A Forgery of a Destiny Hufflepuff Only

Howie pulled his robes tighter around him as the wind picked up. A storm was approaching no doubt, the darkening skies reflecting his own mood. Self preservation told him to turn on the spot and high tail it back to the safety of the castle, but his loyalty to his house pushed him forward onto the train. This was no adventure, no team building exercise, surely not an innocent field trip! Howie couldn’t be sure what Lear’s intentions were for them, but they would be dangerous. Someone had to keep an eye out and try to protect his fellow Huffles. 

One look at the Professor was all it took to reassure Howie’s suspicions. His eyes had grown cold, his voice reflecting the emptiness that must be inside him. Something had happened to him. The jovial old man, almost like an armored clad Santa Clause, was gone, replaced by some hollow shell that was intent on hurting children.

Lear would be the last to board, and as he stepped through the door it would disappear behind him. The first step in whatever his sinister plans might be. Howie’s hand would slide into the pockets of his robe, his fingers griping the handle of his wand. He was tempted to draw it, to aim it at the old man and demand answers, but rationality won in the young boys mind. To do so would only see him booted from the train, and more than likely expelled for drawing on a Professor, leaving his house mates unprotected. 

Howie found himself standing in the middle of the large compartment, groups of students were gathering at either end. Excited chatter would fill the space as they began to try and solve the riddles posted to the doors. He felt somewhat defeated in this moment. It appeared that Lear was going to separate the students. Divide and conquer. An old strategy but one that had a winning record. 

Towards the engine a group a red heads gathered, not uncommon at this institution. Howie spotted a familiar face from his first year. Tempted as he was to join Ami and the others around her, his eyes would shift to the other end, towards the caboose. Two slightly younger faces gathered there. First years. They both looked so excited for what was to come. A bitter smile would spread across Howie’s face. He remembered that feeling. It pained him to know that soon enough the two would learn what it really meant to be a student at Hogwarts. 

Howie would turn to his left and head towards the caboose and the pair of first years. He cast one last glance over his shoulder towards the others. Oh how he wanted to join them, to catch up with Ami and introduce himself to the others, to pretend that he was just a student gearing up for an adventure, but he could not. The younger students would need him more. At least the other group was comprised of second years, they might just stand a chance. Howie approached the door just as another second year did.

"What are the riddles for?"

The other boy would question the need. “Trying to keep us distracted.” Howie would mumble as he squeezed in and reached for the door handle. It turned without any protest. Howie would push open the door and make his way into the other compartment.

Replying to Howard and Reid

More students entered the train and Arthur had to lean back from the aisle to keep out of their way. There was a large enough crowd there now that most of them had their attention drawn immediately to the paper posted on the door at the end. “What are the riddles for?” One person asked. ”Trying to keep us distracted” Someone replied.

Hearing the two older students discuss the riddle, Arthur turned around in his seat, folding his arms over the back of the headrest. “I think it might be a clue about where we’re going!” he piped up. “That’s just a guess though.” he'd freely admit. He looked back at the poem. “What do you make of it?” he asked, hoping to get their opinion before biasing it with his own. If they all came to the same conclusion, there was a better chance they were all right.

He stood up again as Howard opened the door to the next compartment, suddenly curious about something. "Hey you think there's another riddle on the next one?" he asked, trying to get a look over Howie’s shoulder. He was way too excited about this, though he tried not to let it show. But he couldn’t help it.. He really liked riddles, and mysteries too. The book in his backpack was ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ by Agatha Christie.

Pulling his duffel bag from the luggage rack so it wasn’t left behind, he followed the second-year student into the next compartment, heading for the door on the other side. He glanced at Howard, and at the other second year who asked about the riddles before. They both seemed a little on edge.

“Um.. By the way,” he started. He was a little hesitant to ask this, worried he was being too paranoid, but it had been bugging him for a while. “Is there something going on that we don’t know about? It’s just, I don’t know, it seems like everyone’s a little.. Tense? I guess?” What exactly that might be, he had no idea.

Action: Follow Howard into next compartment, looking for any new riddles

Riley rushed onto the train behind the group of Hufflepuffs that had already boarded, crammed into all the nooks and crannies of the train. She was so excited for the trip that she didn't notice any of the tense, nervous energy surrounding some of the second years. Instead, all she noticed were the discussions about riddles. Sure, Riley was never the best at riddles, but her mother had always loved sharing them with Riley, so she too enjoyed a good puzzle now and then.

She looked around and saw that people had clumped around two doors that seemed to be entrances to the caboose and the engine. She couldn't see what was so interesting about the doors or why people hadn't just opened them up, but she supposed it had something to do with the riddles that everyone kept mentioning.

Riley didn't have a particular direction she was interested in going, and she didn't really have any friends to join up with. While wondering which door to head to, she heard mentions of sand and snowflakes as the answers to the riddles and decided that the snowflakes seemed marginally more preferable. She had grown up close enough to the beach that she had spent plenty of time near sand. As much as her brother's may have enjoyed playing in it, she preferred to avoid the coarse material. It was probably a silly reason to choose one direction over another, but Riley had no other means of making a decision, so her hatred of sand would have to be enough.

She quietly approached the group around the door to the engine room, holding up a friendly peace sign to the other students as a way of quietly introducing herself. She looked over their shoulders and was just able to read the riddle, nodding in agreement that it was most definitely a snowflake, before one of the students reached for the door.

Addresses : Arthur Morgan and Reid Kovacs 
Mentions: Howie White

A small zombie child stumbled over to the entrance of the train.  Yes, Dorothy looked like a zombie.  In fact, she looked a good deal like something undead with her pale face and tired eyes. Ever since the Lock in event, Dorothy hadn't slept very well.  At a certain point, she'd given up on sleeping altogether, and her darkened eyes bore witness to many late nights.  Still, the second year Hufflepuff managed to keep up in her studies.  No matter how tired she was, she still wished to move on to year three of Hogwarts.  Dorothy paused when she reached the train door.  Her face formed an unbecoming grimace as she stood, a large, heavy, travel-case balanced tediously on her back and held in place by a hand intwined in a leather handle and slung over her shoulder.  The train door was open, yet an anxious bubble seemed to creep up her throat before settling behind her tongue.  She could see what was in the train.  Fellow Hufflepuffs zoomed around, chattering and smiling with excitement.  The hand that secured the travel-case suddenly opened limply and slid to her chest, as if feeling her heartbeat. The leather container made a loud smack as it hit the cobblestone. 

 Thump-thump----Thump-thump---Thump-thump--Thump-thump-Thump-thump-thump-thump 

Dorothy shook her blonde, wispy, hair and bent over to pick up her case.  She didn't really want to go through the doors.  A jittery feeling, like a caffeine buzz, had consumed her senses as she walked forward.  The Hufflepuff girl held her breath as she walked through the open doors, eyes closed.  Then, like the snap of someones fingers, the feeling was gone.  She was safe again.  Dorothy opened her eyes and blinked, as if checking for any strange visual changes. This too, had started after the Lock in.  Dorothy hated it.  She couldn't walk through doors normally anymore, and it was quite annoying.  Especially when other students called her out for hesitation or shaking.  The thought of some sort of change following her entrance to a room haunted her.  It was foolish.  Silly! But... There.  

Wishing a few memories out of her cluttered brain, Dorothy began making her way towards the back of the train.  It would feel better to be able to see what was ahead without worrying about things behind her.  Shuffling towards the back of the train, Dorothy carefully avoided the yellow-clad figures around her, even muttering the occasional "Pardon me, pardon me." The young Shafiq had changed quite a bit as her second year of Hogwarts progressed.  She seemed almost.. No. Nice would be stretch.  Open is a better word.  Dorothy Shafiq seemed more open.  Even she herself didn't know what was bringing about this change. Perhaps it was the 'puberty' her Aunt had tried telling her about.  She didn't exactly mind it.  It seemed that people here didn't appreciate her place in their world, and would rather talk to her if she was being "open" than if she was being pureblooded.  Finally reaching the end of the train, Dorothy paused when traffic formed near a scrap of parchment.  She had purposely avoided looking at Lear.  

"Riddles, riddles!" The people muttered. Dorothy moved closer, hoping to get a glimpse of said riddles.  The words on the parchment looked smeared, so Dorothy could hardly make them out.  If the professor had enough time to throw an adventure together, he should at least make sure his writing was neat.  Luckily, her loud housemates quickly revealed the answer to said riddle.  Sand and Snowflakes.  So that was how he planned to kill them.  Dorothy sidestepped near the entrance of a compartment occupied by three boys.  One she had seen at the Lock In, the other two were strangers.  The young looking one spoke excitedly.  He definitely hadn't been at any of the other events. “Is there something going on that we don’t know about? It’s just, I don’t know, it seems like everyone’s a little.. Tense? I guess?” Dorothy sighed at his question, and moved a little closer, swinging her case slightly as she responded in a tired, slightly gravely, voice.  "Yeah, there is.  These don't end well.  Ever."  She turned to the taller one Reid before speaking again, this time in a more somber tone. "You were at the Lock-in, yes?  What's your name again?" 

Reducio

To the mentioned and addressed individuals: We all going in one compartment here? 

Mentions & Interacts With: The Redhead Team™ (AKA Quinn, Amadea, Ami)

     Ah, yes, a professor Lear adventure. Well, another one I should say. All of the ones he has hosted have been undoubtedly been a dance with danger. Not just an easy encounter, more like a Tango or Salsa dance with danger. You know, with all of the puzzles there usually was. However, this was not her first rodeo. In the previous adventure, she had even made a friend with a dragon. A dragon with scales and everything, for goodness sake. How bad could this one be?

      She would walk with her familiar redheaded acquaintance, Quinn to the front of the train, right by the engine. The four that had been together in the common room would, like she predicted, stay together. The ginger team of Quinn, Amadea, Ami, and herself, of course. All some acquaintances she could build friendships with. The whole 'all redheads' part was totally a coinsidence. But a really cool one at that.

      The riddle, because there were always riddles, was a simple one. Maybe the riddles were different on each end of the train, where some of her fellow Hufflepuffs went instead of the front. Maybe they were the same. Whatever the case, why were there riddles? Maybe the door was already unlocked and this was here for no reason. But whatever could the reason be for a random riddle to be here? Strange. 

      But, being the curious little creatures they were, they still attempted to solve it. A snowflake was, as Quinn pointed out, obviously the answer. Amadea had agreed, literally saying it out loud. Frost, who was there observing for any upcoming and sudden danger, couldn't help but giggle at a kind of serious time like this. Puns and plays on words were just absolutely worth the breaking of the mood. A sort of snort came from the girl. "Ha. Snowflake. Get it? Because Frost and snowflakes?" 

     Everyone just seemed a little tense, so what better a moment for a corny joke that she couldn't help but keep in. Still smiling like a little idiot, she quickly added to it, to ease up a little more. "Okay, okay. I'm done now." Ami, who seemed to have a thought that it might not have been locked in the first place or just thought that answering the riddle would be a key of some sort, twisted the doorknob. Frost stood back and waited for the door to creak open.

Interacting with: Arthur, and Dorothy

 Laila shook Arthur's hand. After she did that, more students entered the train. Laila noticed a pale girl with blonde hair walk into the compartment. Arthur was talking with some other students who seemed older than him. Is there something going on that we don’t know about? It’s just, I don’t know, it seems like everyone’s a little.. Tense? I guess?” Arthur asked. Laila wanted to speak, but the pale girl told him: "Yeah, there is. These don't end well.  Ever." Laila looked confused. "What do you mean, things like these don't end well?" Laila asked. Laila turned to Arthur "Don't worry Arthur, she was probably just joking" Laila told him.


Laila turned to the girl "Hey, are you thirsty or something? You seem a little tired. I don't blame you. I wake up early some days and I'm really tired when I do. If you are thirsty, you could ask Professor Lear for some water. I'm sure he'll give you some" Laila told her. "I'm Lailaflora Ruby by the way. I'm really excited about the trip are you?" Laila said. 

"Where do you think we're going to? Have you seen the riddle? Do you know what the answer to the riddle is? Do you think the answer to the riddle is where we are going to?" Laila asked her. 

 "It's fine if you don't know the answer. The riddle is really difficult. In my opinion. I hope Professor Lear will tell us the answer when we get to where we're going to. Then we will be able to know if any of us got the answer right" Laila said

Interacts with Arthur, Reid, Howard, Dorothy and those in the back train crew

With her bag over her shoulder, the Hufflepuff Head Girl followed the rest of the group. She put on a brave smile but a part of her could not help but question it. She tried so hard to forget but... the memories of last year haunted her. The Hufflepuff Camp Out was the night that her life had drastically changed. In mere moments, she had completely changed. It was hard to explain, to be quite truthful. Looking back on it now, it felt like a nightmare more so than reality. A horrible nightmare that she was glad to have woken up from. There were no scars or physical indication on her body - the Hogwarts healers did a fantastic job of removing them all within days. The power of Magic, after all. But the scars on her heart remained. Serena still slept with the light on. Even if it was dim, she could not venture into the darkness anymore. The darkness was where everything had happened. The darkness had swallowed her. The darkness made her feel lonelier than anything had ever made her feel.

Perhaps she would have gotten over it as time went on, passed it off as a bad dream and just forgotten about it. However... she could not. Rumours appeared of a masked man, going around hurting students. For some reason, wherever she looked, she saw shadows. The night of the bonfire, she saw the shadows. The night in the hospital, following the camp out, she saw them. They were everywhere. She started to doubt everything, including her own shadows. Patrols became scarier as the mere flicker of her candle made her think someone was present. The ghosts scared the living daylights out of her.

Then there was the Lock in... Sigh, the Lock in... Being stuck in an underground cave with nothing but your magical candle was perhaps a terrible idea. But she was trying. As the Prefect of her house, she felt like she owed them that much. Today was no different. She put on a brave smile, tried to forget about everything and move on. What else could she do? The Professor believed in her strength and bravery, she could not let him down. Today would be different... Nothing would happen to the students. On her watch, nothing would happen. She was the newly appointed Head Girl. She was responsible for, not only her fellow students but her fellow Prefects. She had to protect them all. This year, would be different...

Serena sighed as she looked at the Professor. There was something different about him but she could not quite place it. She would never know but perhaps his appearance matched the coldness and darkness in her heart. Outwardly, she probably looked a lot happier than he did. But her heart painted a different picture that no one could see.

Following him, they did a head count to make sure everyone was present. A soft gasp escaped her as she noticed the door disappear. That... was a bad start. It reminded her of the lock in... But it was fine, right? The Professor did wave his wand at it so... there was a reason to remove the door. Security measures, apparently.

The train started to move. Students started to move. Serena noticed two riddles. She frowned slightly as she read each one. One of them was beautiful. A symbol of snow, of course, which took her seconds to work out. It was an easy guess because snow was known to be unique and far more beautiful than rain, hail or any other thing that seemed to fall from the sky. Her paternal grandma often said to her, "You're special, like a snowflake." whenever she seemed to question why she was so different from her brother or many of her other relatives. A smile crossed her face as she thought about the riddle and more important, her grandmother. It was truly beautiful. That was the way she would go- Wait-

Her eyes turned to read the other riddle, simply out of curiosity. The smile on her face fell. The words jumped out of her like an arrow hitting her heart. The colour drained from her face a little as she read them.

Buried... Deadly... Bone...

What sort of riddle was this?!? Her heart pretty much leapt out of her chest. Of course no one would go that way, it sounded terrifying. Why would anyo- Wait- People were going that way. Serena overheard some people talking. Something about a beach and the sand. Sand? Right, that made sense. Sand... made sense. Ah yes, the Professor mentioned somewhere warm, perhaps a beach. That was definitely better than being buried alive or turned to bone in some deadly atmosphere. It was sort of a relief to think of a beach but not by much.

Serena took a deep breath. You can do this... She told herself trying to steady her beating heart and her shaky breathe. Exhaling slowly, she took another deep breathe and turned towards the back of the train. She would go that way. Hopefully it would just be a beach and they could enjoy a pleasant trip to the sandy shores of the coast. But if there was anything deadly about it, she would be there. She would protect the first years. She had to.

She walked up, hearing the voice of a guy in front of her. She recognised him from around the Common Room last year but couldn't put a name to his face. His words, however, were just as morbid as her emotions. "To keep us distracted", he said... And Serena could not help but agree. Another boy spoke up, asking the question that Serena was hoping no one would... He had noticed everyone's tension - well, everyone who was a second year student.

"No, not really. We're all as clueless as you, I imagine," Serena spoke up, answering the boy's question, "But let's just say that we've learnt a lot from our first year at Hogwarts..." She replied, before looking at his paranoid face and sighing. Her words were probably not helping. She smiled softly, "Don't worry, it will be fine," I hope, anyway... "I'm Serena, by the way." She introduced herself to the younger boy and those she didn't know before looking over to the other people nearby and smiling, "Hey everyone," as she looked around she spotted Reid, who she was relieved to see. He was one of the few familiar faces, "Hey Reid," Serena's tone was friendly, full of relief but perhaps it lacked the usual excitement she had when she saw him. They were doing this again... After everything... And like always, she feared for his safety as well as everyone else's around. Serena stepped closer to him and moved to give him a hug, "You okay?" She asked him as she did so. There were a number of first years that she had never seen before, they would need the older year students' assistance. Continuing to look around, she spot Dorothy too, who she had met on occasion, though she was pretty sure the last time she had scolded her so the girl probably did not like her... "Shafiq," She said with a curt nod, out of politeness for the pureblood and their family connections.

ACTIONS: Enter room at the back of the train, with the answer 'sand' to the riddle.

Interacts with the back of train crew

Everything was a challenge. Claryssa. That was all Marissa could think about. Sadly a few weeks into the summer holiday, her twin sister had died. It was consuming, drowning her in depression and despair. But nevertheless, Mari’s mother talked her into going on the new year trip. Hufflepuff had won a house cup and was being gifted, but a trip seemed.. off. The last trip she went on ended up in the forest being set up in flames and many casualties to take care of. She just hoped this time no one would be harmed.

Marissa dragged her bags onto the train, either the bags were too heavy or she was too tired. Dark bags were ynder her eyes, showing the lack of sleep she has had for the past month. She looked around to see where everyone was splitting off to and decided to go to the back of the train. Marissa stayed quiet as the others talked about what it meant, but already knew that the riddle’s answer was sand. They were going somewhere with sand. Luckily she had brought a swimming costume with her, either that or getting left out. As the others talked, she recognised two people. Reid Kovacs and Serena Towers. Two well known hufflepuffs, especially Serena. Marissa remembered the time when she pulled the girl away from the fire. Good times.

ACTION: Enter room at the back of the train. Finding out the answer to the riddle is ‘sand’.

Fear is a natural, basic instinct. Fear is necessary because fear is what tells you that something is dangerous, that something should not be touched, something should be avoided, that something was wrong. Fear is the thing that keeps all of us alive. Arthur was right of course, there was something off with many of the students. While nothing could be proven, only assumed, the adventures of a one Solomon Lear, former head of House Hufflepuff seemed to end in either fire or blood. Experience or perhaps in some cases also a sixth sense told them that they needed to be careful, that they needed to be aware. It was a good sense to have because it was what would keep them alive.

Yes, Solomon Lear was always afraid.

Arthur Morgan, a first year was among the first to enter. This would be his first excursion, his first adventure. Something to be excited over, after all he was in a school of MAGIC. School is a place where he should be safe. A place where he and many other first years such as Laila and Riley also. Of course Solomon knew better and the second years had an inkling but for all the wrong reasons. Indeed, there was something dangerous afoot and a creeping dark sense of fear had gripped his consciousness some time ago. These kids needed to run. They needed to get out of here. The Professors would not heed his warning, so he would send them away without their consent. He would keep them safe.





Simple. Too simple for Professor Lear. "Rock, shell, and bone... It must be talking about sand... Do you think that means we're going to the beach?" Arthur was right, the answer was SAND. Why Sand? Why anything at all?

Arthur would find himself in the company of a cute girl who might have packed enough stuff to hold her over for the semester rather than a few days. "I don't think it is a beach" the also relatively unknown first year announced. If her words a color, it would be hard to read because it would resemble a neon candy that seared the poor Professors eyes ears.

"Buried beneath I am deadly, a rock, shell and bone medley. A brickless castle, bringer of a dream. Countless I am by the stream... I think it's telling us where we're going to go." Arthur repeated, sharing his logic as he did so.

"Because I'm not sure if a beach has a lake." Laila made a fair point as she read a bit deeper into the poem. "It also says a brickless castle. Whatever that means. But we can just say for now that the riddle is not  talking about a beach. I'm not that good at solving riddles anyway." She would reason.

"Um.. I mean, I think the 'castle' probably refers to sandcastles, don't you think?" the first year boy replied, pointing out the symbolic meaning of the prose. "Anyway, where are you getting 'lake' from?" Arthur inquired. "Of course, it doesn't have to be a beach. There's lots of places with sand. It could be a desert or a river too." He continued on verbalizing the possibilities.

Rather than a random meeting in a hall, a corridor or the great hall this would be a meeting on a train. Hopefully just as mundane (it would not be). "I'm Lailaflora Ruby by the way but you can call me Laila. I'm pretty excited about this trip. Who knows what will happen. If we do end up going to the beach, I'm going to try to collect every sing seashell I can." She was excited at the very least, her heart set on a beach. "Or what if we end up in an ancient  unexplored castle with a stream right infront of the entrance, and then we have to swim our way across. That would be cool." Or a place too dangerous for eleven year olds."What if that is what the riddle is talking about? An ancient unexplored castle? With a bunch of shells. It all adds up doesn't it? To the answer of the really difficult riddle" She might be overthinking it just a smidgen.

"I'm Arthur. Nice to meet you!" It was time for pleasantries, they were not in immediate or obvious peril. Not yet at the very least. Worst case as far as Arthur would know would be boredom but everything was coming up Millhouse for him. Arthur got to meet a pretty blonde girl and there was a prospective beach trip on the horizon. In a few years he will be practically praying that they are being taken on a beach trip.

"Right then...well this should be rather interesting now shouldn't it. Hopefully this doesn't go the way of the camp out..."

Right, the camp out. The camp out was sort of a Hufflepuff dark legacy. Something one Huffle would mention to another about that night when the darkness came and they huddled together to fought the encroaching darkness with light. Alone they were vulnerable but together they were able to defeat the intangible and the fearsome. That was what they learned even if they hardly realized.

"Well either one we pick somethin's bound to happen right?"

But children were by nature curious and perhaps masochists. Even with the realization that something would happen. The concern that it might be something terrible they had already resolved that they would solider on. That they would explore, poke their head into dens of vipers and that they would risk their lives for almost nothing. He had seen it in action more than once with these children. Perhaps it was something in their blood, a lust for adventure. A foolhardy response to danger. Something Solomon was trying to methodically remove from them.

There were some cautious glances, Solomon caught them all. The subdued greetings seemed to echo his troubled consciousness. "Sorry, excuse me," Reid announced as he squeezed through a narrow opening between a pair of students. Solomon let out a sigh as he watched the former Head Boy meander through the crowd of students and make his way towards the door that would lead to the caboose. The frown-lines in either side of his mouth would deepen. He held sympathies for the boy, this was not the place for him. Not the place for any of them.

"Pardon me, pardon me." Dorothy, another survivor announced as she made her way deeper into the car. She looked tired, Solomon understood the feeling. He swallowed hard. This was never easy. 

The riddle had already been solved by the time Reid and Dorothy arrived. Reid saw a riddle within a riddle as he asked an odd question. "Riddles?... What are the riddles for?"

Why not? Should have been the answer but some knew better.

The riddles were not there to trick them. They were there to separate them. A difficult riddle would have delayed progress and if anything Solomon desired their egress from this main car.

"Trying to keep us distracted." Howard announced a grim theory. Howard was right of course, Solomon was a dangerous man. Looks were deceptive, on the surface he appeared to be an elderly eccentric. Few knew his actual age, only forty-four, forty-five in a few months. Mister Yornikovych was actually his senior by a few years. Time had not been kind to Solomon not that anyone would ever ask why. Not that anyone would ever realize or understand. There were hints in his twisted games, it was not on purpose but rather a compulsion. For those that remembered him a year ago, prior to the events that led him to this descent into madness, would remember a happier and a kinder man. There was a dark sadness then as well, he had lost a great deal before coming to Hogwarts. But that was the problem, he still had something left to lose. The most terrible of things could be done with the greatest of intentions and expectations.

The room was well-lit but simple, almost utilitarian. How odd.

"Hey you think there's another riddle on the next one?" Arthur would ask as he pulled his duffel bag from the luggage rack so it wasn’t left behind. The boy was young but he noticed things, like the tension in Howard. It was as if someone has inserted a broom handle up where the sun did not shine and he was coughing up splinters.

“Um.. By the way... Is there something going on that we don’t know about? It’s just, I don’t know, it seems like everyone’s a little.. Tense? I guess?” Arthur would finally ask. Tension being an understatement really. The second years were hardened veterans in many cases.

"Yeah, there is.  These don't end well.  Ever." The second year girl announced from behind the back. Her name was Dorothy and she looked like she needed brains.

The Head Girl was there also, of course she was. Serena Towers, an exemplary Huffle in every way. But also a bit broken like the rest of them. "No, not really. We're all as clueless as you, I imagine," Serena piped up. She was lying of course, she KNEW better even if she did not want to believe it. "But let's just say that we've learnt a lot from our first year at Hogwarts..." She kept it vague, like the adults. Pretty and wrapped in a bow. No distress. A white lie. No need to fear.

That was the problem of course, not a lack of courage but rather a lack of truth. "Don't worry, it will be fine," she reassured Arthur. Her reassurances were going to get the boy killed. It was something fostered in childhood wasn't it -- that lies were fine. That lies were what protected people but that was actually the problem, lies distorted reality, hid danger until it was unavoidable and threatened to fracture what little trust one might have.

"I'm Serena, by the way." if Arthur died at least now he would know her name. Who to blame. She would greet the others also "Hey everyone." Reid of course got as special greeting and a hello. [Ship] "Hey Reid." Reid was off, down as were most second years. Cautious... wary. "You okay?"

"Shafiq," she acknowledged the girl but did not seem to acknowledge the pre-teen's undead-like state.

"What do you mean, things like these don't end well?" Laila asked, looking into Dorothy words of warning. Perhaps she was seeking clarification. No, that was not it."Don't worry Arthur, she was probably just joking." Laila reassured Arthur, not knowing for certain that it was safe. Mere presumption and speculation. No, it would appear that the young blonde was seeking to refute the notion that there might be danger. But why? Why would someone ignore the warnings. To put someone's mind at ease? Perhaps now was not the time to relax, to be without fear or concern. No, this was that moment in horror movies where you have a mysterious, potentially older, potentially one-eyed (maybe next year) stranger would warn the motley crew of teens to avoid that abandoned cabin in the woods, that empty hotel they would be caring for the entirety of winter or that 'haunted' house at the end of the street.

Let's change the subject. "Hey, are you thirsty or something? You seem a little tired. I don't blame you. I wake up early some days and I'm really tired when I do. If you are thirsty, you could ask Professor Lear for some water. I'm sure he'll give you some." Laila offered Dorothy Solomon's apparent lunch-lady services. Dorothy could try, but Solomon was fresh out of water. He has some whiskey but Ackerley was still in power, doubtful he would be thrilled with option. "I'm Lailaflora Ruby by the way. I'm really excited about the trip are you?" The most talkative Hufflepuff asked.

And continued to ask. "Where do you think we're going to? Have you seen the riddle? Do you know what the answer to the riddle is? Do you think the answer to the riddle is where we are going to? ...It's fine if you don't know the answer. The riddle is really difficult. In my opinion. I hope Professor Lear will tell us the answer when we get to where we're going to. Then we will be able to know if any of us got the answer right"

"You were at the Lock-in, yes?  What's your name again?" Dorothy would ask Howard. Yes, they had adventured together once before but they had taken separate paths and suffered very different adventures. Did Howard keep it? The necklace that spoke to him in the dark? Probably not, too creepy. In fact Howard had a thing with attracting monsters as of late and there was a new darkness growing inside of him even if he did not realize it just yet but it was festering there now.

Marissa would join the group as Howard gripped the handle of the door and it would feel warm, almost hot. As he turned the handle, which would easily give way to the mildest of pressures and the door would swing outwards.

Beyond the simple, well furnished car was a space larger than it should have been. A large sandy ...castle? Yes, he would find himself looking at a life-sized sand castle. The room a simple sitting room, however there appeared to be a passageway that would lead the curious out of sight. A childhood dream: a life-sized sand castle.





Perhaps they were wrong. Solomon was a really nice guy and he actually was taking them on a vacation, an adventure or giving them an actual reward that was not a near-death experience. It looked nice, comfortable even. It was a bit warmer than the car that they were in presently but the balmy air would be a nice change from the chilly Scottish air this past week.

Adventure awaits beyond this point. Best of luck.

=========

Quinn would make his way to towards the engine side of the car. Much like the notice on the back read by Arthur, another note was on the front. Quinn would hear the same murmurs of concern and worry, he would have his own as well. He lived through it, a lock-in that is. 





"Plummeting from the heavens, T'is more lovely than rain, So unique there are no two, That are ever the same." A young girl, second year read the riddle out-loud. She likely better known than the red head already there as she was a House Prefect and by the looks of things she was not privy to the details of this adventure either. Her name was Amadea, a weird name that nobody could spell right but hopefully more than a few could pronounce it.

Again, this riddle was almost painfully easy. Perhaps Lear was losing his touch. "Well this a very simple riddle now isn't it?... Quite simple then, the answer is most likely snow flakes, it has to be. They from the sky, are more beautiful then rain, and every one is completely unique." The young second year concluded, also solving this riddle with ease.

"Ah yes! A snowflake, of course!" She exclaimed, mystery solved. Ami joined the group just then, the conclusion her starting point but not really. That riddle was simple. TOO SIMPLE. There had to be more. This little group was growing slower than the other party, Quinn being a chick magnet in this situation -- who would have thought. 

"Ha. Snowflake. Get it? Because Frost and snowflakes?" Frost let out a laugh, everything was still funny for her. The fact that she had joined TEAM GINGER and the fact that she could liken her name to the answer of the riddle. Professor Lear's adventures in Frost's experience were not particularly traumatic. Actually, the opposite, things went well for her. There was a snarky dragon-like creature that chatted their ear off. They wandered through the caverns without incident, occasionally finding a riddle or a puzzle to solve as a team. Almost as if that was what was supposed to happen. Then of course, why was the experiences of the others so drastically different?

It took her a second but she was able to finally read the room. "Okay, okay. I'm done now."

Ami would reach for the door, the handle would feel cold in her grip. She would twist the knob in a simple, almost effortless motion and the door would open outward.

Riley joined just in time to see it with the others. The next car was a veritable winter wonderland. A space larger than a car should conceivably be blanketed in a thick layer of snow that was packed down. Pillars of ice would hold up what would appear to be a smooth sheet of snow held aloft only by the skill of an unknown snow artisan. The space was well lit, candles housed within blocks of ice. If they stepped inside it would be cool but not terribly cold. Something that could be tolerated with a sweater or a light jacket really but certainly not the place for shorts and tank-tops. If nothing else Marian was adequately clothed for this excursion.



It actually looked pretty nice. Smooth, clean corners and a modern atmosphere. A bit mature perhaps, not that there was a stripped pole or anything but it looked like the room was a bar room not a common room intended for children to run about in. Still, it did thus far look more like a reward than an adventure where they would have to fight for their lives.

=============================

As Dorothy had so eloquently put it: Sand and Snowflakes. So that was how he planned to kill them.

Solomon would not move towards either door. None of the teachers came. Good, that means that there would be no means to stop him. It was time to end this charade once and for all. "Ah hahaha!" He tried to put on a jovial face. "Adventure awaits, pick a door. ANY door!" Just leave this car, that being the unspoken message at the very least. He was up to something, but what?

Mentions: Engine crew

Blue. Blue as far as the eye could see. That was what Marian's first sight of the room beyond the door was. She didn't see much from over the (small) crowd of people that she stood behind, but as they moved forward, Marian noticed a slight tempature change to cold, the perfect tempature for the outfit she wore. She puled her knitted beanie down and stepped into the ice room.

She felt her sneakers becoming moist and looked down at the floor, which was blanketed in a sheet of snow. "Ugh! I should have worn boots!" Remembering that she had boots in her trunk, she pulled out her precious boots. She bent down and quickly switched shoes, trying not to set her feet on the snow-covered floor.

Feet now warm and comfortable, she realized the room was much larger than it should have been. She shrugged this off as normal magic, probably an enlarging spell.

It seemed that ice was the main building material for the room, from the ice sculptures to the ice chairs and sofas. Good thing Marian brought winter clothes!

From what Marian had heard about Professor Lear's adventures, this seemed too - safe. She looked around, still in awe of the beauty of the room, and mentally prepared herself for the adventure yet to come.

Action: Step into the room with the crowd and change into boots.
Inventory:

Reducio

Wearing:
undergarments (duh)
socks
boots
skinny jeans
belt
yellow sweater
locket
black beanie

Holding:
Wand
Trunk-

Reducio

1 sweater
3 t-shirts
1 cold shoulder top
2 tank tops
2 pairs of leggings
2 pairs of jeans (high waisted skinny, boot cut)
2 belts
2 pairs of shorts
2 pairs of pj pants
1 pair of long black robes
1 pair of short red robes
1 pair of long yellow robes
swimsuit + cover up + towel + goggles
winter coat
herbology gloves
Hufflepuff pin
undergarments
10 pairs of socks
Hufflepuff scarf
straw hat
Sandals
rain boots
sneakers
flats
2 quills
1 inkwell
excessive amounts of paper
sketchbook
3 muggle pencils
1 muggle pocketknife
toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, hairties, ect.)
Sleeping bag
quilt
sheet
pillow