Smuggling Pranksters! Finished

Banner by Julia Evans

Reducio

Interacting with:	@Flame Afterglow
Mention:	@Lesmana Asmaralaya
Dialogue:	#770B08
Date:	03.03.26
—	After dinner
Words:	325

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Max hurried his way down the steps leading down into the dungeons. It never failed to give him the chills, the drop in temperature came creeping in. But he had no time for it today. He was already late. The mischief taking place was supposed to happen the moment dinner was over, as it decreased the chance of being seen.

Then he remembered he had forgotten something. A full sprint to the Gryffindor tower and back down to ground level left him more than just a little winded. Heaving for a proper breath he slowed his pace as he closed in on the classroom. Running a hand through his hair he thought overthe plan once more. Flame had agreed that Nibbles deserved a vacation from the gloomy classroom, and what better place than the greenhouse? They would return it of course, sooner or later. But only when it was twice as big.

More than a little naive to believe that it would go off without a hitch. Nevertheless, that is what he believed. Hopefully it would trigger a number of things to happen. Mainly a lot of laughter, and hopefully some sort of search and rescue to distract from the normal flow of potions. Professor Lesmana would probably find the whole thing hilarious, Max was fully convinced.

He turned the last corner and only thanks to him stumbling over his own feet that he avoided walking right into Flame. «Oh, sorry!» The response was automatic as he gestured wildly to regain balance. Getting his feet under himself once more he gave an apologetic grin. «I know I’m late, I just completely forgot to bring gloves! Nibbles doesn’t know the difference between fingers and something edible, so we should use them just to be safe»

He shrugged a bit before getting a glimmer in his eye and gesturing to the door. «I don’t hear music, so I think we succeeded in getting here first. You ready?»

Banner by Julia Evans

Interacting with:———@Flame Afterglow
Dialogue:———————#770B08
Date:—————————03.03.26
Date:—————————After dinner
Words:————————288

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He all but scoffed. She was asking if he knew the plan! Had he not come up with the idea? Had they not ironed out the details together? Of course he knew the plan. Get in, take Nibbles, and get out. All as fast as humanly possible. «Of course I know it!» His tone was straight up arrogant for how little they had actually thought this over.

He was all ready to barge through the door when Flame made him pause. Scratching the back of his head he thought it over. It did actually make a comical amount of sense. So he snickered. It was a good thing after all then, that he went back for gloves.

Ready to barge once again, he this time walked straight into the fellow Gryffindor as she yet again paused. Rolling his eyes slightly he stepped back a pace before listening in. The statement made him scoff. «Oh please, we won’t get caught! We leave nothing to chance!» Mistake number one was perhaps not having a third member of the party remain in the corridor. But with no thought to this, Max barged ahead. «I might be caught more often, but I bet if anyone messes up it’ll be you!» He said with a sly grin as he stepped into the room after her.

Nibbles was in its usual place, and appeared to be cleaning itself. That hopefully meant she had already eaten, and would not have the stomach for fingers today. Meticulously he pulled his gloves on as he stepped passed Flame and closer to the plant. «I should probably be the one carrying it, right? Then you can walk ahead as look out» He looked back at her for confirmation.

Banner by Julia Evans

Interacting with:———@Flame Afterglow
Dialogue:———————#770B08
Date:—————————03.03.26
Date:—————————After dinner
Words:————————269

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He nodded thoughtfully. It really did seem like the best plan, for him to carry Nibbles. He checked once more that his gloves were properly on before taking a good hold on the pot. «Come on Nibbles, let’s get you some sun!» His voice softened as he adressed the plant, hoping not to disturb it too much. It would be a transition big enough to be moved to the greenhouse. It certainly did not need a jumpscare on top of it!

He lifted the pot carefully and slowly, his entire attention on the plants reaction. Perhaps the movement was indeed so slow that Nibbles did not notice? Anyhow, he looked triumphantly at Flame with a big grin. «No help needed for me. It was just Nibbles we were getting, right?» He asked just to be sure as he took his first slow steps toward the door.

As his comrade in mischief peeked out into the hallway he adjusted his grip on the pot. As long as he held his hands there, Nibbles would most likely be unable to reach his fingers at least. Just the thought of his fingers being snacks made him hear echoes of carrots snapping. He shook it off just in time for Flame to return to his side. He nodded. «Alright. Off to the greenhouse!» The last part was said with a bit of a chuckle. It really was funny what they were doing. He crossed the room in as much of a speed as he dared before halting just before the door. Angling his head he implied that Flame should cross the threshold first.

Something didn't feel right. That was what the Professor thought when he was working at his desk. He couldn't shake the feeling. He looked around his office but found nothing peculiar in that room. Professor Lesmana decided to put back his quill in his garuda-shaped inkwell and stood up. His feet led him to the classroom.

And his hunch was right. Something indeed wasn't right.

In front of him, there were two students he was already familiar with. One boy and one girl, both were from the House of the Brave Lions. They weren't alone. Nibbles was also in the boy's hands, the place where it shouldn't be. Quick reflex to grab his Unicorn-Hair wand, the Professor cast, "Colloportus."

Slam and click. The classroom door was shut and locked.

"What are you going to do with Nibbles?" The Professor asked. There was no anger in his voice. Only curiosity. He wondered what made these students attempt to take Nibbles from the classroom.

The shift in location was indeed making the carnivorous plant uneasy. It moved its petiole, trying to bite the boy with its trap.

It succeed.

The trap bit the hand of the boy. But preparation did come into his hands. The gloves protected him. No damage was inflicted on the boy. It also failed to trap the hand, perhaps the taste of the gloves wasn't his favourite or because the boy was strong enough to release himself from the trap.

The Professor walked towards both students. His gaze perched on them, studying the motive behind their action. "Miss Afterglow and Mr Vidler. Mind to tell me what's going on here?"

@Flame Afterglow & @Maximilianus Kenneally Vidler

Banner by Julia Evans

Interacting with:———@Flame Afterglow & @Lesmana Asmaralaya
Dialogue:———————#770B08
Date:—————————03.03.26
Date:—————————After dinner
Words:————————431

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He was about to take another step towards the door when suddenly everything happened too fast to make sense of. The door to the office was opened, and their path to freedom slammed shut and locked. Even with him watching the door swing on its hinges, the slam still made him jump. That in turn made him almost drop the plant he was holding so carefully. No wonder Nibbles was disturbed! The plant managed to bite onto him for a moment. He poked his tongue out in the corner of his mouth as he worked to get his hand free. Thankfully it did not hurt.

He turned slowly to face the professor, with a range of expressions crossing his face. First utter surprise for the professor to show up. Then slight panic. A light red shade crept up his neck and filled his cheeks as he put on a mask he himself thought was the picture of innocence. He looked about the same as a toddler getting caught with their hand in the biscuit tin. «Helloo Professor!» The tone was a comical mix of utter innocence and embarrassment, with the first word stretched out. He didn’t really know what else to say.

At the second question he was quick to pipe up. «Nothing!» His voice cracked and made the sentiment sound even less believable, if that was even possible. Only then did he notice the look of warning from Flame. He clamped his mouth shut. Should he set down Nibbles? Probably. But that would also mean the end of their heist. It was probably over no matter what, but he did not want to admit it just yet.

He nodded along with the explanation of his fellow Gryffindor, right up until she took the blame. A small part of him wanted to just stay silent and let it pass. Sadly, his big mouth and self-sacrificing courageous attitude would not let him. So he piped up, having become sweaty from holding himself back. «I thought it would be funny, okay? Borrow Nibbles for a bit and return her after a week or two in the greenhouse, when she had just about doubled in size.» The words rambled out before he could get a hold of them and stop. He hesitated a bit before putting on the most stressed chuckle anyone would have ever heard. He saw it as necessary. How else was Professor Lesmana supposed to know just how hilarious they had found the idea? Realizing that he probably only contributed in digging their grave deeper, he shrugged an apology to Flame.

Listening to both of the Gryffindors, the Professor sighed and eventually couldn't hold back a chuckle. These students really risked it all to get Nibbles out of the dungeon, a notable trait from the House of Lion. A rather Gryffindor sort of justification. They could lose their fingers despite their preparation. Not to mention that their action was worth a detention. Such actions would normally earn a detention, especially when they involved another staff member’s belongings. Though Lesmana found it would be unnecessary. He refrained from making such a decision since he didn't see any visible harm.

"Miss Afterglow, Mr Vidler..." he said. A pause long enough for him to form his words, but not long enough to make the students wait. "Though I can see the good intention behind your action this evening, you must understand that it is not good to take someone's belongings without getting their permission first." The words were deliberately put. "I'm sure you also wouldn't like it if someone took something from you without your knowledge, would you?"

The Professor gave both students a faint smile, a sign of his acknowledgement of their good intentions behind their bad decision. "And don't worry about Nibbles. I always keep an eye on it. Professor Toussaint @Sarai Toussaint-Fleischer, the former Herbology Professor, left me instructions on its care. Professor Jurema @Iris Jurema is also kind enough to answer the occasional question regarding its growth. Besides..." He stopped, his smile was arched a bit, which could easily be taken as the mischievous smirk of the Potions Master. "You wouldn't want Nibbles to grow much larger than this. Imagine what it might decide to swallow then." Another chuckle slipped from his mouth once again. "There's no need to sneak around for that. The Potions classroom is always open if you wish to play with or feed Nibbles."

His eyes kept studying both students. This time, he made sure that they understood their action. "So..." he raised a brow. "May I get Nibbles back?" He held out his hands expectantly for the pot.

@Flame Afterglow & @Maximilianus Kenneally Vidler