A Serpent's Echo on the Fourth Floor
The fourth-floor hallway was empty and quieter than he thought was normal for the castle. Cassian was leaving the first-year study room to head down to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He had has book in his tote, proud of himself for taking the advantage to get ahead of his lessons for the day. The castle was humming in the distance as he passed by, shifting portraits and hearing footsteps in the distance of students coming down the corridor. Even the castle could be heard moaning and groaning as it settled and stones could sound as if they ached. Cassian liked these quieter moments when he had a clear chance to think.Speaking | Thinking | Parseltongue
Far away from those chatty Griffindorks!
Cassian smiled to himself as he was happy not to be bombarded by the normal flow of the busy castle, and most definitely that god-awful common room that he was beginning to refer to by being cursed with being sorted amongst the lion pride.
There so anno-
Cassian was caught off guard by the sudden shift in the atmosphere. It was as if the air began to rapidly cool and crisp. This was awfully weird to him, even with the drafts and high corridors around the castle. There was a faint whisper that pierced ever so lightly through the silence, but it wasn’t. any ordinary voice. He felt like there was a heavy, almost raspiness to the voice he could vaguely make out. He turned toward where the voice was coming from.
The bathroom?
Cassian could see from where he was standing that the bathroom looked disinhibited by all measures. The door was sitting slightly ajar as it formed a shadow against the threshold. No student was going in there, not any that he could think of, that would willingly go into this room for handling the hygienic business. That restroom screamed everything but hygiene. Cassion narrowed his eyes, placing a foot towards the bathroom, leaning in just enough to confirm what his mind had begun replaying. There it was again, a hissing sound echoing.
There it is again.
It was so soft and subtle that you could easily miss it in a mental tangent of your own. It was English he was hearing, nor was it human.
Parseltongue.
There was a cold, prickly feeling that ran down Cassian’s spine. It started to become clearer to him that it was speech he was deciphering in the voices, not fully. They were actually fragmented syllables gripping the air. A cadence he could recognize from the many times he spent with the garden snake at his Kensington townhouse. Except this voice felt much older and deeper, a lot more sinister, and it was calling to him. Cassian clasped his gripping fist, working to resist the instinctive twist of the tongue against the roof of his mouth. There was a part of him that wanted to answer, and then he could instantly hear the words of his father reverberate through his head.
Not a whisper. Not a slip. Not a sound.
Stepping back towards the open corridor, Cassian could feel his pulse ticking in his throat. While the bathroom door didn’t move, he still felt a sense of being watched from its depths. He felt torn between the thrill coursing through his veins and the wearying weight on his heart from his father’s concerns. Intrigued or not, Cassian wasn’t going to be foolish and just walk into an ominous bathroom that was hissing at him. He continued to back into the safety of the lit torches at the end of the corridor, keeping his eye on the cracked door. He heard another whisper faintly glide towards him, then there was silence. Cassian steadied himself and exhaled slowly, pulling his composure together along with his robes. Seeing that forsaken lion on his chest as he adjusted his robes instantly filled him with disdain; he stood at the end of the corridor, still staring. Cassian hoped no one witnessed his random acts along the corridor, as he felt grateful for not giving in to his urge to speak Parseltongue and exposing his secret.
Last edited by Cassian Morvale on 28 Dec 2025, 19:18, edited 3 times in total.
A Serpent's Echo on the Fourth Floor
XXXThe Abandoned Toilets were a strange place. Most students strayed away from it, probably because of the filth staining every crack between the tiles and every corner of the space. The ones who did come here were likely either desperately trying to cure their boredom or looking to do something illicit. Eonaria had never thought of herself as a troublemaker, but perhaps it was that undeniable Gryffindor urge to not remain complacent in the average life of a Hogwarts student that brought her here. Who would've thought she really behaved like a Gryffindor after all?
XXXOf course, the Abandoned Toilets also held a slightly lesser-known secret. The legend seemed almost commonplace now, that those who spoke the language of serpents could venture into a secret place within the castle through the Abandoned Toilets. Eonaria had already taken a gander at it last year, and, well... it wasn't too impressive. The closer she approached, the chillier the corridor seemed.
XXXUp ahead, she spotted a boy just standing at the other end of the corridor, staring at the Abandoned Toilets. Eonaria stopped walking and stared at him in turn, wondering why he was just standing there like multiple ghosts had floated through him without even greeting him first. "Uh... hello?" she said blankly, getting a little closer to a more normal conversational distance. He's another Gryffindor. "Are you alright? Do you need help in any way?" She offered uncertainly.
XXXEonaria glanced at the Abandoned Toilets, of which the door sat slightly ajar. It still emanated a rather creepy feeling despite there being generally nothing down there. And from the looks of it, it was still as grimy, dim, and unkempt as ever. She tried to read the boy's expression, wondering if he had encountered something strange in there. If he had, she wouldn't be very surprised. Who knew who went on in that lavatory at any time of day? Alas, the boy seemed to have a pretty good poker face. Aww, I completely forgot to work on my people-reading skills over the summer...
.・-: ✧☾♩♪♩♬ . 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。. ♬♩♪♩☽✧ :-・.
| Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. 𝄞 Shop ˙⋆✮⋆˚࿔ | iNPC: Akari Kabukimono |
A Serpent's Echo on the Fourth Floor
Cassian gave a shift in his shoulders as he barely flinched at the voice that managed to cut through the cold stillness behind him. The whispers he had been hearing previously truly had his attention, as he didn’t hear any footsteps behind him. He turned toward the girl standing behind him, keeping his composure to the standard drilled in him by his father.Speaking | Thinking | Parseltongue
Another Gryffindor. Of course it would be.
He felt there was no greater luck for him to be placed amongst more lions today. The universe had a way of bringing out his sarcasm; he turned his focus to formulate his following words.
“Hello, I’m fine,” he spoke with an even voice. His pulse was still running a bit ragged underneath his skin. He wasn’t entirely ok, but he dared not admit to someone he had just met. He looked back towards the abandoned toilets, still feeling the cool air drifting from the doorway. It felt as if the whispers would return at any moment, and he wasn’t sure he would be able to hold back his Paseltongue if he didn’t keep himself in control of the situation.
“No, I don’t need help,” he added swiftly, trying to ensure he didn’t sound defensive. “I was just…passing by.” He adjusted the strap on his shoulder from his satchel. The weight of the book inside helped him to ground himself. The Gryffindor was studying him as if she were trying her best to get a reading of him. Cassian kept his neutral expression as tempered as possible. This was second nature for Cassian at this point, given his many years of practice growing up around his pureblood family.
You will have to do better than that.
“It seems to be colder than usual in this corridor,” he stated as if it explained everything. “I suppose it’s just this drafty old castle.” The understatement nearly made him chuckle, but he held it in. He refused to let his nerves get the best of him. His eyes slipped back toward the abandoned toilets; curiosity wrapped in an abundance of caution. “You shouldn’t go near that door…it’s filthy and…unsettling.”
Unsettling was a safe word for this occasion. He didn’t want this girl to know his secret, and above all, a Gryffindor. He felt that everyone would misunderstand his unique ability.
“Apologies, am I holding you up by blocking this corridor?” Cassian didn’t move far, just enough to angle himself to still get a glance at the doorway leading to the abandoned toilets. He wanted to be fully aware of anything in case those whispers began to creep back out.
"I am Cassian Morvale, by the way." Cassian didn't want to be lost of his manners.
@Eonaria Kabukimono
Last edited by Cassian Morvale on 28 Dec 2025, 19:17, edited 1 time in total.
A Serpent's Echo on the Fourth Floor
XXXThe boy did not seem very happy to see her, his expression a smooth, composed mask. He declined her offer, mask of politeness pristine as he claimed he was just passing by, though Eonaria thought the way he glanced back towards the Abandoned Toilets was a little suspicious. Whoa, he's good at this.
XXXNow that she thought about it, it was somewhat chillier in this corridor. "Perhaps the windows in the lavatory are creating a draft," she suggested evenly, mimicking his demeanor. Eonaria had the feeling that he might not appreciate too much excitement. "I wouldn't be surprised, considering that they are not well maintained." She didn't come to the second floor that often, as there were no classes and generally nothing interesting here, so she had never noticed the change in temperature.
XXX"Yes, I am aware." Eonaria tried not to giggle, glancing towards the door as well. "It's atrocious in there." Was he standing here because the Abandoned Toilets were causing a sense of morbid curiousity? "No, not at all." The corridor was clearly wide enough for her to walk around him if she wanted to.
XXX"To be honest, I was wandering. I can't be blocked if I have no destination." She shrugged slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Cassian. My name is Eonaria Kabukimono. Are you a first year? I think I might have seen you somewhere in the Great Hall." Or not. There were many, many faces in the Great Hall, after all. But even if it wasn't even true, it was a nice thing to throw in when greeting someone.
XXX"So, what are you doing here? I have to say that this isn't the most frequented corridor in Hogwarts." Eonaria inquired. Why would students just wander around the second floor when there were a countless number of more interesting things to do and see? Huh, that applies to me too. A familiar whispering drifted faintly from the partially opened door of the Abandoned Toilets. Maybe someone should close that. Why does Cassian keep looking at it? Was it so awful that it traumatised him?
.・-: ✧☾♩♪♩♬ . 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。. ♬♩♪♩☽✧ :-・.
| Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. 𝄞 Shop ˙⋆✮⋆˚࿔ | iNPC: Akari Kabukimono |
A Serpent's Echo on the Fourth Floor
Cassian adjusted the strap of his satchel on his shoulders as Eonaria finished speaking, the leather letting out a faint creaking in the quiet corridor. His expression remained smooth as he tried to keep the awkwardness on the inside as he chose his words wisely.Speaking | Thinking | Parseltongue
“Well, the first year’s study room is just down the hall,” he explained. “I prefer working there this time of evening, as I am sure you can imagine, the Gryffindor tower is brewing with…well, whatever fuels them… and the quiet area gives refuge, delaying the inevitable return before curfew.”
He gave a brief pause, hoping that his solemnness would settle with the older housemate.
“I am not particularly a fan of the place,” he admitted with an even voice. “So much noise and nosy neighbors paying attention to concerns none of which are their own.” He lifted his chin a fraction. “No offense, of course.”
He meant this genuinely as he didn’t seem to assume she was part of the majority mindset within the Gryffindor Tower. It was the first time he didn’t have the urge to purge his lunch from earlier. Cassian took brief solace in what he felt was the energy of a kindred spirit.
“Upon returning from the study room, I decided to take a longer route back,” he continued. “Exploring the castle makes it feel less…unpredictable.”
Another whisper danced along the chilly air flowing from the cracked door of the Abandoned Toilets; this time, while soft and curling, it was far too clear. Cassian froze in his place as if his last nerve was struck.
Stop it!
He intended to mutter this under his breath, but his quiet thought softly slipped from his lips. What came out was not English. A fluid hiss, unmistakably serpentine, was released before he knew what was happening. Cassian’s lips quickly pressed together as tension rippled through his posture. Clearing his throat, he smoothed his expression back into its usual composed mask.
“…that door should really be closed,” he said, as if nothing unusual had happened. “The draft is persistent.”
He turned his gaze to analyze Eonaria to check for any alertness to hearing what he let slip. He then returned his stare to the cracked door. “I didn’t plan on staying here long,” he added. “ The castle just...draws your attention to the oddest of places.”
@Eonaria Kabukimono
A Serpent's Echo on the Fourth Floor
XXXEonaria nodded slightly at his words, but couldn't help but feel a little tense. Sure, her housemates could be quite mischievous and a little over the top, but she had no doubt that she had taken part in some of that silliness multiple times before. The way that Cassian spoke of the Gryffindor common room strongly reminded her of the way she had thought at the beginning of last year.
XXX"We're not that bad," she commented mildly. She certainly didn't want to be known as nosy! "But no offense taken."
XXXBefore Eonaria could say anything further, maybe something bland like 'oh that makes sense,' Cassian suddenly muttered "stop it!" under his breath. She froze. While she could quite easily interpret the words with little effort, there was still the unmistakable duality of Parseltongue wrapped all throughout that short phrase. "Uh, yep," Eonaria said awkwardly, wondering if she should point it out or not. Her heart had picked up speed in both excitement and uncertainty.
XXXAnother Parselmouth!! She had never met another student that could speak the language of snakes before-- or maybe she had, who knew these days? Cassian seemed a bit stressed by something though, so perhaps she shouldn't? Some people really hated their secrets getting out, and maybe this boy was paranoid or something. After all, she could easily pretend not to have heard that, maybe disguise it as distant footsteps of other students elsewhere--
XXXEonaria tried to cover up her momentary shock by turning around to go and close the lavatory door as he had suggested. She glanced inside, half-wondering if anything had changed. The Abandoned Toilets seemed more restless than usual, though Moaning Myrtle was nowhere in sight. Eonaria had never actually seen her before. The candles on the windowsills were half-melted, their flames casting shadows that constantly flickered across the floor. She grimaced at the smell, taking a step back.
XXXShe didn't know what it was, but the sink where she knew the Chamber of Secrets laid seemed to look slightly more inviting than usual. But that wasn't saying much, considering most of the sinks, including this one, didn't even function. If Eonaria remained still enough, she could feel the faint, inexplicable tug towards it. "Do you feel it too?" she couldn't help but ask Cassian.
XXXOf course, there was always the off chance that Cassian had actually just spoken normal English while the Abandoned Toilets decided to be ominous at the same time, in which case he would probably think she was crazy.
.・-: ✧☾♩♪♩♬ . 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。. ♬♩♪♩☽✧ :-・.
| Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. 𝄞 Shop ˙⋆✮⋆˚࿔ | iNPC: Akari Kabukimono |