR at the Leaky Cauldron. The letter requests that these ingredients be brought to the Hogshead pub in Hogsmeade, the very place the Ministry’s trace picked up on a potential dark wizard. Perhaps, instead of this actually being a request for potion ingredients, it is a clue to where the stolen potions are being stored. Let’s move on to one of the other letters.”“Here we have a letter addressed to Dolores herself, but more disturbing than that is the hidden message you have already deciphered. Evil Blood War, Hag. As I see it, the blood war he speaks of is the one that the SCAR organization is trying to start, but Lear also mentions the Hag. It is my belief that the Hag my colleagues and I encountered is directly related to the SCAR and the half giants that attacked the school and possibly poisoned Galton. Perhaps what they referenced to as someone, “With Power.”
“Now, I have asked myself time and time again. How does this have anything to do with the Potter trial? We need to find more evidence, but why else would Professor Lear address these cryptic letters to Dolores? Why was she here at the same time that Potter was here investigating the mask and glove? The very same artifacts that were stolen in the same means as the potions and poisons. I cannot connect them all as of now, but this reeks of conspiracy.”
Elliot finally came to a pause, letting the information set in.
24 Jan 2020, 09:49
Liberation
@Pericles Dralt
@Elliot Price
@Evelynn Decipio
Jo stared at the Ravenclaw as he cleverly analyzed the letter, pointing out the hidden messages that had escaped her as easily as if he was some seasoned detective, going over what was nothing more than a routine case.
“Wow.” It took her a moment to realize that the emotion she felt was awestruck jealousy. “Holy crap.” The short argument between Evelynn and the other girl barely even registered in her mind - she was pouring over the letters again, a single thought numbing her mind. How... how could I have missed that? “We’re lucky to have a Ravenclaw here, eh?” Laughing the envy away with a joke, she wrote the boy’s observations down on the board.
The name... so similar to her father’s. But it couldn’t be. No. It couldn’t be. He was in Azkaban, locked up forever, rotting away from the inside as he succumbed to the screams of his cellmates.
Jo jumped up as her favorite professor entered the room. She wasn’t expecting him to be here... her heart skipped a beat as she realized he might be there to put a stop to their investigation. With a touch of indignation, she recalled him shaking his finger in her face back in the Headmasters office. As if she, a Gryffindor, wasn’t the perfect candidate for such a dangerous adventure! Dropping the chalk, she rushed to her desk, preparing to do whatever was necessary to keep the letters from her teacher’s grasp should he find it fit to take them away “for safekeeping.”
Still, the girl held her tongue as he addressed Evelynn, biting back the worries that disappeared as soon as the man confirmed his intent to help them solve the mystery.
It wasn’t until Professor Price began to speak that she understood how sorely she had misjudged him. He was just as determined to catch the killer as them... if not more. Dashing back to the blackboard, she furiously began to scribble as he continued to talk - every word more eye-opening than the last.
When he finally finished, the blackboard was chock-full of new evidence- all of which needed much more examination.
“I don’t know how to thank you, Professor Price.” The girl said quietly, gazing at the board. At the end of the day, perhaps letting him know about the mystery wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Jo quickly straightened herself up, however. They certainly didn’t have time to be lazing about, not with all of these new clues!
“Right! So, let’s find out what we need to do now. Firstly, we need more information on hags - the most efficient spells against them, their weaknesses, etc. I don’t want a single one of us to end up having to fight one without proper research done beforehand! I’ve looked up a lot of stuff about the Draught of Living Death in the library - apparently it’s really difficult to brew, and it’s unlikely any of us will be able to, except of course Professor Price. However, the effects of this potion can be countered by the use of the Wiggenweld Potion, which is a lot easier to make. I’m not sure if anyone knows how to make it yet, but we might want to have some ready just in case. Also, the Draught of Living Death is associated with hags... I found an old book in the library about Leticia Somnolens - a famous hag who used the Draught of Living Death to make a princess fall into a deep sleep. It sounds like a fairy tale, so not quite sure if it’s based in fact. Even if it is fictional, though, it still tells us that the two are related in one way or other. We also need people to search for a Finnley - school records, recent newspapers, maybe even fictional characters now since everything in these letters seems to be either an allusion or a code. Oh, and the other names as well. Anything would help! As for the people from other houses, we need you guys to check the tapestries in your common rooms to see if they change under the Verdimillious charm. Um... let’s see, before I go on, is there anyone else who has any evidence they’d like to present?”
@Elliot Price
@Evelynn Decipio
Jo stared at the Ravenclaw as he cleverly analyzed the letter, pointing out the hidden messages that had escaped her as easily as if he was some seasoned detective, going over what was nothing more than a routine case.
“Wow.” It took her a moment to realize that the emotion she felt was awestruck jealousy. “Holy crap.” The short argument between Evelynn and the other girl barely even registered in her mind - she was pouring over the letters again, a single thought numbing her mind. How... how could I have missed that? “We’re lucky to have a Ravenclaw here, eh?” Laughing the envy away with a joke, she wrote the boy’s observations down on the board.
“I’ve already notified her.” She called out absentmindedly to the voice that had made the request. “Maybe she might have a clue about who Finnley is.”"And not sure we'll be able to do much on our own. I think we should talk to Professor Price again, and take that letter to Professor Jensen."
The name... so similar to her father’s. But it couldn’t be. No. It couldn’t be. He was in Azkaban, locked up forever, rotting away from the inside as he succumbed to the screams of his cellmates.
Jo jumped up as her favorite professor entered the room. She wasn’t expecting him to be here... her heart skipped a beat as she realized he might be there to put a stop to their investigation. With a touch of indignation, she recalled him shaking his finger in her face back in the Headmasters office. As if she, a Gryffindor, wasn’t the perfect candidate for such a dangerous adventure! Dropping the chalk, she rushed to her desk, preparing to do whatever was necessary to keep the letters from her teacher’s grasp should he find it fit to take them away “for safekeeping.”
Still, the girl held her tongue as he addressed Evelynn, biting back the worries that disappeared as soon as the man confirmed his intent to help them solve the mystery.
It wasn’t until Professor Price began to speak that she understood how sorely she had misjudged him. He was just as determined to catch the killer as them... if not more. Dashing back to the blackboard, she furiously began to scribble as he continued to talk - every word more eye-opening than the last.
When he finally finished, the blackboard was chock-full of new evidence- all of which needed much more examination.
“I don’t know how to thank you, Professor Price.” The girl said quietly, gazing at the board. At the end of the day, perhaps letting him know about the mystery wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Jo quickly straightened herself up, however. They certainly didn’t have time to be lazing about, not with all of these new clues!
“Right! So, let’s find out what we need to do now. Firstly, we need more information on hags - the most efficient spells against them, their weaknesses, etc. I don’t want a single one of us to end up having to fight one without proper research done beforehand! I’ve looked up a lot of stuff about the Draught of Living Death in the library - apparently it’s really difficult to brew, and it’s unlikely any of us will be able to, except of course Professor Price. However, the effects of this potion can be countered by the use of the Wiggenweld Potion, which is a lot easier to make. I’m not sure if anyone knows how to make it yet, but we might want to have some ready just in case. Also, the Draught of Living Death is associated with hags... I found an old book in the library about Leticia Somnolens - a famous hag who used the Draught of Living Death to make a princess fall into a deep sleep. It sounds like a fairy tale, so not quite sure if it’s based in fact. Even if it is fictional, though, it still tells us that the two are related in one way or other. We also need people to search for a Finnley - school records, recent newspapers, maybe even fictional characters now since everything in these letters seems to be either an allusion or a code. Oh, and the other names as well. Anything would help! As for the people from other houses, we need you guys to check the tapestries in your common rooms to see if they change under the Verdimillious charm. Um... let’s see, before I go on, is there anyone else who has any evidence they’d like to present?”
Last edited by Jo Morgan on 24 Jan 2020, 19:36, edited 1 time in total.
"Out here, the wild ones are taming the fear within me.
Scared to call them my friends and be broken again; Is this hope just a mystical dream?"
24 Jan 2020, 15:15
Liberation
Interacting directly with @Elliot Price, @Pericles Dralt, @Jo Morgan
Evelynn hadn't realized that Professor Price had been taken specifically to the office by Jo and Rafa, but she was glad he had; that would give him better first-hand insight to the situation there rather than having to rely on the possibly imperfect retelling and descriptions by students. Admittedly, however, she did feel a slight pang of jealousy. She had brought the club together for collaboration, sure, but she had really only compiled and regurgitated the findings of others. She hadn't really discovered anything herself. She couldn't help but wish that it had been her to have found the office and brought Professor Price there.
But alas. He was here now.
From the moment he opened his mouth to speak, Evelynn knew she was in for a wild, mind-blowing ride. With rapt attention, she listened, making note of the details of the events that could potentially be important later. A pair of half-giants, at the ball. One -- one of the two? Or a third? -- had lured Professors Price, Zahid, and Browne away into the Forbidden Forest. Note to self: the warnings about the Forbidden Forest should be heeded. The half-giant was a hag.
"I knew it!" Evelynn hissed under her breath, followed immediately by the clapping of her hand over her mouth to stop herself from further unintentional commentary.
But it was as though her worst fear were confirmed. Night hags were capable of similar feats. They could change their shape, cause targets to fall asleep, even haunt dreams or blip out of the material plane altogether…She dearly hoped the hags that Professor Price spoke of weren't as powerful as the ones she was thinking of. Otherwise…well…she didn't even want to think about it. Hags were known to eat children. Not even three professors were able to defeat the hag. They were forced to run away.
All the colour drained from Evelynn's face.
By the time that Professor Price had finished explaining his thoughts and the correlations and connection he had found, however, she had perked up. These were exactly the things she had wanted to bring up. That a professor had likewise thought of them and thought them important to the case led the redhead to give herself a mental pat on the back.
Before she could say anything, Jo stepped in with her own reply. Evelynn fervently nodded her agreement, "Yes, thank you, Professor."
"I'm sure Professor Price could brew up Wiggenweld Potion, if he hasn't already," she commented when Jo had finished, casting a brief glance in the Professor's direction as though for confirmation. "But there are a couple more things I wanted to bring up. Professor, you already mentioned just about everything from the papers--" She pulled three papers from her own bag, herself. "--that I had wanted to, but there were a couple other things."
She opened the December 2019 article and turned to the Magical Blooter section. "Even before the trace detected a possible dark wizard in Hogsmeade, there was already activity there. On November 29th, it says there was a disagreement at the Leaky Cauldron. But then it says it's unknown how the squibs entered Hogsmeade. Isn't the Leaky Cauldron in London, though? The entrance to Diagon Alley? It's a bit strange, no? There's the same report on December 19th as well, word for word. Either someone doesn't know their facts, or there's a message of some sort being sent here."
"And then…" She opened to the Magical Blotter of the January edition. "I suppose it's not really helpful, but it mentions that a suspect has been taken in for questioning about the Yaxly potion theft. I'm not sure if you--" She was looking at Professor Price. "--or any of the other professors have connections at the Ministry, but it might be helpful to find out more about that."
"Also…" She flipped backwards to fall onto the article about Castelobruxo. "There's an article in here about Mr. Gideon Guerra, the new headmaster of Castelbruxo. He was originally from Venezuela, but graduated here, from Hogwarts. He's gone back to South America now to serve as Headmaster at that school, but…" She hesitated for a moment. "Maybe it's nothing, but I can't help rereading the last bit of what he said. "I feel that the potioneering, herbology, and magizoology skills of my students are already unparalleled but we have growth in terms of casting." It makes me think how the attacks by squibs have all been using potions, and the thefts of reagents…potioneering and herbology.
"And magizoology, well that's the study of magical creatures. And if there are hags involved, maybe they have a knack for making alliances of sorts. And really, it's the part where they say that they're casting needs improvement. Like squibs…And that he spent his time in scotland, which is where the squibs of the sit-ins are reportedly from…" She paused, becoming rather flushed with her rambling rant. "I just seems like there could be a connection of some sort. Like if I were to want to revive the purebloods, I'd think about trying to make the squibs look dreadful and dangerous to get the rest of the community on board with controlling or wiping them out."
She licked her lips, casting a furtive glance around the class before continuing. Truly, she had been keeping so many thoughts within her head, that it was amazing she had been able to keep silent all this time. She had been waiting for this opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals, and now that she had the chance, especially being able to have an adult there to bounce ideas off of, it all just came tumbling out.
"There are a couple other things from the paper. Maybe nothing mysteries or anything, but things to keep in mind. The is the Innocence Project, a group of witches and wizards working to prove Mr. Potter's innocence. It seems to be headed by a Tracy Clover, but they've asked for owls with relevant information to the case to be sent to David Bellows. Do you think we should contact them? Even the smallest detail, they're asking for. Or witnesses to the murder itself. Speaking of which…I overheard the House Elves mention the names of three witnesses, but according to this…" She pulled out a copy of a rather old article. One dated for the 1st of August, 2018. "It says "…no fewer than four…" So there must be others as well. But the three names we have are a good start. I was wondering if maybe you--" She looked to Pericles, trying to catch his eye. "--might be able to try to track down the Ravenclaw student."
"As for the rest of it…" She looked to Jo again here. "I agree that we should look up as much about hags as we can. But I don't think we should be the ones to be thinking of doing anything about them…or it. If three professors had to flee, we wouldn't stand a chance. Better to leave the fighting to the adults." Evelynn was quite resolute in that thinking. Half-giants were one thing, and even then, many students had been injured. Hags were obviously quite another.
"I think we should be looking for the wand. Mr. Potter's wand. To do that, I think we should have another look at the tapestries.."
This time it was she who moved up to the board. From her bag, she pulled a handful of rolled pieces of parchment. They unfurled to reveal rough sketches of the six tapestries (the tapestries of Touch, Taste, Smell, Hearing, Sight, and Desire), before and after. She posted them to the board and began to jot down notes associated with each.
"These tapestries obviously tell a story of some sort. But what, exactly, that's what I'm having a bit of trouble with. I'm not sure if they're supposed to be in any particular order, but I think I have an idea of what the symbols mean. There are eight main symbols as far as I can tell. The Lady in Pink seems to refer to Mrs. Dolores Umbridge, I would think. The Stag is probably Mr. Potter. The Armored Badger is no doubt Professor Lear. I'm not sure who the Armored Lion is, though. I was thinking maybe it was the Head of House Gryffindor at the time of the events, but I don't know who that is. I'm also not sure about the common man, but now I'm thinking maybe that's Finnley. And then there's the cage, which is maybe the idea of being controlled by the mask? And the parcel…I don't know. I thought maybe a glove, but maybe there's something else about all this that we don't know about and that's what ties Mrs. Umbridge into it all. And the wand I think might be Mr. Potter's wand."
She turned to the class, searching their expressions for any dawning ideas, and then to Professor Price. "What do you make of all of this? I can't help but feel that there's something in here that could lead us to finding the wand."
28 Jan 2020, 15:58
Liberation
What was their next step? That was what they had to consider. How can they use what they already know.?How can they use what they have recently learned? Yes, this was a place to collaborate and discuss what they know, a place they can continue to do so until the real culprit is captured or they are completely certain that potter is guilty of murder. But where are they to go from here? Who or what should they investigate?
Yes, they got Professor Price's attention. This Professor knew that there was something else going on -- that there were too many strange happenstances happening all at once at Hogwarts for it to be natural. Some of what he was going on was intuition but not everything, Professor Price was an incredibly experienced wizard. Price's age and worn face has protected him from Professor Bercegeay's lust (possibly) and perhaps has given him the wisdom to survive a hag attack. His knowledge of potions placed him above other qualified candidates as he took the highly sought after position. His experience here might be a valuable asset to these children. He might be a facilitator. He might be an ally.
What is your next move?
Yes, they got Professor Price's attention. This Professor knew that there was something else going on -- that there were too many strange happenstances happening all at once at Hogwarts for it to be natural. Some of what he was going on was intuition but not everything, Professor Price was an incredibly experienced wizard. Price's age and worn face has protected him from Professor Bercegeay's lust (possibly) and perhaps has given him the wisdom to survive a hag attack. His knowledge of potions placed him above other qualified candidates as he took the highly sought after position. His experience here might be a valuable asset to these children. He might be a facilitator. He might be an ally.
What is your next move?
There is something about ambition, how it not only propels you but also defines you.
29 Jan 2020, 04:07
Liberation
Elliot’s brown eyes scanned the room over his round spectacles as he finished sharing the information he had with the students. “I appreciate your thankfulness, but in fact it is I that should be thanking you. You have all done great work here today. Without our collaboration, we wouldn’t get very far.”
It would be Miss Morgan that spoke up first. Elliot listened carefully as she laid out her plans. “Right you are Jo. Knowing your enemy is key, but I must warn you that Hags are extremely dangerous. None of us are strong enough to take on one by ourselves. Perhaps you might compile your research to share with the club at our next meeting? The chance of us encountering a Hag within the school is quite low, but the more people that know how to combat them the better. I do keep some Wiggenweld potion in my storeroom and I also have supplied some to the Hospital Wing as well. Possibly we could check to make sure it is still readily available?”
It would be Miss Decipio that would speak next. “Yes, it is odd that the writer seems to not know the location of the Leaky Cauldron. You’re correct that it is famously the entrance to Diagon Alley in London. At this moment though, I can’t seem to make sense of it. I personally do not have any connections at the Ministry, but perhaps we may find someone that does. Maybe one of the other professors? Yes, the article about Mr. Guerra did catch my attention, but I didn’t quite see what you were talking about until now, keen eye Miss Decipio. I am positive that this is all connected in some sort of conspiracy. No detail can be overlooked. As far as the Innocence Project goes, I cannot see any harm in sending them an owl. You never know, they might even be willing to share with us.”
Elliot listened closely as she described the tapestries, the one source of evidence he had yet to see. “Finding Mr. Potter’s wand would turn this case upside down. If there is any chance that it may still be here at Hogwarts, we must do everything we can to track it down. However, we won’t get very far without more information. I agree with Miss Morgan that it is best to now assign some tasks. Once we have more evidence we can reconvene.” Elliot took a moment to look over the chalk board once more. “Let’s see. More research on Hags would do us well. We’ll need someone on that. I will continue to look into the situation at Hogsmeade and any potential link to the current situation. I can also check the records here to see if anyone with the name of Finnley is associated with the school. I will check my storeroom to make sure I have plenty of Wiggenweld on hand. Could I ask one of you to check the Hospital Wing? Miss Decipio, if you would like to write an owl to the Innocence Project, please feel free. However, the most important task as of now is to track down these student witnesses. I believe that it would be best for you all to do this. They will most likely avoid me. Mr. Dralt? You might be our best candidate to track down this Vladimir. What do you think? The other two witnesses are in Slytherin, a Marion Davenport and Victor Moore. I can attempt to speak to Professor Jensen, but the rest of you need to use your connections to find and question them. Miss Morgan, could you write this down for us?”
It would be Miss Morgan that spoke up first. Elliot listened carefully as she laid out her plans. “Right you are Jo. Knowing your enemy is key, but I must warn you that Hags are extremely dangerous. None of us are strong enough to take on one by ourselves. Perhaps you might compile your research to share with the club at our next meeting? The chance of us encountering a Hag within the school is quite low, but the more people that know how to combat them the better. I do keep some Wiggenweld potion in my storeroom and I also have supplied some to the Hospital Wing as well. Possibly we could check to make sure it is still readily available?”
It would be Miss Decipio that would speak next. “Yes, it is odd that the writer seems to not know the location of the Leaky Cauldron. You’re correct that it is famously the entrance to Diagon Alley in London. At this moment though, I can’t seem to make sense of it. I personally do not have any connections at the Ministry, but perhaps we may find someone that does. Maybe one of the other professors? Yes, the article about Mr. Guerra did catch my attention, but I didn’t quite see what you were talking about until now, keen eye Miss Decipio. I am positive that this is all connected in some sort of conspiracy. No detail can be overlooked. As far as the Innocence Project goes, I cannot see any harm in sending them an owl. You never know, they might even be willing to share with us.”
Elliot listened closely as she described the tapestries, the one source of evidence he had yet to see. “Finding Mr. Potter’s wand would turn this case upside down. If there is any chance that it may still be here at Hogwarts, we must do everything we can to track it down. However, we won’t get very far without more information. I agree with Miss Morgan that it is best to now assign some tasks. Once we have more evidence we can reconvene.” Elliot took a moment to look over the chalk board once more. “Let’s see. More research on Hags would do us well. We’ll need someone on that. I will continue to look into the situation at Hogsmeade and any potential link to the current situation. I can also check the records here to see if anyone with the name of Finnley is associated with the school. I will check my storeroom to make sure I have plenty of Wiggenweld on hand. Could I ask one of you to check the Hospital Wing? Miss Decipio, if you would like to write an owl to the Innocence Project, please feel free. However, the most important task as of now is to track down these student witnesses. I believe that it would be best for you all to do this. They will most likely avoid me. Mr. Dralt? You might be our best candidate to track down this Vladimir. What do you think? The other two witnesses are in Slytherin, a Marion Davenport and Victor Moore. I can attempt to speak to Professor Jensen, but the rest of you need to use your connections to find and question them. Miss Morgan, could you write this down for us?”
OOC: Last call for any further posts. If you have anything that you would like to add, please do! Also, please consider volunteering for any of the tasks at hand or suggesting any other that you might think of.
29 Jan 2020, 18:56
Liberation
@Elliot Price, @Evelynn Decipio, @Pericles Dralt, @Rafael D'Spacito, @Jo Morgan, & Anyone Else who would be bothered
BANG!
Piérre was suddenly wide awake as he hit his head on the desk in front of him, hard. He must have dozed off with all the happenings going on around him. He didn’t know how that could be, especially since being around people was both his poison and medicine, and bringing joy and excitement to the room was his primary objective next to causing mischief. Maybe it was because he through that this little exchange of information was a little bit monotonous, almost like being lectured in one of the everyday classes he stumbled through on a daily basis. Well, either way you looked at it, there had been a rather loud sound of Piérre’s skull on the table, followed by a quick ”Ouch!” and then the first year Gryffindor was rubbing his head, nursing a bump that was already beginning to form.
”Chamomile!” He said, snapping his fingers. ”Use chamomile in the tea!” Piérre had been hearing a lot of potion components and small items which could be considered trinkets, even the small, disturbing sights of the pygmy puff skulls. He loved seeing the Greg on Rafael’s shoulder, though, and he wanted to actually pet it for himself if he ever got the chance. But the dream he had woken up from... that had just been weird.
He was trying to make team but there were ingredients that weren’t supposed to belong there; namely things about the Wiggenwield potions and something about the Essence of Living Death... Piérre had just been looking for some chamomile...
He suddenly realized he wasn’t alone in the room and his thoughts suddenly cleared. ”Oh, Um... Well, I mean, Chamomile isn’t the only option, of course... I mean, if you like Earl Grey, that’s fine too, I actually like that one better, but chamomile was all I had on hand...” He began to trail off, rambling to himself in a dazed fashion as he put his head in his hands again. This time, though, he kept his eyes wide open, so that he wouldn’t fall asleep again. He was just aware enough to make out the information on the board. An evil hag... Solomon Lear having an affair with the victim beforehand... Take to Nora? Who was Nora?
Something about helping out...
”I dunno if I can help at all, I mean, I was just sleeping the whole time... but I seem to have a way around the school and being in the right place at the right time... Maybe I could just be a pair of eyes and ears?” Piérre’s words were a little bit more than slurred. He had just woken up after all and almost given himself a concussion. The last bit was mumbled nearly under his breath as he closed his eyes and forced himself to sit straight to keep the blood in his head. ”I’ll be a little mouse... Sneaking ‘round a great big house.... but the house is a castle... and I’m a little...” Piérre opened his eyes, trying to think of a rhyme for the end of his small stanza. “Hassle? Bastille? Wrastle?”
He kept whispering to himself as he thought aloud. Hags and Giants and Affairs and Murders, oh my! Good lord... what could he, a tiny kid with hardly the ability to stand his own in a arm wrestle or a duel to do put a dent in the mystery that seemed to hang over everyone. He was certainly the least intelligent one here... or at least, he through himself to be, and between ADHD-like energy and lack of concentration, combined with the fact that he genuinely had no idea what had happened this entire meeting, Piérre felt both guilty and a little disheartened that it appeared as if he would be little to no help in this investigation that genuinely meant quite a bit to the Italian boy.
Lifting his eyes to the board again, and having glimpsed at the letter than the Ravenclaw boy next to him had, Piérre’s brow furrowed in concentration. He rambled off, and then went quiet. After a second, he tipped his head in curiosity. ”Most of the signs here are Greek.” Piérre said it matter of factly. ”Beta, Lambda, Mu, Delta, Eta, Epsilon...” He indicated to each character as he recognized them. Being fond of Greek mythology, these characters had stuck in his head... for some ungodly reason. Most things didn’t stay there for long... ”Some of them, aren’t, though, and the Greek lettering is connected to magic, math, geometry, and language. They even have their own consonant sounds and meanings, like, Beta means second, and Delta means change! Could there be something relating to Greek letters or something, because some of them aren’t Greek! And the number as the date!” Piérre was genuinely excited now. He was talking a million miles a second and he was on fire. He was completely wrong or probably on a goose chase, but it was something to keep him awake and active in the participation, so he was going to give it his all anyways! ”Four shows up three times... I dunno if it means anything... wait! What if we multiplied the numbers that were separated with the dot?”
Unlikely, but possible. If it was a number code, maybe the product had some significance. After all, there was no reason to have a date set for the future... unless...
”Four years... Could there be a big cosmic event or something that will happen in four years on this date?” It was posed as a rhetorical question. Piérre wasn’t a walking calendar, but if something big was going to happen on that day, maybe someone who had picked it up form somewhere... or if they and even participated in an event similar to it before... could know something about it.
Red in the face, Piérre crossed his arms in front of him, buried his head in the desk. He had spoken too much and was such an idiot. Class clown couldn’t get him out of this... all he had done was make a fool of himself, and the worst part was that he hadn’t even meant to.
Jesters do oft prove prophets. 𓀚
I am the brother account to Romeo Marchonné & Zyva Hel Fae Skógrwight
30 Jan 2020, 01:46
Liberation
BLACKBOARD
Last edited by Jo Morgan on 31 Jan 2020, 13:01, edited 1 time in total.
"Out here, the wild ones are taming the fear within me.
Scared to call them my friends and be broken again; Is this hope just a mystical dream?"
31 Jan 2020, 12:27
Liberation
MENTIONS: @Elliot Price
Lamik had decided to listen silently throughout the entire meeting. He saw no reason to say anything, especially if it didnt add any information of importance to what already seemed like a rather hopeless case. Still, he enjoyed listening to his housmates (and those few that came from other houses) discuss their own theories and ideas. Taking apart the information they had and gluing it all back together in different ways definitely was fun after all, despite the low chances of it actualy turning out to be something. Even as Proffesor Price entered the room and gave the group new information that was previously unheard, Lamik couldnt help but stay out of the disscusion.
When the Professor mentioned what he thought the students should do, however, one task cought Lamiks eye: the research. If the hags had really attacked the proffesors, and if the half giants that crashed the ball really were involved with them, then those who wanted to hurt the students at the schopl were confident enough in their abilities that they could afford to be so obvious. That meant that they were dangerous, and the only way Lamik could thing to prepare himself for what was to come was to learn more. "I'll find what I can on the hags." He said, the first words coming out of the boys mouth since he had entered the room.
Lamik had decided to listen silently throughout the entire meeting. He saw no reason to say anything, especially if it didnt add any information of importance to what already seemed like a rather hopeless case. Still, he enjoyed listening to his housmates (and those few that came from other houses) discuss their own theories and ideas. Taking apart the information they had and gluing it all back together in different ways definitely was fun after all, despite the low chances of it actualy turning out to be something. Even as Proffesor Price entered the room and gave the group new information that was previously unheard, Lamik couldnt help but stay out of the disscusion.
When the Professor mentioned what he thought the students should do, however, one task cought Lamiks eye: the research. If the hags had really attacked the proffesors, and if the half giants that crashed the ball really were involved with them, then those who wanted to hurt the students at the schopl were confident enough in their abilities that they could afford to be so obvious. That meant that they were dangerous, and the only way Lamik could thing to prepare himself for what was to come was to learn more. "I'll find what I can on the hags." He said, the first words coming out of the boys mouth since he had entered the room.
Wisdom: 18 - Arcane Power: 15 - Accuracy: 13 - Stamina: 9 - Strength: 4 - Evasion: 22
Binding Mark - Blind Vision - Paragon of Health - Spell Spread - Perfectionist
31 Jan 2020, 16:03
Liberation
Direct Interactions: @Jo Morgan @Elliot Price
[font=Segoe Print]Rafael stayed quiet as the conversation progressed, silently taking mental notes of all of the new pieces of evidence at hand. Really, he’d never actually given thought to a secret message embedded in the letter. Greek? Math symbols? It was just a love letter, for God’s sake! Why is everything so complicated? he had to wonder silently to himself. What does Lear have to hide? Really, he didn’t appreciate all the crypticness coming from the old man in these letters. It seemed rather silly, leaving clues that mere children could sort through. Why couldn’t a killer? Granted, the young Gryffindor hadn’t picked any of the clues up – perhaps the killer was dull, like him.
The killer had a name, apparently – Finnley. Which was strange, because Rafael couldn’t remember anyone named Finnley wandering the school’s halls. And it wasn’t as if there were another Auror with Potter and VanCleaf, at least as far as they knew. So, who was Finnley? That was the real question at hand, at least in Rafael’s mind. There was always the possibility that the man was a death eater, trying to avenge the death of his dark lord decades late. Or, a ‘dirty cop’ of sorts, with some vendetta against Potter. How hard would it be to tamper with evidence as a wizard? There weren’t any security cameras, or fingerprint-scanners. As far as he could tell, the only thing that the wizards had working for them was Veritaserum and a few disarming spells. So, what would keep a dirty auror from messing with evidence, framing the man for a crime he committed?
On top of all that, they didn’t even know if the evidence at hand was plausible – by all means, the letters could be the killer himself, mimicking Lear’s handwriting and leading the small group on a wild goose chase. Rafael couldn’t help but be suspicious, now – with every second that passed, the boy became more and more skeptical of the letter’s intentions. How hard would it be to lead them astray, just with one plausible signature? He wouldn’t speak for the rest of the group, but he would opt to stick for different evidence – the witnesses.
“Me and Jo will take one of the witnesses,” he heard himself say out loud, stepping forward slightly out of instinct. His hands carefully guarded Greg, keeping the pygmy puff secure and safe from falling, as his eyes turned to meet Jo. He knew he didn’t have to ask for her permission on this one – as far as he could tell, both of their curiosities were peaked on the matter. Though, he didn’t want to take an investigation from someone. “If it’s not impeding anyone, that is,” he added. “Perhaps we can try to find that Vladimir guy. I mean, how many Vladimirs even go to Hogwarts?” Rubbing his neck, the boy stretched slightly to shake out some of the stiffness in his legs, before continuing. “Perhaps we can get a little more information on what actually happened that night. Would probably help investigations, I’d think.”
Another thought quickly came to mind. “Since Jo’s already owled Nora, I suppose we’ll be covering that, too,” he added wryly. “If anyone has any questions or suggestions regarding interrogations on either of these… projects… I recommend you speak up now.” The boy chewed his lip, looking over at Professor Price before finishing. “We’ll report the information back as soon as possible. After all, the longer we wait, the longer Potter rots in prison.” He shivered at the mere thought of the dementors – the creatures were positively fearsome, in every way, shape, and form. If Rafael could help it, Potter wouldn’t have to stay in that hellhole one second longer than he need be. [/font]
[font=Segoe Print]Rafael stayed quiet as the conversation progressed, silently taking mental notes of all of the new pieces of evidence at hand. Really, he’d never actually given thought to a secret message embedded in the letter. Greek? Math symbols? It was just a love letter, for God’s sake! Why is everything so complicated? he had to wonder silently to himself. What does Lear have to hide? Really, he didn’t appreciate all the crypticness coming from the old man in these letters. It seemed rather silly, leaving clues that mere children could sort through. Why couldn’t a killer? Granted, the young Gryffindor hadn’t picked any of the clues up – perhaps the killer was dull, like him.
The killer had a name, apparently – Finnley. Which was strange, because Rafael couldn’t remember anyone named Finnley wandering the school’s halls. And it wasn’t as if there were another Auror with Potter and VanCleaf, at least as far as they knew. So, who was Finnley? That was the real question at hand, at least in Rafael’s mind. There was always the possibility that the man was a death eater, trying to avenge the death of his dark lord decades late. Or, a ‘dirty cop’ of sorts, with some vendetta against Potter. How hard would it be to tamper with evidence as a wizard? There weren’t any security cameras, or fingerprint-scanners. As far as he could tell, the only thing that the wizards had working for them was Veritaserum and a few disarming spells. So, what would keep a dirty auror from messing with evidence, framing the man for a crime he committed?
On top of all that, they didn’t even know if the evidence at hand was plausible – by all means, the letters could be the killer himself, mimicking Lear’s handwriting and leading the small group on a wild goose chase. Rafael couldn’t help but be suspicious, now – with every second that passed, the boy became more and more skeptical of the letter’s intentions. How hard would it be to lead them astray, just with one plausible signature? He wouldn’t speak for the rest of the group, but he would opt to stick for different evidence – the witnesses.
“Me and Jo will take one of the witnesses,” he heard himself say out loud, stepping forward slightly out of instinct. His hands carefully guarded Greg, keeping the pygmy puff secure and safe from falling, as his eyes turned to meet Jo. He knew he didn’t have to ask for her permission on this one – as far as he could tell, both of their curiosities were peaked on the matter. Though, he didn’t want to take an investigation from someone. “If it’s not impeding anyone, that is,” he added. “Perhaps we can try to find that Vladimir guy. I mean, how many Vladimirs even go to Hogwarts?” Rubbing his neck, the boy stretched slightly to shake out some of the stiffness in his legs, before continuing. “Perhaps we can get a little more information on what actually happened that night. Would probably help investigations, I’d think.”
Another thought quickly came to mind. “Since Jo’s already owled Nora, I suppose we’ll be covering that, too,” he added wryly. “If anyone has any questions or suggestions regarding interrogations on either of these… projects… I recommend you speak up now.” The boy chewed his lip, looking over at Professor Price before finishing. “We’ll report the information back as soon as possible. After all, the longer we wait, the longer Potter rots in prison.” He shivered at the mere thought of the dementors – the creatures were positively fearsome, in every way, shape, and form. If Rafael could help it, Potter wouldn’t have to stay in that hellhole one second longer than he need be. [/font]
Last edited by Rafael Waincroft on 2 Feb 2020, 14:24, edited 1 time in total.
I probably haven't collected my allowance yet.