Lock-in Hufflepuff Gryffindor Event Closed

INTERACTS WITH: Mostly Eris, sort of the whole group as well.

Oh boy.

When Eris lit up her wand with lumos, a bright grin was painted on her face, which in return, made Rosie smile brighter. "You did do it! Of course you could, Eris. You're probably great at spells like that." She encouraged. She figured motivating her friends with help them succeed. She glanced behind herself to see the crowd forming. Wow, they were really leading an army. Rosie felt like she was second in command! Even if she wasn't really doing anything. At least she was up at the front lines! Hopefully that meant something?

Well, anyway. Rosie glanced up at Eris when she started some sort of pep talk? It sounded more threatening than anything, but nonetheless Rosie got a little motivated when she talked about punching Hufflepuffs, minus her, of course. Which she guessed was fine. But nobody should be punching anyone. "Let's uh... Try to avoid punching anyone for the most part though." She added on when Eris finished, shrugging. "Just a small suggestion."

Eris had started walking through the door and Rosie squeaked, seeing as she got distracted and followed behind her, tumbling a little bit. "S-Sorry, got it." Rosie hiked up her robe a bit and kept following the group.

And Rosie tried not to act like the constant ringing of the chants both groups were screaming wasn't making her want to rip her ears out. She figured this was a little more than a friendly competition at this point.

ACTION: Encourage Eris, and the team... Sort of. Follow Eris through the next passage.

Cynthia  watched quietly as Serena managed to release the handcuffs binding Siege’s wrists.  She couldn’t help chuckling when she heard Serena asking Siege to at least try to stay out of trouble.  Would he listen to her?  Perhaps, perhaps not.  A thought came to Cynthia and she just couldn’t keep it to herself any longer.  Turning to Serena, she said, “He does look good in a pink dress, doesn’t her?“  She then had a fit of the giggles.

When the giggles had subsided, she looked over at Serena, introducing herself to her.  “Hi, Serena.  I’ve seen you around the school.  It’s nice to meet you,” Cynthia said with a smile.  “And it’s no problem.  I didn’t it was right to just leave him there.  I agree you should keep those handcuffs.  Never know when you might need to put them back on him again,” she said as a means of joking.

Cynthia thought about Serena’s offer to join them on the adventure.  “Thank you, I’d love to join you guys,” Cynthia said with a friendly smile.  Following along with her new friends, Cynthia thought about what they might find.  She slipped her own penknife into her pocket for safe keeping and gripped her wand tightly in her hand again.  Together, they all headed east.

✸ Maintains Lumos✸ | ✸Attempts to pull Max and Eris ahead with him✸ | ✸Tries to push the door further ajar while squeezing through✸ | ✸Searches through the nest while remaining slightly alert✸

Duncan hated the idea of being left behind so he lunged after the others quickly. They wouldn't get far without their teammate. If the door would open, he would get through it with them. The boy was hoping for the best and didn't want this other team to get ahead of them. Once inside he only hoped he wouldn't be killed by some monster. Professor Lear was known for his last adventure and he had never really interacted or heard much of the other Professor. He had a few trust issues but was glad the other two went first. At least then, they would be a good distraction for him to run away.

"Wait for me!" He said in his high-pitched, almost going through puberty voice. "Do you see anything?"

He squinted into the darkness and hoped to find something. A present or a monster would be his expectations. He wanted more sweets. Duncan wouldn't cast any spells yet or do anything too crazy. His hands reached for another cookie and he munched down on it, not offering them out quite yet. He scanned the area, hoping to find a hidden trinket from the professors. The nest would be his main focus, but he would also look elsewhere.

ACTION: Scan the room for goodies or monsters

A wheezy sigh escaped Frost’s lungs as she realized she was left alone. 

The room was getting darker by the second and there were no torches left when Frost had attempted to collect some. She was in no shape ready for Lumos. The only person she had spoken to , Aurelia had somehow gone past the Ginger’s eyes and down the southern tunnel.

Alone, no light source and clueless. The combination of all three sent shivers down her  spine.

Frost needed to get herself together. This was no time to panic. She needed to think through this.

If you’re alone, you go with the nearest group. No light source? Go to someone with a light. Th e clueless go to the wiser. Easy solution to all her present problems. Find a dang group.

The small girl clutched the strap of her leather knapsack and swallowed a lump in her throat. She needed to act fast.

She saw a large group of students head to the east tunnel. There were some people she recognized like the Hufflepuff prefect Serena. They had lots of light and definitely strong people. That was a good way.

Or would she join Aurelia again? She couldn’t just leave her. From the pick up quidditch game, Frost could tell that Aurelia was mighty,

Either way, she would have to run into the dark headfirst to get to either of them.

The question was, which way would she be most protected? But then again, Aurelia probably needed her.

Stupid decision making skills that Frost lacked.

The room had begun to get dark and the ginger was running out of time.

Frost whimpered out a small squeak as she bolted for the eastern tunnel, making sure she had brought all of her belongings.

Her chest heaved and stomach churned as she thought of Aurelia fending for herself in the pitch black tunnel. 
 
The short girl would run faster than she ever had before. Not stopping until she ran into the group she searched for.

Action: Run into the East tunnel and try to find Reid and Serena’s group

[font=times new roman]Interact with The Most Iconic Team Ever Huffrindors![/font]

[font=times new roman]Amadea was happy. The team had finally decided on a direction, packed up all of their things and were ready to move. She successfully passed the torch to Anatole without making it seem like she was a wimp even though she kind of was. Making sure she still had everything she was traveling with, she turned to follow John southward. She was feeling a bit better about mentioning the hairpin. After all, John had a good point. If they ever encountered a door, it would come in handy. Though, as Amadea thought about it more, she realized she actually didn't know how to pick a lock...She would just cross that bridge if and when she got to it. Hopefully John or Anatole would know what to do. 

Despite not having the torch, fearless John led the Huffrindors southward, singing as he went. At first, Amadea couldn't hear the words he was saying and figured he was just humming some song, but then realized he was singing about the adventure. He had made them a theme song! She followed behind Anatole, torch in one hand and heels in the other, listening to John sing about the adventures and tales of the Huffrindors. 

She almost laughed at the absurdity of their situation. She was still terrified, but somehow, everyone else's excitement had worn off on her just a little bit and she was feeling slightly less afraid. However, she still thought it would be more fitting if they were singing a different song as they walked through the passageways, maybe one that conveyed how Amadea was actually feeling. The song that came to mind was the one sang about Sir Robin in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, about how terrified Sir Robin was of everything...Amadea shook her head. What was she even thinking? She was thinking about a Muggle movie while traveling through dark corridors, their only source of light being the torch that Anatole was carrying. She needed to stop letting these random thoughts distract her. 

"Do you think we should look for something?" she asked the Huffrindors. "I have no idea what we're supposed to be looking for. Or doing."

[/font]

Action: Follow Huffrindors southward. 

Rosie stared down the stairwell. She had been about to walk with her group, but they were too fast, and she watched at the darkness seemed to swallow her group. It certainly was dark and she hadn't grabbed anything. "Howie!? Ami!? Leslez!?" She waited to hear something back. She was sure at least Howie would call back to her, but there was nothing. She cursed under her breath, not something that she normally did. Were they okay? Were they in trouble? This whole outing felt off to her.

Taking out her wand, she took a deep breath before barreling down the stairs. She moved as quickly as she could, her hands in front of her in attempt to stop her from running into anything. As she walked, she yelled out her groups names. "Howie! Leslez! Ami!" Her hands flailed in front of her. The last thing she needed was to run into someone... or something. She was going to have to try Lumos regardless of how it worked when she had learned it. "Lumos!" She made the accompanying gesture as she walked. She stopped. What was that? She had thought she heard something. "Ami? Howie?" Her voice shook. It sounded like a little girl. Not for the first time tonight, she had a sense of foreboding. Surely, she should have caught up with her friends by now. She tried to focus on what the girl was saying. What made that difficult was the panic that had begun to set in. Why weren't her friends at least answering her? They had to be able to hear her... right?

Responding to Eris Fawley, Dorian Gray, Rosie Parker, Rhea Bishop, Alan Vanes, Dorothy Do

Though their trek down the corridor was relatively slow, Max's heart rate was increasing exponentially as they continued away from the safety of qualified professionals. As much as he didn't like authority, he at least respected the power adults had in terms of magic and ability to deal with situations his limited experience didn't gift him. He'd trust Eris and Dorian with his life - possibly Rhea as well - but trusting someone wasn't the same thing as having faith in them. Hell, he didn't have faith in himself to handle the threat his mind was creating as they went deeper into the unknown, Dorian's light the only thing really giving them a picture of the area.

Forcing himself to focus on the present, Max narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as Dorian shared the words he'd seen over the door. A lost fah vodahmin. He couldn't even begin to interpret the phrase - Dorian was the language master between the two of them and it didn't sound like any language he'd ever heard. The fact that it was a riddle, though... Maybe since getting the words had something to do with light, giving them would also involve light. Lumos in an unlikely place, perhaps, or another similar door. Or he could be completely off the mark; it would all depend on what they came across during this adventure. "Let me think on it," he mused, cautiously tilting his head slightly to see Dorothy and Alan following. He wasn't sure of much, but if he was sure of one thing it was that it would be beneficial to keep this particular secret hidden. Knowledge was power and they'd need to hold the cards they'd been given close or it would be anybody's game.

He opted not to say more about it as a nervous voice piped up and the other Gryffindor boy, Alan, came closer to speak to him. He wasn't entirely sure if the kid was pureblood or not but in the interest of maintaining civility, he'd have to play nice regardless. "I think that even the professors make human mistakes," he said with a small twist of his mouth that was more grimace than smile. "I'm not sure if they went through this place or if it was house elves or prefects, but it's easy to miss things in the dark. And creatures can avoid being seen in a labyrinth of a place like this. I mean, if we didn't have Lumos or the torches, this place would be..."

He trailed off before coming to a dead halt, barely hearing Eris's stirring speech or noticing that they'd caught up with another group. Black. It would be pitch black. How long had the professors been preparing this for? Was it long enough that they'd opened the door so many times that moss was able to grow near the entrance and down the middle of the floor like a path made by a torch? It had been just the center - that made no sense if light filtered in and hit the room in spots. He subconsciously took his wand from his robes, his mouth going dry as his thoughts raced. "Hey," he whispered, fighting the urge to yell it. Strange things had been happening in the school; secrets, and masked figures trying to throw people off the tower, and previous experiences ending in fire. "What if... what if there was already someone or something - "

He was cut off when Dorian suddenly let out an exuberant yell, grabbing his wrist to drag him towards the door he'd only caught a glimpse of. He reflexively pulled his hand away but maintained his pace with his friend nonetheless, the thought of Dorian's complete lack of caution forcing him to keep up. "Bloody - Dor - " But there was no stopping the boy, and Dorian grabbed Eris to drag their entire trio into a place that was a complete unknown. The Hufflepuff and Gryffindor faces they passed all seemed to blur together until Max's focus snapped to what they'd been looking at. The words, something about a secret. He'd already seen what had happened to Siege when a door's rules weren't obeyed and his heart leapt to his throat as he realized what was going to happen. They couldn't break rules, not like this.

"Dorian, Eris, and I went out after hours to hunt immortality we heard about from a book I found written by one of my old dark wizard relatives!" He supposed yelling out the words Dorian had given him might work too, but he wasn't sure how prices worked and if it was a secret the door needed then maybe it would need one involving all three people who wanted to pass. Swallowing back the bitterness at having had to reveal that, Max was hot on Dorian's heels as he lifted his wand.

"Lumos," he managed to get out as he also tried to slip through the crack in the door, because if nothing else then it could possibly help illuminate just what kind of situation they'd gotten themselves in.

ACTION:
-Follow Dorian
-Yell out a secret involving Dorian, Eris, Max
-Attempt to cast Lumos

Not only had she managed not to get a torch, but her little trip had cost her valuable time, and now she was at the back of the group. Granted, she wasn't that far behind everyone else but she was still behind. And that simple fact did not rest easy with Rhea, who was used to being in the front of everything and knowing everything, due to her upbringing. Huffing, she picked up her pace and continued down the passageway, where she soon found that her group was not alone. Much to her dismay, there was already a separate group of friends down there too. When Rhea got there, she managed to hear the last few words of one of their sentences. Raising an eyebrow, the young girl was able to realize that that was not something one would share willingly. Therefore, there had to be a valid reason they were screaming out personal things, no? Maybe there was some sort of obstacle that they needed to cross. And screaming random things was the way to keep going?

Spurred on by her want to make sure she was right, and simply because she was curious, Rhea decided to make her way to the front of the group, where it seemed everyone was clustered. And she was right. There, blocking everyone's pathway, was a door. A bloody door. Rhea glared at it, crossing her arms. What was it with the professors placing doors to block them? 

There had to be a way to get through the door. Last time, Rhea had overthought it and ended making a complete fool of herself when Professor Solomon had simply walked up and opened it. Maybe that was the case this time? In her rush, Rhea skimmed over the phrase that stated that 'The Password is a Secret,' instead making a beeline for the doorknob and trying to twist it open. As she was attempting to twist it open, it was then that she noticed the mystery phrase. Biting her lip, Rhea thought if there were any secrets of hers worth sharing. The phrase that she'd seen before, 'A lost fah vodahmin,' popped into her head. Could that be the secret that she needed to share?

Guessing that there was no risk in going ahead with her plan, Rhea leaned back and illuminated the door with her candle. Nothing jumped out at her, but then again, the redhead was always a rather oblivious girl. She only noticed the big picture, not the small details. A good quality in some situations, bad in others. Lowering the candle, Rhea muttered the phrase, trying as best as she could to make sure no one would hear her. "A lost fah vodahmin."

If someone would hear her, they'd think she knew some sort of mystery language. Everyone, that is, except for Dorian, who would know. But apart from him, the questions that she would get would be a pain to answer. Maybe she would just wave them off and pretend she had no idea what they were talking about, simply because she was too lazy to answer.

Time would tell.

ACTION(S):    
> Run up to door <
> Twist the doorknob <
> Whisper A lost fah vodahmin <

Howard White

Howard was utterly and completely alone.

His wand, empowered by his arcane skill would continue to shine brightly, illuminating the empty space all around him. A wall of fog would ominously loom all around him.

Roll: 16 Success

Yet the light would betray nothing of his mist-shrouded surroundings. The girls were gone, had they played a trick on him and hidden themselves away or were they in the same sort of lonesome peril that Howard found himself within? There was no torch-flame. No sound. No hand to grip tightly here in this isolated little world. People often speak of wanting a lonesome space just for themselves, but in truth humans are social creatures. Pack animals really, we thrive and we survive due to our reliance on each other. Being alone in this awesome space was a hell in and of itself.

Howard would call out for Rosie... Ami... Leslez. His voice would not even echo back at him, the darkness and the mist swallowing even his words. The girls would not call back to him as he was all alone here at the bottom of the stair. He would try to earn a sense of direction but it would be senseless. North meant nothing, not here in any case. He was not wrong, had he tried to run he would never find the stair back in the direction from which he came despite the fact that he had hardly traveled six inches. Had he run forward, he would never have found a wall, a hall or a new room. Just endless space ensconced in mist. It was like something out of a horror movie or the cruel mind of a Professor.

Howard would call out again, not even his own voice remained to help him alleviate his loneliness. The girls would not answer him, they couldn't. They would not even know that he was searching for them. It was as if they no longer existed, at least for Howard.

However there would be someone or something left in the mist. A pretty little girl, younger than Howard by a number of years. She was singing. She was dancing. Her sweet voice knew no fear. She was perfect, of course she was. She looked just like her. Of course her form would be meaningless to Howard, this being what Solomon remembered of his daughter before tragedy struck years ago. She would have been about Howard's age had she lived. Now she was a baleful memory that haunted the Professor's sleep and for at the very least, this short time Howard's adventure.

She sang a children's song, a memory that caused Solomon's heart to ache.

"Silly dancer turn around...
Silly dancer touch the ground...
Silly dancer do the kicks...
Silly dancer do the splits...
Silly dancer lay down...
Silly dancer get out of town."

Words have power, something that Howard well knew. As did actions, passions, thought and when these factors combined he had the potential to change the world. The silly dancers turned around, singing the song in unison. The silly dancers touched the ground, their voices as one. The silly dancers did a kick, their feet shooting up together as they announced their action. Their flexibility questionable upon doing the splits. Then lay on the ground, where one is laid to rest. "Silly dancer get out of town."

Just blink

Howard would find himself still laying down, his arms crossed over his chest.



His wand still lit remained clenched in his hand. Mere inches from his face he would see red velvet? Space was cramped here in this confined area. To either side, the same plush velvet. His head was resting on a pillow, it was no longer gravel to his back either but something soft and forgiving. If only it was not so dark. So cramped. So confined.

Around his neck he would feel a weight, like metal in that it was cool. It would be hard for him to move but he would be able to draw his hands crossed as they were to his neck. He would be able to feel something there. Something large, gaudy and held on a heavy chain. Neither of which he could see.

But again, in this lonesome, tight space he would hear a voice. "Silent as a grave, right?" The voice feminine and casual, as if she was commenting on the weather or the time of day. 

Rosie

Darkness had taken away Rosie's party. Their torches and wands would be inundated in the darkness that was the depths of this tunnel. She was not alone of course, she had Professor Lear and Professor Caverez, handsome and excellent conversationalists. Really, she was getting the winning deal here by staying with these two men. The manliest. 

Or she could ignore them and call out after Howard, Ami and Leslez. Howie!? Ami!? Leslez!? She did the later. She would leave behind the two most awesome men to have ever set foot in Hogwarts, of course Solomon being the greatest but who was keeping track of this sort of thing (me). She would not hear a reply from any of them. Had they gone too far? Played a joke just now on her? Come to think of it, the students moving down all three of the potential paths seemed to become deathly quiet rather swiftly. Yet none were as grave quiet as the path she had chosen with her team.

Perhaps they made a mistake. Perhaps SHE was making a mistake. She would not ponder this notion however as she descended the tar-black stair. She would call out their names again, she would hear no reply. The stairs were easy to descend, her little feet would swiftly take each step down without taking a tumbling fall. Her feet would touch gravel when she reached the bottom, the muttering and the jabber from the common room lost to her at about half-way it was no wonder she had lost contact with that trio. 

So lonesome here in the dark.

"Lumos"

The young girl would draw her wand and perform the incantation she had practiced so many times before.

Roll: 6

Unfortunately her cast failed, but she was close. She would see the tip of her wand almost light. If she looked around, she would see nothing but black. The air was cold down here, she could feel but not see her breath come out in small puffs of white clouds in front of her.

She would see a flash of green, just a spark that lasted for a moment. She would also see a dull, dim light that seemed far away. There would be a shadowy, distorted figure standing on the center. It would look as if they were holding a wand. 

Rosie would hear a voice, or rather a song. It would be a cherub's voice that sang, so sweet and innocent here in the desolate dark. 

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

The light would be lost when the song concluded, the figure within the light was never heard from but now what little the girl could see was gone.

Seconds later the song would resume once again. The same sweet voice and playful melody.

Amadea, John John and Anatole 

The Hufflepuff was all about sharing, she would hand off her torch to Anatole. Anatole would respond by donning a pair of high heels. His logic was flawless, he could not carry fire when four inches taller. That and he had a precious, valued hand towel in his pants. He did not even attempt to explain that one, perhaps it was like stuffing a sock into one's banana hammock to make things appear more... well more... A strange concern for the boy to develop in the initial chapters of this adventure, but to each their own. Apparently hand towels and hairpins go hand-in-hand. Still, Anatole was burdened with fire until he successfully handed it off. Professor Lear would be more than happy to take it off the student's hands if they wanted to run the tunnels blind.

They would not want to do that.

Anatole



Went the young man's heels. At least they made his legs look a bit longer, even if he would be regretting his fashion choice later in the day. Hiking through a tunnel in heels was likely not his best decision but his calves will look darn good after his bleeding feet finally healed.

Still descending the stair would not be simple for a young man in heels. 

Walking Check (Anatole). Roll: 3

Anatole was not able to effectively strut his stuff as he descended down that darkened stair. His heel would remain on the platform of the step but his toes would be over the edge. He would tip forward on that shoe and he would lose his balance. His ankle would suddenly twist to the side (sprained) and he would tumble down the stairs with the noise (even if there was no scream) loud enough to wake the dead but nobody would seem to notice. His face would kiss gravel [Loss of 100 HP] when he reached the floor.

Potentially disoriented, the boy would be alone with a sore ankle in the dark. He would not hear his friends. He would not hear his enemies either. Perhaps that was in a way some sort of relief. Still there would be a sense of dis-ease that came with being down here, in this cold lonesome, dark room. 

Anatole would hear a song. 

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

What was a child doing down here? Why were they singing a song. Wasn't she afraid of the dark? It was logical to fear the unknown. He would see a flash of green sparks erupt, temporarily providing meager illumination in this foreboding space. There would be no evidence as to why or what had happened. Anatole had a torch, it would have fallen with him. If he recovered the torch he would see a little girl in a crimson dress with long brown hair. She would be moving with the words that she sung. Kicking the air and touching the ground. 

Beyond the little girl, nothing but mist and darkness.

The song would be sung again. The same playful, cheery melody that seemed to betray this grim space. There was a dim light not far, it could be seen out of the corner of Anatole's eye and it was not far. Too blurry to make out what, who or why. But the figure was vaguely human, it would seem that they had a wand in their hand. 

The song would play again.

The dim light would go out and be no more.

The song would resume yet again...

Amadea

She would find herself isolated at the bottom of the stair much like the others. A creeping fog all around her. Her torch would conflagrate as she moved. She would not see anything but the mist and the darkness. There would be a faint light, the silhouette of a stranger seen to the right. 

Amadea would see a little girl, barely more than a toddler. A red dress, long unruly brown hair. She was darling to behold. She seemed happy, she did not appear afraid.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

The girl would dance around, mimicking the movements sang. Clumsy but capable, laughter in her voice. She would disappear, a burst of green sparks would erupt out of nowhere. The cadence of the song unchanged.

She would sing again.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

The song would once again end. The little girl would fade away into the moist and this time so would the faint light to the right. 

The song would resume once again.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

John

John the Johniest of Johns in all of Johnathan would gleefully sing the song of his bardic people and embark on an adventure into the depths of the Southern hall. He would descend the staircase, however as he did so his light would be lost to him. Well, Anatole's torchlight that is. The light would grow dimmer and then when his feet crunched on the gravel after the bottom stair it would be as if someone had blew out the massive candle that was Anatole's torch and he would be plunged into an inky night.

The click of Anatole's heels would dissipate.

Any chatter he might have heard on his decent would be lost. Well, he was doing most of the chattering so John might not have noticed at all. But after a few moments of only Johnny-based noise, a song would be heard. A simply song sung in a child's voice.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

Then there was nothing for a few moments. Just silence unless John started singing his own song.

Then it would repeat.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

The voice never seemed to tire, just as chipper as before. Besides that he would see nothing, less a spark of green that betrayed the dark and a dim light, almost like the moon through a gossamer curtain to his right. He would not know it, but he was seeing the dim remnants of Ami's Lumos spell breaking through the darkness. Apparently there was some light that was strong enough to betray the hungering night, but it was a weak and waning light.

As for the others, the loss of John's voice was more noticeable. It was as if they were listening to him underwater as he rambled on.  Then it would simply be gone. 

Yet John was not only to be comforted by his own voice. The song would persist.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

Aurelia

The girl was completely, utterly and totally alone. She could say Frost's name but she would get no answer. Indeed, perhaps Frost decided to stay behind. However, she was not the only one to descend these stairs and yet she would feel the same crushing sense of loneliness Howard felt when he reached the gravel floor.

She did not have to worry about a loss of illumination -- she had a torch.

The mists would surround her, she had nowhere to go even if she did not know it. If she were to try to travel back up the stair, she would find no steps. Had she decided to dash forward, she would find no end. Yet she would not remain alone for long. She probably noticed the voice before the girl. She would sing a playful song, one that she might have even sang as a child. She was saying the words wrong of course, it was not "silly dancer" but rather "Spanish dancer." The rhyme was not quite right either, was it significant or simply this little girl's version?

The truth be told it was the later, when a kid does not remember the words for a song they make up their own. They mishear words. They misunderstand context. This was Sybil's version. At least in the lens of Professor Lear.

Aurelia would demonstrate her superior flexibility, however the girl was not real. She was a mere echo, not even a shade of the once vibrant girl Solomon recalled. The girl would not react, there was no sentience. No life. No spark.

Sybil would complete her song and dance and then she would disappear or rather get out of town.

"Verdimillious"

Roll: 11

The Gryff proclaimed making use of something that she had learned during one of her freshman classes. The Verdimillious Charm causes green sparks to explode and crackle all around the little girl as  she continued to dance. The girl thankfully felt nothing. However, the room would be illuminated for a brief moment. She would not be able to see much through the fog but she would see a pair of oblong mounds on the gravel-like ground. Howard was already gone by the time she cast this spell so she would not see his silhouette. 

The others would also not see Aurelia's form, but those green sparks would temporarily pierce the darkness.

Aurelia would run, into the darkness away from the stair towards the wall. Towards a pair of tunnels at the end of the space. She would never reach there however, in that brief moment where she could see it all as the green sparks tried to consume that little girl she would know that the room was large but she would be easily be able to traverse this space.

Yet she never did.

The little girl would return, undeterred by the Gryff's violence. The song and the dance would resume as it had before.

"Silly dancer turn around...
Silly dancer touch the ground...
Silly dancer do the kicks...
Silly dancer do the splits...
Silly dancer lay down...
Silly dancer get out of town."

The dance would seemingly be eternal. Endless and incapable of being altered. Much like this room. There was no way that this space was so large, so endless. Yet here she was, trapped in this room of mist and darkness, isolated from her friends.

Ami

Ami would try to cast Lumos again. The darkness was suffocating and stifling, dangerous and uncertain. She would not descend into the darkness without the torch of her wand. She knew that she could not remain there in the darkness alone. Ami would flick her wrist and state the magic word.

Roll: 20 Critical Success

Ami would cast Lumos with such intense power that it was blinding. She would be able to see the abandoned stairwell. Her 'torch' light would terminate just before the bottom step. Solomon would let out a low chortle. "Good cast, you might be able to see more than most. Let that be less a burden and more a boon." There was something unsettling about what he said, or perhaps that was her imagination. Lumos was a rather rudimentary spell, sometimes capable of visualizing what cannot be seen by the naked eye, sometimes capable of dispelling the darkness and shadow, many Hufflepuffs saw Lumos as their life-saving spell. However, in the dark depths of a cave it also served as a beacon. You announced your presence from afar by simply carrying that light. Others, in these dark depths might not require illumination but certainly notice hers.

Ami would rush down the stairs, not that she saw any of the others as she did so. Well, anything more than their silhouette. They were down there but by the time she reached the bottom stair Howie was already gone. Even if she tried to reach the others, she never would. As she called out their name, none of them would answer. None of them would even reply to her. Yet due to the intense light that came from her Lumos charm she could see their shadows. Well, what she assumed was their shadow.

Ami would be able to see the other vaguely. Someone trying to run. Someone copying a dance. none of them very far, but all of them remained in a small five or so foot area. One of the shadows would lay down as the little girl had and disappear [Howie]. Those that danced along to the same song she was now hearing would do so in cadence with the little girl's melody.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

They were all seeing the same thing at the same time.

The little girl looked darling in her tiny red dress and unruly tresses. Undisturbed by the darkness and the inherent fear the unknown brings. An envious image really, yet somehow saddening. That sense intangible, it just hung thick in the cold cavern air and wrapped itself around the youth's mind.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

Ami would see a burst of green sparks erupt from the tip of one of the shadow's wands before that image had tried to run away. The song and the child seemed undisturbed as the song continued without wavering. The figure that had cast that spell would appear to try to run, however she was not going anywhere. It was as if someone was performing the runningman dance. Only with more darkness and fear [Aurelia].



 The image would get nowhere. The song would resume again.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

Ami would sing and dance along.

Ami turned around in a circle, and sang. She would say the 'magic' words and perform the actions as required. That was the essence of magic, well the basis at the very least. Replicating a series of actions and saying the right words in the right manner to force a reaction, a change. That is what this would prove, that words and actions have power. To learn to replicate. To learn to emulate. To adapt. To be malleable.

She was the silliest dancer but her words and her movements were like magic. She would not rise again once she laid her head down. She would blink, they all blinked eventually. When she opened her eyes again she would be supine, in a velvet-lined box. her arms crossed over her chest. Her wand still clutched in her hand. It was bright in here at the very least but the fit was tight.

Where was she?

More importantly, where was everyone else?

She would not have long to question this. There was also something large and heavy around her neck. Strange, it would feel like a necklace if she were to feel around.

The silence would be broken, not by a child's voice but by a creepy laugh.

"Question: Why did the skeleton go disco dancing?"

There would be a few moment's pause.

"To see the boogy man!"

And then there would be a cackling laughter that followed.

Leslez 

Leslez needed to hurry along like the rest. He did not want to be left alone with men like Professor Caverez and Professor Lear. Lear was of course the most handsome of the pair, but there was something simply unsettling about that jolly old man. Leslez would follow, like a moth to a flame perhaps and pursue Ami down the stair. 

Leslez would lose Ami before he reached the bottom, somehow the bright light faded during the final few steps. He would still see a dim light, a barely there illumination where Ami once was. Ami was not far, a mere few feet away. While Leslez was in the dark, perhaps this knowledge would place him at ease as the sounds of silence rang in his ears.

Leslez had no source of light here in the darkness, perhaps comforted and perhaps terrified by the dim glow that Ami's wand gave. She would not answer Leslez if he called out. How could she not hear him? She was standing right there!

A song, a sweet melody would start to play. A voice, it would sound like a little girl playing a sing for skipping rope perhaps.

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

Leslez would not see all the things that Ami saw, the little light she had was not even enough for her to see her own hand or the source of the song. However, Leslez would at the very least know that Ami was not too far.

The song would end and then resume. A burst of green sparks could be seen, temporarily igniting the darkness, the song undisturbed as it continued. Leslez would see Ami just barely, that hazy image of a girl that spun around and touched the ground. Of a girl potentially more flexible than he as she did a split. Ami would eventually on the little girl's command lay her head on the ground and then... then Ami would get out of town.

The song would resume again a few seconds later. That dim light that Ami previously provided gone. The song would resume yet again, it had a few times already so Leslez would be prepared. He would know what was coming. 

"Silly dancer turn around,
silly dancer touch the ground,
silly dancer do the kicks,
silly dancer do the splits,
silly dancer lay down,
silly dancer get out of town."

Leslez would dance along just as Ami had. He would sing and dance, as he said the word he would perform the motion. Spin around, he would turn a full 360 degrees. Touch the ground, Leslez would crouch and his palm would touch the ground. Then he would rise and do the kicks, like a ninja master really. OK, not even close but for his sake let's imagine it so. Do the splits. How flexible was he again? Oh it does not matter, an A for effort.

Then it would be time to lay his head down to rest and then he would feel a shift as the little girl announced and he said the same words in cadence: get out of town.

Ami and Leslez

Well, Ami was alone, there was not much space in here but suddenly she would feel a weight on top of her. This oblong velvet lined box was getting cramped. She would recognize his... feet, yes at least the Professor had the decency of not putting them directly face to face. It was Leslez, although Ami's immediate revelation of this fact really depended on how unique Leslez's shoes were. Lezlez would be facing downward, he would see a wall of rich velvet and a pair of... legs? Yes, legs. 

The coffin was brightly lit at the very least.

Nice shoes... The both of you. One can only hope you both have clean socks.

Leslez's hands were crossed over his chest, Leslez would feel something unusual in his pocket but he would not be able to reach. Leslez and Ami both in this cramped space of confinement would hear a voice. "Oh-ho-ho! Another one, smart... SMART! Gotta ask you two crazy kids something. Ok... OK... here it is. When a knight in armour was killed in battle, what sign did they put on his grave?"

He would wait for an answer but he would not wait for very long.

A cascade of giggles would erupt as he gave the answer unless the answer was provided to him already in which case he would repeat the answer but with a tone if disappointment. "Rust in peace!"



Lucy and Parcel 

Lucy was right, this group of students was likely going to be trying to steal her their treasure. There was just something sneaky-looking about them perhaps. Cunning and conniving. That treasure would be hers, ALL HERS. And yeah, maybe a little bit for these other guys and gals. "Safety" be damned, Lucy would squeeze through the open door and reach out to grip Parcel's hand. Did she do this because of the secret he had shared -- Sometimes when a girl like… touches my arm or something, instead of recoiling back in fear I actually become a bit happy and feel like I have butterflies in my stomach… How sweet. She would tug him inside.

Lucy would enter the room first, Parcel in tow. Nothing happened. Nothing happened to Lucy in any case as she rushed through the open door. Lucy had paid the terrible toll and had told a secret, she had also said the password. Parcel, without knowing [post June 13th] had also said the secret phrase. He, like Lucy would be able to safety enter the room without prank or incident. 

Lucy would press her back against the wall alongside the door and view the room. The room was quite large, odd that a creature would choose to nest in the very center of the room. The nest appeared, at least from here to be made of sticks, and string and some shiny baubles such as pop rings and candy wrappers. In the very center of the nest were four brightly colored eggs, they did not match each other in any way and from this distance she thought she might be able to make out a pattern of some sort.

But what about mama? Mothers rarely left their poor defenseless eggs on their own and there was no way that this was going to be as easy as search the nest and find the prize. Lucy was more cautious than the others. A few of the other students would squeeze their way in behind them and rush over to the nest. Their eye was on the prize and nowhere else apparently.

Perception Check: 13

Lucy would study her surroundings. She needed to know what sort of trouble she might encounter. Professor Lears demonstration upon the Gryff Prefect Seige suggested that there was going to be consequences and troubles ahead. Harmless troubles if one did not consider their reputation important.

She would notice a few things. First this room was slightly warmer by several degrees. Second, the sound of moving water was slightly louder here. Third, she thought she  could hear movement over her head. Something was moving, stirring, shifting. What was going on up there? Yes, on the ceiling.

Maintain Lumos: 17

As she scanned the room, her eyes would glance upward and she would see it. Yes, IT. Well, more specifically an enormous snake, coiled around the stalactites overhead. It would slither and creep, its long tongue would silently lick the air and it would lover its golden eyes downward at the new arrivals, appraising them perhaps.

Was it a Basilisk? That was impossible. There was no way that Solomon would allow children to enter a cavern with such a dangerous creature. It had to be a trick. A joke! However there would be some doubt, that previous camp out went terribly wrong. How many Hufflepuffs were burned during that terrible incident. Was Solomon the monster that they should all fear?

For now let's simply give this a hard maybe.

Parcel would also take a look around. He was already inside, 'safety' relative.

Roll: 20 [Critical Success]

Parcel saw everything. And that meant everything. The room lit by his heavy torch in his hand, his eyes would gaze with an inquiring curiosity. There was something exceptional about this room, well about this entire space. The entire place was seemingly enchanted. The voices from the common area were muted, barely perceptible and yet they had not traveled very far. The darkness was exceptionally dark, too dark really. The point of this space was to isolate. 

That much was exceedingly obvious to the young Gryff.  But the question one must ask is WHY?

As he continued to scan his surroundings he would see that the floor itself, simple and even. There was nothing askew in the tiles. The nest in the center of the room was made of found ingredients -- construction paper, tuffs of human hair, scraps of cloth and... is that a goblin's finger! Nope, a piece of broken mannequin. Inside the nest that he had so carelessly approached was a quartet of eggs -- each of them brightly colored with a cheerful pattern emblazoned across the face. The center: a seam. 

Above him, because of course he would have looked up as a giant snake. He would know exactly what it was -- it was the image of a Basilisk. Was it truly there? Was it truly alive? Yes, but it had not yet struck. It seemed to be curiously appraising the children as they entered her, yes her den. Due to Parcel's heritage he would likely know more than the average student about such creatures.

Intellect Roll: 11

Yes, he had read a passage somewhere regarding such an amazing creature:

"Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size, and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it."

That was not all Parcel had noticed, that was likely all he cared about at the moment, priorities and all but that was not all there was. He would hear something. Not just the sound of running water that was much louder here than it was even in the previous hall. It was still clowly working its way to a crescendo it would see, Enough to drown out, almost entirely another noise. Yet Parcel would hear it. A voice, in common. The words were faint and distant, to the south. The words were unintelligible over the sound of running water but they were not very far. It sounded distressed, as if it was in trouble. 

Perhaps this place was not as safe as they thought.

Duncan

Duncan would never starve, he brought enough cookies to ensure that. The young man would rush inside, Parcel and Lucy were fine. Dunan had said the password, that was likely going to be enough, right? No, it was not enough. He might have said the password -- a secret but he never paid the toll. The toll his friends had paid. Perhaps the cost was too great. A secret has value, even if it is small.

As he traversed the threshold he would suddenly feel a weight around his wrists. It would pull his hands downward, his hands were shackled, ensconced in metal. His precious confectionery, if one remained in his hand would be trapped inside a sphere of metal, locked at both of his wrists. Was he strong enough to lift his arms, perhaps but not without effort and not for very long.

The boy would scan the room, looking for goodies and monsters. 

He would not notice as much, the gods of chance not truly on his side he would notice still a few things. First, he was physically restrained. Two, he was not wearing a dress like Siege, thank goodness for small favors. Three, the sound of rushing water was louder here by far. Finally, in the center of the room there was a bird's nest, made of varied items that one would normally find in their trash. The nest had three eggs, maybe four inside. They were brightly colored, cheerful looking things, nestled up all nice and cozy together. 

Eris 

Would something happen? That was a fair question for Alan to wonder but he was a bit behind the rest of the group, perhaps he was staring off when the rest of the students ran off. Shadowed still he would make his query from the darkness. 

Lucy and Parcel would enter without incident. Safe and secure on the other side, they would be the first to enter. Duncan would not try and enter until later.
Eris would give a speech of her own, she should not take up any public speaking roles in the foreseeable future but the goblin-child made her point, whatever that was. It was a good speech, punch their way to victory. A great plan, but there was one distinct problem to be had. She never said the magic word... the paid no toll so a jinx was coming her way as she decided to enter, no her hand was taken and she was pulled inside by Dorian.

Max had saved her from a pair of shackles of her own, even if she did not realize it as he blurted out a secret. Perhaps the shackles were better than an admission, a confession.

She would not know it, not at first but her face would have been drawn on by some sort of juvenile magic marker. Solomon was, if nothing else, a giant child at heart it would seem. This trick was not a treat, but for Eris it might have been an improvement. Eris would not be the first to notice, she would have felt nothing yet the change was quite obvious to anyone that looked at her face. A monocle, a mustache and a beard. Looked good on her, not as good as Siege's dress in a toddler size but we cannot be choosy here.

She would maintain her Lumos spell.

Roll: 13

Her wand would continue to glow as she entered the room, unaware of the giant snake over her head, or the distant whimpering cries to the south. However, she would be very aware of the obvious nest filled with colorful eggs and the manacles that were wrapped around Duncan's sweaty hands.



Rosie

As for Rosie, she was trying to play the role of 'everyone's friend.' It was a role that worked well until someone forced you to take their side. It would happen eventually, it always does.  She would follow Eris through the passageway door, perhaps if Rosie could have seen Eris' face she would have been forewarned but alas she was unprepared.

She too never paid the price, never said the secret word that was not very secret any longer. She would enter and when she did so, a change would transpire. ears and a tail... Hopefully a temporary transformation, either that or she would be neko-rosie for the duration of her time in Hogwarts. Did Solomon have to power to permanently make her into a werecat? No, he did not even have the power to turn her into a half cat, but something had certainly happened here.

Sadly, Solomon's author cannot alter a picture effectively to save her life so that image would have to be relegated to the theater of your imagination. Large, fluffy car ears of a yellow-orange cat with tuffs of white fluff from the center. A long orange and white tail that swished back and forth behind her. They were certainly attached and they certainly had tactile feel associated with them if someone gave it a tug.

Once inside, however Rosie's kitty ears would twitch as would her whiskers. Yes, she had whiskers as well. She would hear something. A tiny sound... a little noise? It was coming from the south and it was saying help me. The roar of rushing water would almost drown out the noise, make it impossible to hear but she heard it. Perhaps these ears were not so bad. But, what could it be?

It was then that she would discover that things did not end there for her, she might not feel it, like she would not feel or see her cat-like features until they were pointed out to her or she was touched but there was something around her neck. A collar. There was also a chain.  The chain was attached to the frame of the door and as she traveled into the room, if not prevented or her attention was not otherwise drawn to this fact she would eventually and quickly hit the terminal point of this chain. Like a dog reaching the end of their leash, a sudden, jarring and abrupt halt. 

Dorian and Max

The two tough guys would take up the rear. They were sharing secrets, acquiring an advantage perhaps. Hand in hand Max and Doran would rush to the door, Max would blurt out one of their secrets just before Eris traversed the threshold of the door. It might have been disturbing to have a clandestine fact about them revealed, however he was her savior in a way even if she did not know it. 

The toll was paid, so when Dorian grabbed onto Eris' hand and pulled her inside with them none of them would be shackled in some demeaning or hilarious manner. Unlike Duncan who followed. Yet they both would be tricked. Max was wearing a snazzy pair of high heels, they made his legs look fabulous. Sadly, his sneakers were nowhere to be found.

Well, they ended up someplace.

Meanwhile in the common area, someplace behind the professors a dull thud could be heard. A pair of shoes had hit the ground. "Someone got a few inches taller," Solomon commented. He would have no idea who, that was not how these tricks worked. It was random when mistakes were made. Some tricks more terrible than others. Some more hilarious than others.

If Max tried to remove these heels he would be unable to, apparently they were cursed to remain strapped to his dainty feet. 

Note: these are a pair of shoes that will force your character to break into dance if you hear music while you wear them. I call them the "shoes of the mad dance fever," enjoy.

Dorian had also paid the price through Max's benevolent efforts. He too would not be chained, however another trick would come his way. His shoes also missing, he would find himself wearing the most garish pair of hiking boots ever, gold and purple in color with lightning stripes down the sides. 

Well, the stripes were not just for decoration it would seem.

Dorian would take another step forward, not noticing what was placed on his feet. His shoes gone, also transported away to another place. 

Meanwhile in the common room another thud would be heard. That was the second pair of shoes hitting the floor. "Uh oh," Solomon let out a laugh. "Sebastian, have you ever heard of the Boots of Perpetual Motion?" He was an old *******. 

Dorian would not have a chance to try to untie his shoes even if he noticed the glimmer of gold around his feet. No, as he took another step he would discover he was in a run. He was running faster than he had ever run before. His hand still on Eris', clutching her firmly enough he would be seemingly ripped away unless he forcibly dragged the poor girl. [He documented he was not forcing the grab so no roll for the loss of grip, it is presumed.]

A blur of motion Dorian would be propelled down the hall with astonishing speed. He would eventually stop, stop when his face met the far wall. [Damage, lost 100 HP] He would know that it was his feet, that they were somehow charmed to run very fast. He would potentially notice it then, those hideous foot coverings. If he tried to untie them, he would find himself incapable. If he stepped forward, tried to go back, he would find himself dashing yet again wildly in whatever direction he faced.

Note: You are wearing Boots of Perpetual Motion. These shoes let you build up a fantastic amount of speed, but you can only stop by slamming into an obstacle. Have fun.

Alan

Alan was concerned and rightfully so. There was a distinct pattern regarding Solomon's efforts, and while Alan might not be as intimately familiar with Solomon's behaviors his patterns were somewhat distinct and obvious. Someone was going to go wrong. That was his intention. As for whether or not there was malevolent intent behind these events, that was another story.

All the same, Alan would pursue Max and Dorian and then later Eris. The pre-teen unfortunately likely feeling like a fifth wheel in this relationship. He, like Max and Dorian would walk through the door. There was no dramatic light show, terrifying display of awesome power. No, it was rather mundane. He would not be able to see Eris' face, he was staring at the back of her head. He would probably not be the type to check out Dorian or Max's footwear but he would see Dorian suddenly dash away and potentially the unforgiving sound of face against wall. 

He would likely notice Rosie's tail if he noticed anything because he was busy looking at the wall, not at his fellow adventurers. The walls were made of stone, a simple stone construction. Unlike the others, he was looking at the wall in particular rather than the entire vista. So he would notice what others had overlooked, however that would be at the expense of not noticing the giant serpent overhead or the faint cries of something or someone in distress. The wall was etched with something, it was pinpoint fine yet deep and purposeful, these runic symbols embossed on the wall. He was far too young to understand what these glyphs represented, only that they were there and that it was not a natural thing.

However he would see a word "Silentium" it was written every few bricks. Another word, "Somnium" every few other bricks. There were some other words, not nearly as common, such as on the frame of the door. "Artificium" and "Secretum." If he planted his hand against some of the bricks, he would notice that some were warm, others were cold. 

One that said Articiculim was warm, and then he would see something written along the bottom of the brick in the same fancy script. "Max Avery." Some were cool, one such brick would have the same word upon it and embossed upon the same stone would be the name Paracelsus Adger Myth.

All of this thought, one would have almost forgotten. Alan never paid the price. He never said the magic word. In fact, his head was heavy. His shoulders felt as if they were being weighed down. His peripheral vision was lost. If he tried to speak out, he would find his voice muffled and unintelligible. If he brought his hands to his own face he would come upon a startling discovery if it was not pointed out to him by one of his peers already. He was trapped behind an iron mask. This was not the mask that was stoleb, but another one. This one had only two powers -- keeping Alan's beautiful face hidden and preventing him from speaking clearly. There was a lock around the neck, a large simple lock. It would not open with a simple tug, no it would need to be unlocked.



Sadly, for poor Alan, that was not all. That was merely the restraint. Apparently that was only one hurdle he would have to overcome. There was something wrong with him, wrong with his mind. He was thinking about someone, he was thinking about HIM/HER. They were the most beautiful and graceful creature he had ever encountered. Indeed, he was utterly and completely infatuated by his person. Did he even know their name! If did not matter, soon enough they would be Mr. or Mrs. Vanes.

Note: You have been intoxicated by a 'Love Potion.' Pick your target/victim and have fun with this.

Rhea

The Prefect would run up to the door, her way lit by that candle. The door was already ajar, some of the other students had already filed their way inside. However Rhea was nervous, smart child. She knew that it was likely something simple but still difficult enough to be a trick. While harmless, the fanfare surrounding Siege's kidnapping and expulsion likely sent shivers down the young girl's spine.

She had a lot to consider. A hidden phrase. A secret phrase. Indeed, by all technicalities it was a secret. However was it enough. Had her toll been paid?

There were obvious consequences for failing to pay the toll. Several others had filed inside, some were fine but others were restrained, a few apparently made new fashion statements and still a few seemed to be behaving in a strange manner. What was happening in there. Maybe she should just close the door and leave.
 


Reid, Serena, Cynthia

Reid took the torch from Ellory. He was going to lead the team to their destruction. He would find his confidence dashed in casting but for some reason he felt that he still made an excellent meat-shield. It was a consequence of course to the cruel lesson he had learned in the campout. He honestly believed that it was his fault, that his muggle device had created the chaos that had nearly cost Serena her life. It was something he would have to live with but as far as Solomon was concerned he had given the unfortunate youth a gift. He was saving Reid's life, not that it would feel that way. He knew little of the thief and the mask and the glove but he (gender assumed, yes) used muggle means to procure the artifacts. The only discerning feature known, the only feature he knew the children would have to avoid. 

How did he work it out?

It was simple truly but those details are needless to discuss here. Just know, people were meant to be hurt but never die. He would enter an inferno for these kids and he did.

Reid would travel down the hall, up a flight of stairs. The temperature would rise steadily as they reached what would be the peak of this plateau. A simple tiled room with smooth grey walls. The floor had runic symbols etched into the floor. Two rows of blue. Two rows of red. 

The runes were simply plates on the ground, each symbol simple but meaningless on their own.

There was a use for the things they learned during the school year, hopefully they paid attention.
















In the center of the room were the same amount of spaces, grooves really that would perfectly fit those plate-like runes. At the end of the room there would be a vat of water, filled to the brim and also cracked stone filled almost to the top with lava. Sadly, if Solomon had the time he would have had the House elves erect a small 'safety fence' had he known Siege was likely traversing this tunnel with this group. Unfortunately there was no guard rail, no safety net. This room is not Siege-proof, but thankfully that dress must have been heavy because he had not moved since he was released from his restraints [no post].

Serena would pocket Siege's manacles, they would clank noisily when she walked but they were safer in her possession than in Siege's. Well, stuffed in her bag, they were heavier than the prefect would likely want to admit, especially since this is one of the few cases where she would not want a boy carrying her bag for her. After conversing with Cynthia, a team would be forged.

They would follow their "fearless leader" through the seemingly abandoned tunnel and up a lengthy flight of stairs. They might be a bit breathless when they reached the top. It would appear that they had come across a puzzle. One that hopefully most of them had the brains to solve. The symbols should appear vaguely familiar to the youths if they attempted to identify the shale-like plates. Then at the end there would be those massive vats. Did they hold a prize or a consequence for their failure? Impossible to say, after all their Professor would never place them in harm's way, right? Right.

Frost

A girl would be in pursuit, abandoned by her cohort would attempt to run up behind the party. Catch up to them. She had been left behind by her previous partner Aurelia. She could have pursued but she had changed her mind. Capricious. Scared. Hard to say but for whatever reason she decided to not follow. She would chase behind but not quite catch the party as she ran past Siege's pile of junk, a befuddled yet recently freed Gryff Prefect as well as a young lady willing to keep the pre-teen company. How sweet.

She would find herself in the dark, alone in a tunnel. She could hear their voices up ahead. Already muffled from even this short distance and she was on a lengthy flight of stairs. She sort that was just long enough to make you huff and puff when you reached the top. A faint light up ahead enough to tell her that they were near. She would reach the top of the stair, not far behind the rest. Enough to speak, albeit likely breathlessly.



Winifrey

She never posted. She is left in the hall.

Dorothy

She never posted. She is left in the hall.

Ellory

She never posted. She is left in the common room.

Siege

He never posted. He is left in the common room.