The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS

Interacting
@Percival Gray
Hufflepuff Pack
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Willow had very few enemies, very few voices that made her blood curdle as soon as she heard them. One of those voices was the one of Percival Gray. The cocky, arrogant, downright rotten pureblood that she couldn't stand. But for probably the only time in her life, she was relieved to hear it. Relieved to hear that some part of Slytherin was there, wanting to help. Her voice yelled through the wall as loud as she could. "You arrogant genius. It was the Quidditch Pitch. You insulted me after I caught you flying alone. You've gotten to fly for most of your life and I haven't. You were too good for supervision." She still thought he was an idiot for what he did. "I have to go. We're going to go find Ethen. Professor Browne is with us." She looked between the wall and the pack before joining the group.

As the group continued on she couldn't help but shudder as she examined the scene that lay before them. Her hand tightened around Lydia's. Willow had no idea what the Confirmation sign meant, but that memory had already faded as she saw marks of someone being dragged through where they were. For once Willow remained silent, physically unable to speak as her throat started to close up with the idea that they might already be too late. All she could do was follow and keep her spell going, her mind couldn't even think of anything else to do.
Action || Maintaining Lumos ☁
Image posted by the member

"I don't know whether to cry or scream or do both. It feels like I've done more than enough of both. And it feels like I haven't done enough." - Mason Deaver
Stamina 12 ∴ Evasion 12 ∴ Strength 5 ∴ Wisdom 12 ∵ ArcPower 10 ∵ Accuracy 15
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
@Howard White & @Serena Towers

Atlas was not far ahead, the scent of her hair and her clothes lingered in the air. Howard rushed down the stone stairs in pursuit. Atlas was unwilling to wait, but Howard was as resilient and as persistent as any bloodhound and he was covering ground. He did not waste time attempting to enter the doors that held nothing but forgotten supplies and dead ends, their scent was not there. It was Atlas that he could smell. He was her aroma that he pursued and with haste he would lead his house deeper into the dungeons.

"There are footsteps leading this way."

Howard would announce as he passed a battered chair and strange markings that were left by someone with a slipping grip on reality. More truths to be left, how the crones that inhabited this place almost two years ago had infested this darkness with madness. How some, such as Kaegen Deathmore succumbed to their dark impulses, to their paranoia. That it was the mechanisms of man, not crone that riddled these darkened passageways with traps. With terrible lures. Where many others, besides the ragged boy that was recovered, had met a terminal fate. Where Howard had been lured.

His torch would illuminate the wicked space occupied by a madman. They were in a large open space that was cluttered with litter. A back scratcher was placed against a wall. Several mason jars, most empty but there were several that had contents -- one was half full of dirt and a rather chubby, sadly deceased earth worm, another had a smaller mason jar stored safely inside and the third was filled with dark, dirty, snarled hair as well as what appeared to be toenail clippings. There was also half, yes half a stool. Two legs, padded top, split in half, the other half mysteriously absent. There were feathers and tangled snarls of hair. Black splotches on the ground, from Atlas' left, leading back to the stairs.

The walls of the dungeon were a concern as well. The walls were adorned with 'paintings', drawn with chalk. There was heavy favoritism on drawing eyes. There are a total of four exits in this room. The one from which they came. Over the archway would be a single marking: an X.
The second to the right would have the word HOME written above the threshold. The door was open and a glint of colored glass, many pieces of glass would meet her gaze. The third, the center passageway would have the nothing written over or near the door but there was a curious array of footprints in white dust that led to and from the passageway immediately in front of her. The fourth was a door, an open door made of wood secured with iron. A foul smell came from that direction, like rotted meat. Something was written on the door: NOBODY IS HOME.

Serena was near, she had followed Howard down those stairs, Lumos in hand. The light cast by the pair of wizards kept the vestiges of darkness at bay. She was concerned still for Pizza Rat, she would attempt to Accio Food but alas the rat's namesake would not be enough to summon the creature. However one could wonder if Accio Pizza Rat would have proved to be effective. That said, Pizza Rat was a domesticated vermin and if there was no love there, the girl was still it's meal ticket. Pizza Rat was not going anywhere.

There was no food to be found within a reasonable distance, so none would be summoned regardless of the girl's successes or lack thereof.

This is where possibly Atlas and Howard's path's would diverge. There would be a faint, familiar aroma, that of a one @Ethen Emrys. That would be to the right, almost hidden beneath the stronger scent of cleaning products. To the right he scent of death and Atlas.

Serena would see something scurry. Where most girls would be taken aback, the notion of vermin often revolting, Serena Towers might find herself hopeful. Indeed, straight ahead she would see something small with a thin, long tail and a meaty body that ran close to the ground and preferred to walk along walls and stay to the shadows.
Serena see's Pizza Rat in the room straight ahead.
______________

@Willow Anderson, @Henry Knight & @Scarlet Salvatore

The duo tumbled into the hall, having ripped the door open and rushing past Percival. The hall was not filled with spiders, however there was that distinct risk, one that had not given the duo pause as they found liberation through a door they forced open. They would fall to Willow's feet, the teen standing on the immediate other side.

"You arrogant genius. It was the Quidditch Pitch. You insulted me after I caught you flying alone. You've gotten to fly for most of your life and I haven't. You were too good for supervision."

Her reply too late for Henry and Scarlet's successful escape, so Percival had no opportunity to yield. Yes, it was either Willow or someone that shared her memories, her experiences and sentiments towards a one Percival Gray.

"I have to go. We're going to go find Ethen. Professor Browne is with us."

The duo would land on her feet as Willow made her parting words. The light from the tip of her wand would bathe them in a safe, warm glow. Willow could not stay and gawk at the ridiculous display. Ethen was still missing, her housemates had already started off without her and she needed to follow the rest of the badgers.
Willow maintains Lumos
Roll: Not needed, refer to Wisdom
Onward to adventure and perhaps failure, Willow could not stay.
Scarlet & Henry start prone in the hall.
A skylight of sorts, however there was no sky but rather the eviscerated contents of the once cozy den intended to house badgers had spilled their contents in the hall. Badgers too slow and disoriented to move on remaining (those who have not posted since falling). The area rugs, baubles and broken bits of furniture lay scattered through the passageway. A mess that was not there minutes earlier. A scar in the sky that was newly formed.
Willow made her way to the stairs


Willow was between the explorers who forged ahead and the badgers that lingered in her wake as well as the newly opened door to the Slytherin Commons.
________________

Atlas Reid

She was not about to stop for anyone and in spite of the fact that the others, at least those who posted, were in pursuit, she would not wait. Her haste might prove to be her downfall as she recklessly explored the dark and distant passageways that served as an underelly for this school. She would veer off to the right, the simple make0-shift sign called to her perhaps.

The scent of blood and rot would meet her. Musty and foul, it would be the long-dead and rotting rats on the floor that would be the source of that stink. There was a net on the ground, whatever it once contained had long ago fled or was removed.

Behind her was a large leaden weight that was knocked onto its side. It was next to the door and it appeared to be quite heavy. Tied around its middle area, crude, rough rope that had been tied in several places it would seem to make a long enough of a length to run from the odd, leadened object resembled a poorly cared for bust or the visage of someone so unfortunate that such a description of their likeness was apt, to the ceiling where it would appear that a wooden gear was crudely affixed to the ceiling. A trap which was already sprung and already escaped, she would be left to guess or determine what had happened weeks if not months prior to her exploration.

Words scrawled roughly on the wall in what appeared to be unmolested chalk too high for the girl to comfortably reach that said Home Sweet Home. The door left just slightly ajar, the faint smell of cleaning products would permeate from that space.
Atlas is alone in a room with dead rats, no Ethen still. There is a door in front of her. It is unlocked.
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
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Interacting with: No one specifically but loud enough for anyone nearby to hear
Where in the name of Bodrig were they going? She looked around, trying to figure out why such a place even existed in the castle walls. It was kind of... creepy. Then again, everyone had heard about the Chamber of Secret and what existed within the walls. If that could exist then perhaps these creepy corridors were nothing in comparison. What caught her attention the most was the words everywhere. She could not help but wonder who wrote them and for what purpose. The shadow thing did not look like it really had the capability of writing words but she could be very wrong - it did supposedly have a face, after all, and the capability to actually give gifts apparently.

Every thought she had about the creepiness of this place vanished as soon as she saw what looked like a familiar brown rat. "Pizza!" Serena exclaimed suddenly without any warning whatsoever as a glimmer of hope hit her. She was pretty sure she saw him scurrying around in the dungeons and that was enough for her to follow her instincts. She gripped her wand, letting the light lead the way. Without hesitation, Serena had burst into a dash, running straight for the room straight ahead and towards the rat. She did not bother to explain where she was going or why she was screaming for pizza. Those who knew would understand most likely. The others probably thought she was just hungry and imagining food. True friends would understand. It honestly did not matter if the others followed or not at this point. She needed to save Pizza. She could catch up with them afterwards, right? But if she lost Pizza Rat now, she could lose him for good.

If it was him, nothing but relief would surge through her body as she leaned down, after approaching him, "Hey buddy, you okay? Come on, let's get out of here," She would say softly, offering her hand for him to climb onto. Assuming the rat is in fact Pizza Rat, it likely would obey her and climb onto her palm but if it was another rat, welp... Hopefully, she would recognise her rat on approach but if not, let's just blame the creepy darkish dungeons for her lack of observation skills and this ultimate betrayal.
ACTION: Going straight to Pizza (Maintaining Lumos)
Stamina: 10 | Evasion: 13 | Strength: 1 | Wisdom: 15 | Arcane Power: 5 | Accuracy: 10
Abilities: Part-Goblin, Evasive Maneuvers, Beastmaster
Fifth-Year Armour: +10% auto-dodge on attacks [=20% auto-dodge overall]

PC: Serena Towers | iNPC: Arjan Oberoi | Other: Hjørdis Jensen & Xiomara Torres
Part-Goblin | Evasive Maneuvers | Beastmaster | Paragon of Health
Sta: 10 | Eva: 17 | Str: 3 | Wis: 15 | Arc Power: 10 | Acc: 15
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
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Interacting: @Scarlet Salvatore | Loki | @Willow Anderson
Mentioning: @Victor Moore | Hufflepuff
Languages: English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian
Outfit | Pendant
Henry ducked under Gray's human shield of the door then pushed as hard as he could with Scarlet, his feet slipped underneath him as he pressed himself harder aginest the door determined to get it open.

A click then the door opened up sending the third year falling outside of the common room, Loki jumped from.his shoulder and landed a foot in front. The feline looked at his owner, giving a short meow as Heney looked up and saw the hufflepuff prefect and dueling co captain.

"What happened here? Is there anyone hurt?" Henry called after the girl as he scrambled to his feet, Loki climbed up and retool his spot on the teens right shoulder. Henry watched the hufflepuff go down the dungeon, turning toward Scarlet as he spoke " I'm going to follow her, there could be someone who needs help but you stay safe," Henry placed a hand on her shoulder before continuing " I'll be back, I promise but stay safe, alright?" Henry nodded toward her a he held his mayhaw wand in his hand and turned on his heel.

Rumble and hufflepuff students layer scattered around them, the third year looked around before finding his eyes looking above. At the gapping hole.

"Bloody hell."

Henry took a guess that hufflepuff was attacked and it ended awful with their commom room torn apart. The teen bit his lower lip and looked over his shoulder at the slytherin common room, blaming Victor Moore for what occurred.
He thought if they got out sooner or delivered them warnings or help then perhaps this wouldn't have happened but Victor Moore said the opposite...

Henry was a sudden surge to go back and punch the kid in the face, the memories of the people he cared about who were in hufflepuff flashing through his mind. The thought that they could be hurt, couldn't sit well with the third year. Henry closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath to focus his mind before reopening them.

The teen ran forward attempting to follow Willow and the other hufflepuffs, he thought because they couldn't help before then perhaps they could help now.
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~Stats~
Stamina
6
Evasion
6
Strength 5
Wisdom 11
ArcPower
6
Accuracy 8
~Race & Abilities~
~ Werewolf Radical Abilities
~ Prodigal Charms Learner
~Inventory~
~ Wand
~ Loki - Sitting on Henry's right shoulder
Action: following Willow down the dungeon, panicking, worrying about what Scarlet and him were going into, wondering if anyone was hurt or worse...
Last edited by Henry Knight on 21 Dec 2021, 16:57, edited 2 times in total.

"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
Howard would continue to let his senses guide him as he stayed in hot pursuit of the lost Badgers. Long legs would quickly carry him down the stairs and into another room. It was clear that he was not the only one who had been lured to the dark bowels of the ancient castle. Whether they sought power like himself or another sinister need, it was obvious that those drawn to the darkness had flocked here like moths to a flame. A quick thought would race through his mind as he allowed his senses to explore the room. Where were the Hags? He was sure this was the same place, but even though the dungeons still carried a vile note he could no longer feel their presence and he was thankful for it. Although their dark magic and terrible presence could shake the strongest of people, he had to admit that there was a part of him that was fascinated by them. Howard shook the thought away. Find Ethen. Stay focused.

With torch held high he would see several passageways that branched off from the room in all directions. Whoever had last occupied this place seemed to have abandoned it or perhaps it simply reflected their current state of mind. Most of the passages had words written above them. HOME...NOBODY IS HOME...X What could they mean? Again he would shake his head as he let the words of Professor Browne play over in his head. He needed to trust his senses. First they would hear Serena's footsteps as she followed nearby, but she would dart off the moment she found her rat. "Leave it, Serena. Stay close." Howard spoke in a harsh whisper, but he should have known better. Nothing could have stopped her from reuniting with her pet and there was no time to argue. His nose would rise into the air as he focused on the scents. He quickly sorted past Serena's and would catch a trail of Atlas's. He was tempted to follow until the faintest of notes passed his nostrils. "Ethen!" Howard whispered to himself.

The scent drew him to the right. To the passageway marked HOME. A quick pang of panic would flitter through his chest at the idea of leaving Serena and Atlas alone in such a dark and dangerous place. However, Ethen had to take priority. "ATLAS! SERENA! I THINK I'VE FOUND ETHEN!" Howard bellowed in hopes they would hear. "GO BACK TO THE MAIN ROOM! TAKE THE PASSAGE MARKED HOME! I'M GOING AFTER HIM!" It was all he could do before he darted off in hopes to find his lost comrade.
Action: Taking the passage marked HOME. Attempting to hold Ethen's scent.
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
Dan had to nearly sprint to keep up with everyone running. Thankfully, Dan was a seasoned gamer and seeker, so he was very well trained in the art of operating his direction and strategy based on brief flickers of movements.
A shock of Scarlet's hair here, a brief glimpse of Henry's foot there, sometimes going only off of sound. Dan was able to follow through it all.

Though he could have done this for a lot longer, he still knew nothing about what was going on, where they were going, or anything on the situation at all.

"Oi!! Can the lotta ye slow down a shaggin' minnit and tell me what's goin' on, 'r where we're goin'?!"

It was at this moment that it dawned on Dan that they may be going into serious danger, and he was extremely glad he left Loki on his bed. If anything happened to his kitty, Dan would probably go into kill mode, and obliterate whatever caused it. This wouldn't be a simple high heel shoe to the eye. If anyone hurt Loki, there would be no trace of who did it other than possibly a stain or burn mark on the floor and walls.

"Seriously!! A bloody sitrep or anythin'! Speak up, will ye!"
Mentioning @Henry Knight @Scarlet Salvatore
Interacting with... I guess anyone and everyone who would respond to him?
Actions: Using Seeker and Gamer sight to follow the Search Party. Not wanting to be in the dark anymore.
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
Image posted by the member
Her decision to not wait around for the larger group had, thus far, not yielded any negative results. But at the same time, she didn’t exactly feel that she was any closer to actually finding Ethen. But how could she? Until she actually saw the boy unharmed, she would keep that pit in her stomach. That creeping anxiety continued to grow and she knew if she did not make progress, it would threaten to overtake her better sense. But what could she do but press forward. She felt like she had to be the one to find Ethen, but, at the end of the day, she just wanted him to be found safe and she wouldn’t even entertain the thought of some other conclusion.

Starting tentatively down the foul smelling path, she had a slight hope that she would find the boy but her movements became slightly more cautious in the rather ominous aura of these stale rooms. The festering scent of blood wasn’t exactly the kind of welcome that would keep her at ease but she also wasn’t the type of girl to be scared by the mere prospect of danger. No, it would take far more than that to push her from her pursuit.

With Lumos still lighting her way, she would see decaying rats along the floor and she assumed they were the likely culprits for the rank odor. But she also wondered what had felled the small creatures. It seemed curious that there would just be random rotting rats strewn across the floor. Her eyes slowly traced along the outlines of a discarded net. Again, the items she came across only opened more questions. Like who would need a net in a school of magic, and for what… But nothing would give her the answers to the questions that now swirled about her curious mind.

As she studied the room further, it appeared that a some semblance of a trap had once existed in this room. She assumed it was very old, left over from some prank or mischief. Why else would there be a trap in such a hellish but abandoned place? Part of her wondered how long it had been since it had been last used. But her mind would quickly take her elsewhere and back to the task at hand. She would have time to wonder about these strange vile rooms later.

Scribbled on the wall were the words, ‘Home Sweet Home’. Her eyes remained on the words for a moment. Something or someone had to have written that message. Perhaps it was the same person who crafted this crude trap. It could even have been the apparent rodent serial killer. Or it could have just been some wandering Slytherins who had long ago used this room as some secret hangout spot. Her eyes drifted down to the door in front of her. It was slightly open and there was another, somewhat less foul, odor emanating from the new room. The room of death and mystery normally would have inspired a few moments of closer inspection but she did not have time to play detective. At least not yet. She would keep moving.

Gritting her teeth, Atlas would begin to stride forward towards the new room. She kept her want stretched carefully out in front as she moved to open the door and continue her search.
ACTION: Going through the door in front of her and maintaining Lumos.
Reducio
STATS:
Stamina: 10
Evasion: 1o
Strength: 4
Wisdom: 7
Arc. Power: 7
Accuracy: 10
ABILITIES:
Fearless
Effect: Fear effects such as a dhmpir's aura, the ability terrible presence, a lycanothrope's intimidation or certain charms, potions and jinxes that would normally cause a fear effect do not work on you as you are immune to them.

Stamina: 15 / Evasion: 18 / Strength: 4 / Wisdom: 10 / ArcPower: 7 / Accuracy: 22
Broom: Varapidos
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
This was the place where the party is broken up. Where bad things would likely follow because you never split the party yet here they were doing just that, an open invitation for suffering and death.

Atlas was an unstoppable and unflappable force, seeking her Ethen who had been stolen away. She was not going to stop and listen to reason, wait for allies as she blindly searched the dungeons that Howard White knew better. Serena would find her beloved pet rat, Pizza. The poor, disoriented and terrified creature had merely run ahead into the darkness of the dungeon to be with its kin.

@Serena Towers

"Leave it, Serena. Stay close."

Howard would call after her but he would be ignored.

Serena would rush straight ahead, across the open room to the base of an indoor, dry well. A faint light would come from the well, revealing a broken sheet of tissue paper and an earthen bottom some thirty feet or so below the place where she stood. Odd truly but not a priority, her eyes were on pizza rat.

When the great cheese-giver came bounding through the dungeons, Pizza would stop fleeing as Serena called out its name. Standing on its hind legs, sniffing the air, pizza knew her scent. Quickly pizza would scurry onto her waiting palm, the familiar warmth and safety of her presence. Pizza would grip onto the great cheese-giver and rise with her. She did not know about the dangers of this place, the fearful darkness and terrible nightmares made real in the dungeons. Pizza Rat must defend the great cheese giver...
Serena has been reunited with Pizza Rat
"ATLAS! SERENA! I THINK I'VE FOUND ETHEN!" Howard bellowed in hopes she would hear. "GO BACK TO THE MAIN ROOM! TAKE THE PASSAGE MARKED HOME! I'M GOING AFTER HIM!"

________________

@Henry Knight

Henry spilled out of the common room into the dungeon hall. He would be met by a skylight, the warm glow of a broken Hufflepuff common room and a scattering of broken furnishings, tapestries and personal affects. Some intact, others no so. There were members of the house, sitting there dazed and nursing minor injuries.

Henry would not dally here in this place, in the dim yet sunny glow of the Hufflepuff common room. others had already started to move into the dungeons. A place that Henry had traveled to once before but he did not get very far. He would rush after them. Down a hallway he been down before, armed with knowledge that he knew these corridors better than they and that there were dangers up ahead.

He would past the broken chair he had seen before and meet a flight of stairs. There were voices up ahead.

Reducio
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Scarlet would be there till (as they have not yet posted), prone in the halls. Henry could wait for her but rather he attempted to follow @Willow Anderson. Willow had already left, perhaps he should have called out to her and she would have returned to him but he was faster than she was (because she failed to post). He would find her on the stairs. He knew what came next.

______________

@@Dan Palmer

Dan would not have to run far to find @Scarlet Salvatore, she was laying on the ground uninjured just perhaps lazy or distracted (has not posted). He would pursue Henry who had already began to dash down the hall. Dan, like Henry knew this place. There were a great many dangers that waited for them if they continued further. If that was indeed where Ethen was taken.

Toxic gases once filled these chambers, threatening the lives of his housemates. That was of course more than half a year ago, the air had cleared but there were perhaps greater threats. Threats that even he was unaware of but he had some idea of what was waiting for them. He just needed to rush and catch up.

__________________

@Howard White

The badgers would break rank. Serena rushing forward.

"Leave it, Serena. Stay close."

Atlas rushing off to the right, in the opposite direction Ethen's scent.

"Ethen!"

Howard whispered the boy's name. He would find him. The torch lit room he broke away from, away from the twisted and strange pictures on the wall as he went to the left in opposition of Atlas' chosen path. The scent would draw him on.

"ATLAS! SERENA! I THINK I'VE FOUND ETHEN!"

Howard's nose knew. Like a bloodhound, the predator had the Hufflepuff's scent. he would cry out what he knew, it was a waste to seek glory alone and abandon his friends. "GO BACK TO THE MAIN ROOM! TAKE THE PASSAGE MARKED HOME! I'M GOING AFTER HIM!"

Howard would rush in, the room littered with bottles on either side. Those to the right mostly knocked over and broken. The lingering stink of cleaning products not unlike those under his mother's cupboard.
Howard rushes through the room.
DC 15
Accuracy: (+10) 19
He would easily avoid he bottles, those just barely corked and precariously placed but still upright. The poorly kept stone walls, partially crumbling but that was hardly the point. The halls that followed would Howard two different ways. Old blood to the left and old blood, burnt plastic and something distinctly reminiscent to ode 'de Ethen. The scent was getting stronger, he was on the right path but he was going this alone. He had often done things on his own, perhaps this would be no exception as both Atlas and Serena took their own paths in search of secrets

____________

@Atlas Reid

Atlas had taken a right upon entering this dungeon at the base of the stairs. Away from the hideous images seemingly made by a madman. To a room with a broken net and the skeletal remains of rats. She would move on, breeching the door on the other side.

"ATLAS! SERENA! I THINK I'VE FOUND ETHEN!" Howard bellowed, his voice faint and echoing as she never stopped and waited for him. "GO BACK TO THE MAIN ROOM! TAKE THE PASSAGE MARKED HOME! I'M GOING AFTER HIM!"

Howard would call out to her but would not wait, nor would she. The door just hardly ajar, she would swing the room open and how it would stink. The scent of chloramine gas had long ago dissipated but the lingering scent of bleach remained. The light from her wand would reveal another room made by a mad person. A room through which she would feel air movement but it did not come from the door through which she came.

The room had 'art' on the walls.

Image posted by the member


That covered all four sides, but there was also numbers. Yes, numbers written on the walls in messy, thick writing.

1̵̨̻̤̣̺̫̗̼͕̐͐̆̔̋͂̋͌̕͝ ̴̻̖̖̎̍̽̿2̵̧̛̻̳̠̩̘͈͙͗̑́̊̑̆͗͛̕ ̷͚͕̹̤̥̫͚́͛̈3̸͚̳͕̙̲̭͈͙̜̌̅̕ ̴̡̻́̇̈͋̏̓͒͘4̸̼̈́͗̈́͠


On the floor, more words.

W̴͉̰̘̐̇̉̎̿̓ḩ̴̡͎̺͋͜͜a̴͔̓͆̑͂̐́͜͝t̸̟̼̺̳͎̪̊̈́̃̑͋̕͜ͅ ̶̙͊̑̕͝ͅÌ̷̡͉̙̦̤̪̯̜͐s̸̨̗̼̙̱̉̈̈̄͆̓͘͜ ̸̹̍̂R̴̛̠̪̞̟͊͌́̓e̴̡͉̬̟̻̻̩̤̅͑͗͝͝͠a̸̮̓͌͜͠l̷̤͍̘̗̜͒̓̅


She would know a few things about this room.
1. It was very small. Small enough that if she were to extend his arms, she could touch the walls on either side.
2. There was no door handle, but there were doors on every side of her, not just in front of her but also to the left and the right.
3. She could smell flour.
4. Off to the side of the door was a human-sized bag of flour in a burlap sack that partially blocked the entry.

Indeed, this dungeon was filled with traps that had already been sprung. If she had looked a bit closer, unlike the one who had spring this one, she would see the trip wire and the crude mechanism that had caused a mixture of Ammonia and Bleach which would yield chloramine gas.

What needed to be broken? That was the question to be asked, the answer to be learned. Was there something beyond? Was Ethen hidden deeper still in a place that only appeared to be a dead end? Was Howard right, should she turn back the way she came and follow at his heels of Howard, placing her faith in his untested nose. Should she simply tarry on, cover more ground this way. Save her prince, an inversion of most childhood fairytales from his imprisonment by a dark villain.
Last edited by Victor Moore on 4 Dec 2021, 02:14, edited 1 time in total.
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
[font=Trebuchet MS]
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Open to Interactions
Scarlet pushed at the door out of the common room as hard as she could, she knew Henry would be doing the same, and only hoped that they would both be doing so in time with a lapse in the prefect's (Percival) efforts at keeping the door closed, she saw that as their only chance at finally getting it open.

Budging slightly at first, and allowing Scarlet a glimpse of whatever lie beyond the door, not that she could make anything out, it seemed all the prefect's strength had been used, and as soon as the door had been opened wide enough for the two of them to fit through, they both tumbled out into the hallway, literally in Scarlet's case.

With the door against which all her force was being used against now gone, Scarlet fell onto the cold hard dungeon ground outside the common room, she checked to make sure Henry had also gotten out, she was pretty sure he had, but her gaze first went to him. Then to the pair of shoes in front of them, she followed them up to see one of the Hufflepuff students (Willow) standing over them. The figure didn't hang around long, at least not long enough for any words to be exchanged, Scarlet heard her say something about having to find someone, and that there was a professor down here too, the head of Hufflepuff.

Scarlet began to get to her feet, and as she did, nodding to Henry as she did, that girl clearly knew what had been going on, and it was good for them to stick together. Wait. She didn't want to get left behind. By the time this thought had registered with her, Henry had ran out of sight, she started to follow the path he had taken when she heard another voice was calling out to her from behind.

"Hello?!" she answered back, turning as she did, trying to make out the figure approaching from the shadows, 'please, not that prefect,' she thought to herself, but instead, what she assumed to be a friendly face, emerged from the shadows of the corridor.

"Hey! Good - you got out too, that prefect just given up then," she said with a little smile, "thanks for your help back there" she began, "...eventually" she added jokingly. He helped them in the end, and that's what mattered really, but still.

"Henry and a girl from Hufflepuff went down there," she said, eyeing the corridor that lead deeper into the dungeon, "shall we get after them, I don't quite like the idea of waiting around here anymore, and I need to check on a friend," she said vaguely, referring to Simon. "It doesn't look like the Hufflepuff's are having a good night," she said, "have you seen that?" she added as she pointed at the hole in the ceiling to what she presumed to be the floor of the Hufflepuff common room.
Action: Going after the others
Interacting with @Dan Palmer
Mentions @Henry Knight, @Percival Gray & @Willow Anderson
Stats: Stamina - 4 | Evasion - 4 | Strength - 7 | Wisdom - 9 | Arcane Power - 7 | Accuracy - 4
Race: Werewolf | Abilities: Terrible Presence
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Hex #B22222 | Owner of Scarlet's Custom Aesthetics Shop
Scaret Salvatore | Valentin Everbone
Terrible Presence - STA 4 | EVA 4 | STR 7 | WIS 9 | ARC 7 | ACC 4
The Basement Fall Hufflepuff MS
Image posted by the member
Interacting: Loki
Mentioning: @Scarlet Salvatore | @Dan Palmer | Willow Anderson
Languages: English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian
Outfit | Pendant
Henry crept forward, eyes darting around the darkness. A chill creeped over his spine sending shivers over him, nostrils opened. Sniffing around for any scents or odors.

Henry lost sight of the hufflepuff girl. Scarlet and the slytherin quidditch captain was behind him. Henry is alone only in the accompany of his dear feline, Loki who currently sat up on his right shoulder.

Casting a eye around the darkness Henry thought for a moment, this placed looked familiar.... but from where?

Squinting into the darkness, running his hand along the cold cobblestone wall. The smells flowing around his nose that is when the memory came to him.

Second year. February. The well. The toxic gas....

Henry stopped in his tracks. He took a breath. He hadn't expected to return to the place since last year, he have been actively trying to avoid that place. Trying to have a normal third year, a fun third year with his friends. Going to hogsmeade, eating sweets, studying in the grounds, practicing dueling with his team mates, laughing with friends... normal things that normal magical teenagers did.

Not try to survive deadly challenges or face near death experiences... looking around Henry saw flashes of memories from the prior year.

A look back. A moment of concern for the hufflepuffs ahead but also for Scarlet and rhe quidditch captain behind.

"Scarlet! Captain!"

Henry called out in the darkness behind him. Squinting to spot the pair as his hand started to shake besides him a little. The memories of the gas flooding the dungeons so clear in his mind, the image of Starlee and Santario unconscious... of Bridget telling him to flee.

Henry took a breath, deciding to wait foe the pair as he looked back. Tapping his hand against his leg anxiety flowing through him as he called again.

"Mates, come on! There could be someone injured and we should stick together! Hurry!"

Henry took a breath, trying to push towsrd memories out. Feeling his breayhing quicken at the thought, feeling himself starting to choke a little at the thought.

A breath

A beat

Loki nibbled on his owner's ear, a distraction. Henry smiled toward the feline. Glad he was there as he looked behind him, waiting for the two Slytherin's as he aimed his wand then cleared his throat.
Image posted by the member
~Stats~
Stamina
6
Evasion
6
Strength 5
Wisdom 11
ArcPower
6
Accuracy 8
~Race & Abilities~
~ Werewolf Radical Abilities
~ Prodigal Charms Learner
~Inventory~
~ Wand
~ Loki - Sitting on Henry's right shoulder
Action: casting lumos maxima, waiting for Scarlet and Dan to join him, remembering last year, panicking

"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander