Final Countdown Gryffindor Adventure PV

Frankly, Marshal wasn’t sure who Evelynn thought she was fooling. Between her uncharacteristically boisterous recommendation of where they ought to search next and the lackadaisical pace at which she moved, it wasn’t exactly a secret to him that she intended for their fellow lions to tail them. Perhaps the targets of her deception were, in fact, those now left in their wake, and the ruse was meant to draw them back towards the castle without alerting them to that plan. After all, simply telling them to follow may elicit suspicion of an ulterior motive, but allowing them to believe their presence was unexpected would likely rouse curiosity.
As for him, Marshal would not be fooled by the stratagem. He’d spent countless hours with the devious lioness years before, entirely too many to not understand the patterns of her existence. As such, the subtle shifts to those patterns would not go unnoticed. For better or worse, he knew Evelynn, and he knew her well.

He declined to bring it up, however, content to leave her machinations unchecked. There was little sense in addressing a plan he had no desire to change. Furthermore, to voice his thoughts on the matter would risk being overheard by anyone on their trail, and thus derail his companion’s scheme. So he played along.

He raised an eyebrow to her musings. He agreed that the entire endeavor was rather preposterous. In a matter of short hours, the lot of them had been drawn from the safety of their dwelling, enticed to the edge of a dangerous forest, dragged clear to Hogsmeade, and now found their path coming full circle as they trekked back the way they had originated. Eve had quite nearly met her demise, the two of them remained caked in her drying blood, and their junior classmates may still be suffering assaults from violent vegetation. All for what? Some prank? Or was this an attempt at something malicious after all?
Evidently Eve no longer thought so.

”But what would they stand to gain from this, if their intention wasn’t to directly cause harm?” he wondered in return.
”A cry for attention… perhaps….”
He glanced her way. Blue flames cast her scrutiny in somber contrast, shadows cavorting between pinched features in a way that made his gaze linger, if only for a moment. Pulling it away, the lion looked warily toward the castle. The structure loomed like an immense beast, numerous windows flickering with inner light, appearing as eyes in search of those students it had lost. He wondered just how many eyes were watching from within after all, and shoulders hunched instinctively to make his figure smaller, as if that would make a difference.

He hadn’t had much to say since their departure from Hogsmeade, lost in thoughts of his own; thoughts of the past, of what might have been, of what could have been different. The amount of what-ifs was overwhelming, painful even, and he was almost grateful for the distraction when they stumbled upon the ransacked broom shed.
He watched a moment as Evelynn retrieved discarded brooms and fussed over their state, then opted instead to pan his gaze over their surroundings, attention keen for a potential culprit — and potential danger. As he did so, it was moments before the cackling voice broke out that he spotted a shadow, descending through falling flakes to hover in the air above them. He noted the house cup in the stranger’s grip, and where it was stowed once shrunk to pocket-size.

The Gyffindor’s honest reaction to the taunting words was a snort of laughter, as he considered the irony of who stood beside him in light of the ”More brawn than brains” comment. It was rather perfect, honestly. She possessed quite the opposite in both respects; a mind more capable than most Ravenclaws, and arms that rivaled the bulk of a noodle.

Eyes were drawn to that very person as he heard a similar sound of amusement to his own. Again he saw that predatory glint consume his companion’s pupils, yet this time he returned her insidious grin.
Countless hours of training flooded through his mind, many of which had been shared with the very person who now took up a broom once more at his side. The ex-beater rolled his broad shoulders, neck flexing to one side, then the other, as a familiar pulse of adrenaline awakened instincts drilled into his muscles. His heartbeat quickened in nervous excitement much the way it once had before a match, as he gripped the shaft of an undisturbed broom in the shed. Its form did not fit seamlessly in his hand the way his own broom did, didn’t form with his being as if becoming just another limb the way his Firebolt seemed to; but it would serve its purpose.
”They’re no Silver Arrow or Firebolt,” he said matter-of-factly, ”but somehow I don’t think we’ll have a problem.” That smirk survived on upturned lips, wand appearing in his hand, one leg thrown over the nondescript school broom.
"Shall we bring us back a trophy?"
Chin lifting in a clandestine nod, he answered, ”After you.”

Mod Post

Evelynn was determined to help those who struggled with the previous clue. She and Marshal had been lucky, and she wanted to pass on that luck. However, she also wouldn’t just go along quietly especially given they had already done this trek but in reverse. Arriving at the correct area, she wouldn’t know that her guess at the thief wanting attention was the right one. While it would be nice to know the motivation, that wasn’t what mattered, and Evelynn was determined to bring the House Cup back. Maybe for the glory, maybe the pride, but whatever it was, she would not let the thief go without a fight. Mounting the broom, she made sure she held her wand tightly, familiar with it’s weight as she kicked off. Carefully following the thief, she observed them, trying to determine a pattern. When Evelynn felt confident she could successfully hit the thief, she raised her wand, casting the Hurling Hex. It landed, and the thief struggled to keep their seat as their broom ran away like a wild bronc, bucking and turning every which way. It managed to flip them, so they were dangling from their broom, but soon after the Hurling Hex wore off, and they were able to pull themselves back astride the broom. But it had taken more than a bit of energy for the whole incident.

Marshal certainly was willing to debate the thief’s motives out loud. After all, it wasn’t like there was anything to do at the moment. It took little time to make their way back to the castle and Marshal was right with Evelynn in her goal of taking back the House Cup. Ever the gentleman, he let Evelynn kick off first, following her and the thief as they flew. Almost as if they were in sync, Marshal waited until Evelynn had cast the Hurling Hex, and the thief felt confident that they had withstood the attack before launching his own. Perhaps that would throw them off their game. Carefully aiming, Marshal raised his want, going with the familiar as he once more cast Immobulus. Grinning as the thief froze, he did his best to get close before the charm wore off. Unfortunately for him, he underestimated how long that would be, and so before he could steal the House Cup from the thief’s pocket, the thief snarled and said ”I don’t think so!”, quickly flying away.

Rolls in Post Order
1. @Evelynn Decipio – Hurling Hex (WDC:17)

a. WIS: 5+18=23
Spell Succeeds
b. ACC: 17+20=37
c. EVA: 20+12=32
d. 37 is higher than 32, so the spell lands
e. Results: 1 hits, 2 to go

2. @Marshal Mozor – Freezing Charm (Immobulus) (WDC:12)

a. WIS: 9+7=16
Spell Succeeds
b. ACC: 19+10=29
c. EVA: 7+12=19
d. 29 is higher than 19, so the spell lands
e. Results: 2 hits, 1 to go

The next mod post for this thread, Stolen Rewards, Encounters at the Edge of the Forest and Hop, Hop, Hop Away will be posted on February 6th, 2026.

To the skies, then. After watching Evelynn take her leave of the ground, Marshal had followed suit, kicking off the earth in a practiced motion. His acquisition of altitude did not come as smoothly as he was accustomed, however, given how the somewhat gnarled broom shifted from one side to the other. He could almost hear the wood groan in protest as it was forced from its slumber.
The flier longed for his Firebolt, whose ever consistent patterns seemed to mirror the will of his heart, and whose acceleration left his current situation rather underwhelming as the school broom lurched forward. It wouldn’t have been his first choice, and he couldn’t help assuming the thief had an advantage in equipment, but he and Eve held advantages in skill and numbers.

The sixth year instantly found himself wishing he’d brought a heavier coat than the hoodie he wore. The outer layer fought in vain to ward off the frigid breeze, more intended for autumn weather than flight on a winter’s night. He hated the cold, yet had rushed to leave the castle without a second thought even for a pair of gloves.
Bare fingers now permanently frozen to the broom shaft and wand around which they curled, Marshal found himself less eager for the game than he had been moments before, yet still fell easily into formation with Evelynn, recognizing her intended strategy on instinct.

Words would have been a reduntant exchange for a pair with as much experience as the two of them shared. Glancing sidelong at his companion, Marshal was taken by yet another flashback, wherein he saw her younger, and the sun shone upon their collective efforts. She had served as his mentor in a number of subjects, with flying one of the few in which he’d been a natural. Back then, he’d been a newly minted beater, and she a seasoned seeker who captained the Gryffindor team alongside one Rafael D’Spacito (miss you, Rafa). Marshal and Eve had been inseparable at the time, with private quidditch practices numbering in the many. Those sessions returned to him now, and for a moment it felt as if no time had passed.

Spells, of course, were not cast during a quidditch match, which made this experience more akin to the newer sport of broom racing. While Marshal had taken decidedly less quickly to the art of spellcasting, Evelynn’s mentorship in that regard had improved his ability dramatically, along with six years of regular schooling. These days, he was no slouch.
Their target proved difficult to track among the gloom and flurries of snow. Through squinted eyes, the young man could just make out the form of billowing clothes here and there, allowing him to continue the chase; yet the figure remained vague and uncertain, making him hesitate to cast.
As fortune would have it, however, his companion possessed a more keen eye than he. Scoping out her prey with a hungry gaze, the lioness lashed out, and the wavering figure ahead took the impact of the blow. Instantly its movements became erratic, unpredictable, bucking to and fro like a pent-up bronco. The violent motion made the thief easier to distinguish through falling flakes, and more so as their momentum was slowed, allowing those in pursuit to close in.

Marshal watched hopefully as the stranger was thrown from their broom, though disappointment ruled when they grasped its length and managed to remount.
Even as a curse emerged from Evelynn’s lips, the second in chase would launch an assault of his own, taking advantage of the shortened distance and the thief’s vulnerable state. ”Immobulus!”
Perhaps he lacked creativity (perhaps he should take the ability Statistically Relevant), but for the second time that night, the freezing charm would land from the tip of his wand. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Triumph rose in his chest as the fleeing figure simply stopped in its tracks, suspended unnaturally in the air. The ex-beater would lean forward, buffeted by ice and wind as he sought to end this chase. It was at that moment, unfortunately, that the school broom detailed disdain for the agreement they’d reached to get this far. Apparently misinterpreting the forward shift as a sign that he wanted to go down, the broom shaft shuddered before dropping several feet. Catching a gasp of shock in his throat, Marshal yanked upward on its handle, managing to coral the rogue instrument before he plummeted to the ground.
Equilibrium restored, the lion cast a glance where the thief had been frozen the previous instant, only to find empty space and a scathing ”I don’t think so.”

”Stupid broom,” the Gryffindor growled, no such qualms as Eve against insulting the magical object.
As was the case with essentially anything that breathed defiance, Evelynn appeared to take the thief’s words as a deeper challenge.
Marshal threw a wary glance her way, recalling what she’d been through tonight, and just how much blood she had lost. His hoodie was frozen solid where her blood remained, and soon his body would be too, but greater concern lie with her. The longer they were in the air, the more her already worn frame would wane. He was prepared to take action were she to pass out and tumble from her broom.

Clearly in agreement that this chase needed to reach its conclusion, Evelynn brandished her wand once more, uttering an incantation that was new to even him. And with authority.
He would watch as the spell shot from her wand, prepared to follow up with another of his own, only if hers were to fail.

Interactions:
@Evelynn Decipio

Actions:
Casting Descendo at the thief, though only if Evelynn's spell fails

Mod Post

Evelynn and Marshal were on fire! Their skills on the notoriously beaten up and sometimes uncooperative school brooms was a testament to their experience, never mind their spellcasting. They had clearly worked hard in their years at Hogwarts, and it showed. The thief may have been successful in escaping defeat, but Evelynn and Marshal were determined to take them down.

Following the thief with confidence, Evelynn waited until she was confident, he was in the right radius as he made a dive closer to the ground to avoid the two. Pointing her wand, she cast Orbis, watching as the ground opened, and the thief was sucked in. Trapped, he groaned and moaned.

The thief eventually managed to wiggle their way out of the ground, moving quickly away from it. Diving deep in his other pockets, he pulled out more house cup looking items. Laughing maniacally, they said “You thought I would make it easy? Not a chance. You might have the real one, or you might not.” The thief shrugged, shoving the house cups back into his various pockets, before summoning his broom and jumping back on, ready to take on whoever came after him. Those who followed may be tricked into believing the thief still had the House Cup.

Rolls in Post Order
1. @Evelynn Decipio – Orbis (WDC:20)

a. WIS: 10+18=28
Spell Succeeds
b. ACC: 14+20=34
c. EVA: 11+12=23
d. 34 is higher than 23, so the spell lands
e. Results: 3 hits, Evelynn succeeds!

@Marshal Mozor

The next mod post for this thread, Stolen Rewards, Encounters at the Edge of the Forest and Hop, Hop, Hop Away will be posted on February 13th, 2026. Even though Evelynn and Marshal have successfully gained a House Cup (and currently unbeknownst to them, the correct one), the thief is determined to cause more mischief. Mod posts will continue until March 31st.

His next incantation died on numbing lips, their posture slightly ajar as Evelynn’s spell found its mark, driving their thief — broom and all — out of the sky and to the earth, who opened its arms to receive him in a crustal embrace. The sixth year, having witnessed this spell for the first time, admired his companion’s handiwork for several moments from his lofted position in the sky, looking down on this petty bandit; this fabricator of games of which he thought himself the master. Had this truly been his plan? To leave a trail for Gryffindor’s best to follow, then simply hope to outmaneuver them in a battle for the sky? What, exactly, was the purpose of that? And was he truly foolish enough to believe it would end in any other way than this?
Soon they would have these answers. And a house cup, he supposed, but frankly he cared little for the object.

A triumphant grin was cast in Evelynn’s direction, but it would go unseen, as the lioness was already diving for the ground. Marshal’s brow creased when he noticed the degree of her descent, and the speed at which she traveled. It was instantly clear that something was wrong.
His concerns were granted credence when she met the icebound floor with a muted thud.
The entombed thief immediately forgotten, Marshal urged his own broom downward, fortunate enough to be defied only by a shudder as the thing carried out his request. Perhaps it sensed the end of its arduous flight, eager for the rest it had earned through old age. As the young man’s boots hit the ground, he doubted whether the broom would rise again if he tried to force it. Abandoning the now inanimate object to the snow, he started toward Eve, but found her on her feet.

”Eve?” he questioned cautiously. ”You alright?”
There was no response; only footsteps as she advanced toward her target — the one he’d forgotten.
Adrenaline pumped through his veins, seeming to charge the air around him while he studied the seventh year. It was a good sign, of course, that she was walking, but something about her seemed off. Perhaps it was in the eyes, in the way that predatory glint shown more dully than before. Or perhaps his hesitation stemmed from earlier that night, when he’d seen her stand after the Wampus attack. He’d turned away then, and it had cost precious time. He wouldn’t this time.

His hesitation here, however, would cost them something else. The sound of crumbling earth registered a moment before his realization of what it signaled. His attention whipped to the thief, where the mysterious character threw a leg over his broom, free of his earthen prison and emboldened to further taunting. A huff of weary exasperation escaped the sixth year, head lolling to one side. He really was growing tired of this escapade.
Another spell that he might utilize jumped to mind, but Evelynn was quicker to the punch… or she tried to be. He heard the girl’s weak attempt at an incantation, saw her collapse through the corner of his eye.

Honestly, what was wrong with him? As the thief disappeared once again into the night, he wondered how his focus could truly be so challenged. And yet he knew exactly how, as Evelynn looked his way, a rare look of defeat scrawled across her features. The inevitable could be postponed no longer, and even she had come to accept it. Perhaps this mystery could be revisited at a later date, but for now she required safety, warmth, and-
A new figured appeared on the fringes of the night. Its size suggested a student, the point of its emergence indicating a trek from Hogsmeade. One of the younger students, having tracked their path from the village.
Seeing the arrival as an opportunity to get help in shepherding Eve to the castle, as well as coax another student to safety, Marshal opened his mouth to call out, but stopped short when the wand appeared. It wasn’t aimed at him. He wished it was.

Marshal was unstable.
Not in general. He’d endured stints with a shortened fuse, certainly, drawn by any number of emotional stimulus, but there was a notable difference between being quick to anger and his current state. Namely, self control, or some semblance at the least.
It couldn’t have been two hours prior that he had lost himself to every bit of suffering he’d endured over the past six years. The carefully crafted mask he’d worn to keep it all at bay had shattered in a single moment, threatening to fracture his sanity with it. And all because this girl now on hands and knees had nearly faded before his eyes.
Now, as flames streaked toward that very girl, bearing down on the one time she demonstrated vulnerability, the boy felt something rip. Like a wound left raw when his mask had hit the ground, the hastily patched laceration split open. And it bled.

He was going to destroy the perpetrator. That slimy, grotesque twit who had dared attack Evelynn when she was down. He didn’t know who they were. He didn’t know if they were in league with the thief. He didn’t care. That could be sorted out once the stain was scraped from the grounds.
It almost felt comical, the absurdity, the suddenness; like the fever dream of a depraved mind. His vision seemed to swim as his own wand lifted, focused on the personification of everything that vied to make his life a living hell. Freeze it first, then end it.
”Petrificus Totalus.”

Interactions:
@Evelynn Decipio, @Vladislav Liam Gunther

Actions:
Casting Petrificus Totalus at Vladislav

Abilities in effect:
Charmer
(-1 accuracy to all but Evelynn)