14 Nov 2021, 03:31
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
Place: School corridors and staircases
Date: September 2nd, 2021, Thursday
Time: During the time between classes
Jack was out of sorts. Ruka Burnett - his adopted older brother - had decided to leave Hogwarts and pursue a simple, muggle education instead. Kazuo Shimada, with whom Jack had also shared his Binding Mark, had also left the school.
Furthermore, after the previous night with Victor Moore having apparently come back from the dead and Flash Holmwood having been attacked by Marion Davonport who he believed to be a hag, there was a lot on Jack's mind. He had always used to have someone to talk to about things, even if he detested considering people his friends, but now he didn't think he had ever felt so alone before. Flash's rejection of him and recounting of his past failures hadn't helped.
Thus, the Slytherin redhead was hardly in his right mind when he walked straight into a boy standing in front of one of the moving staircases.
"OOF-! Sorry! I - " He paused, blinking. "Oh...hi, Morris."
No, wait. That wasn't Jake Morris.
The boy was wearing Ravenclaw colors. Jake Morris was a Hufflepuff.
It took Jack a few seconds to clear his clouded mind and try to focus on the person in front of him. He was a younger boy, and though he looked familiar at first, Jack had to do a double-take to realize he didn't know the kid. Jake had been that exact height when he'd been a first year, too, but Jake was a third year now same as Jack and taller, too. So then...who was this boy?
"Sorry," Jack apologized again, feeling twice as foolish as before. "I thought you were...someone else." He glanced up the stairway, wondering what was the hold-up for the kid. "Is uh...something the matter?"
@Eliphas Dune
Last edited by Jack Burnett on 24 Nov 2021, 20:42, edited 1 time in total.
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
14 Nov 2021, 03:52
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
Eliphas stood transfixed as he peered up at the many moving parts that made up the Hogwarts Grand Staircase. All along the walls were innumerable portraits, most of which had habitants as mobile as the stairs themselves, and as he observed the path upwards he felt certain he could hear a couple of them muttering to one another about the silly student stood there like some statue.
He'd climbed them before, of course. The first night, as they ascended to the Ravenclaw Common Room, he'd barely even noticed it at all - the movement that was. He'd been guided to the West Tower alongside the other First Years by the Ravenclaw Prefect. Tired, sore, and already feeling homesick, he'd wanted nothing more than to find a bunk to crash in. Far too preoccupied to pay attention to his surroundings.
Imagine his surprise then, the next morning, when he'd been led down to the Great Hall for breakfast. The stairs moved. Not just creaking underfoot, a shifted floorboard kind of movement, either, they detached themselves and swung around to form new and everchanging paths. Since then he'd only ever scaled or descended them alongside another, usually fellow Ravenclaws headed to classes.
But nobody was here with him this time. Eliphas Dune was alone, left to stare up at that shifting void by himself as he gathered up the guts to put one foot in front of the other. As if on cue, the set of stairs just beyond the first shifted, the sound of stone scratching stone initially rising through the air. The boy shuddered, and shook his head.
It was a little while before his next lesson, Charms, on the Third Floor... But at this rate he wondered if he'd make it there on time at all. How did anyone know when it was safe to step onto the stairs? How did they know they'd be going in the right direction? What if he ended up somewhere he shouldn't be? What if he got lost in some dark corner of the castle, never to be seen again?
Eliphas was stood on the landing atop the first set of stairs, which didn't seem to move so much as the rest. There were multiple paths he could take, several different staircases which could lead him up to the second floor, and then the third. Maybe he just needed to take the first plunge, hop onto the next set of stairs which connected to the landing and--
He found himself knocked out of his thoughts as a fellow student ran into him. Almost immediately the boy turned white as a ghost, and reached out to grasp the stone railing to his side to steady himself. Only one set of stairs had been scaled, yet it felt like a long way down were he to stumble.
The stranger referred to him as Morris, and offered an apology. The misnomer snapped him out of his moment of fright, and he peered up at the older redhead adorned in green-trimmed robes with a new found curiosity. Who was this Morris he spoke of? Seemingly the stranger realized his mistake. Not Morris.
"I.. It's okay," he assured him, catching his breath now that he knew he wasn't going to plummet down to the ground floor below. Then came the question. Eliphas just sort of shrugged, suddenly aware of how stupid his fears likely were in the grand scheme of things. Everyone else seemed to scale the stairs just fine... So why couldn't he?
After a moment, he gestured to the moving parts. "How do you, uh... Know they're not going to move, when you try to climb? he asked. Maybe there was a method to what seemed to be straight madness...
He'd climbed them before, of course. The first night, as they ascended to the Ravenclaw Common Room, he'd barely even noticed it at all - the movement that was. He'd been guided to the West Tower alongside the other First Years by the Ravenclaw Prefect. Tired, sore, and already feeling homesick, he'd wanted nothing more than to find a bunk to crash in. Far too preoccupied to pay attention to his surroundings.
Imagine his surprise then, the next morning, when he'd been led down to the Great Hall for breakfast. The stairs moved. Not just creaking underfoot, a shifted floorboard kind of movement, either, they detached themselves and swung around to form new and everchanging paths. Since then he'd only ever scaled or descended them alongside another, usually fellow Ravenclaws headed to classes.
But nobody was here with him this time. Eliphas Dune was alone, left to stare up at that shifting void by himself as he gathered up the guts to put one foot in front of the other. As if on cue, the set of stairs just beyond the first shifted, the sound of stone scratching stone initially rising through the air. The boy shuddered, and shook his head.
It was a little while before his next lesson, Charms, on the Third Floor... But at this rate he wondered if he'd make it there on time at all. How did anyone know when it was safe to step onto the stairs? How did they know they'd be going in the right direction? What if he ended up somewhere he shouldn't be? What if he got lost in some dark corner of the castle, never to be seen again?
Eliphas was stood on the landing atop the first set of stairs, which didn't seem to move so much as the rest. There were multiple paths he could take, several different staircases which could lead him up to the second floor, and then the third. Maybe he just needed to take the first plunge, hop onto the next set of stairs which connected to the landing and--
He found himself knocked out of his thoughts as a fellow student ran into him. Almost immediately the boy turned white as a ghost, and reached out to grasp the stone railing to his side to steady himself. Only one set of stairs had been scaled, yet it felt like a long way down were he to stumble.
The stranger referred to him as Morris, and offered an apology. The misnomer snapped him out of his moment of fright, and he peered up at the older redhead adorned in green-trimmed robes with a new found curiosity. Who was this Morris he spoke of? Seemingly the stranger realized his mistake. Not Morris.
"I.. It's okay," he assured him, catching his breath now that he knew he wasn't going to plummet down to the ground floor below. Then came the question. Eliphas just sort of shrugged, suddenly aware of how stupid his fears likely were in the grand scheme of things. Everyone else seemed to scale the stairs just fine... So why couldn't he?
After a moment, he gestured to the moving parts. "How do you, uh... Know they're not going to move, when you try to climb? he asked. Maybe there was a method to what seemed to be straight madness...
@Jack Burnett
The Dust of Stars
Stamina: 5 Evasion: 8 Strength: 2 Wisdom: 9 Arcane Power: 6 Accuracy: 5
I am actively seeking RP partners. Want to write? PM me!
14 Nov 2021, 04:18
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
Again, it took Jack a few seconds longer than it should have for him to realize what the other boy was talking about when he asked 'how do you know they're not going to move'. It was the 'when you try to climb' bit that finally allowed his scattered thoughts to click into place and he realized what he was being asked. Right - this was likely a first year. Of course he wouldn't have been used to the moving staircases.
In spite of himself and his rotten mood, Jack had to smile. It was a weak one; one of sympathy as he responded, but it was a smile nevertheless. "You don't," he explained, setting down his bag all of a sudden. "That's the trouble with these things. Luckily, there's a few tricks you pick up as you spend more time around them - like hints of when they might move where, a sense of how long they're likely to stay in place, and a vague idea of the timing."
From his bag, he pulled out a large map and unfolded it to hold up before them. "Or you can always cheat and bring a map to find a way around if you get stuck on one of the other landings." Hazel eyes inspected the lines on the paper, studying them to locate their place.
"Here we are," he said, pointing to a spot on the parchment. Then he traced a line up the drawn stairs. "And this stairway usually goes either this way or that way. So to find a route, first we have to know where you want to get to. Do you know what class you have next?" Re-folding it so that only the necessary part was visible, Jack knelt so he could spread it on one knee and his companion could get a better view of the castle's layout.
@Eliphas Dune
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
14 Nov 2021, 04:53
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
Much to his relief, the older boy didn't scoff or laugh at him for his question and instead offered some insight as to the way in which the staircases worked. Or more, the inability to really time them.
Like the Sorting Hat, and the portraits on the wall, it seemed as though the Grand Staircase had some sort of sentience, a mind of its own. Perhaps that ought to have made the idea of scaling them all the more daunting, yet surprisingly enough it left the boy with only curiosity and further inquisitiveness. A multitude of questions leaped to the forefront of his mind, and yet in that moment he vocalized none of them.
Instead he watched as the older boy pulled a map from his bag and spread it out for them both to see. With it, Eliphas was able to see the various other routes through the castle, stairwells which weren't prone to wanderlust could be found on various floors, and in various towers - something he vaguely knew due to the location of the Ravenclaw Common Room, but hadn't expected for the rest of it. He realized therein that he'd been missing out on far easier routes through the castle. What a dunce!
"Wow, there are a lot of different staircases aren't there?" he remarked, speaking not only of the vast amount there in the Great Staircase but also elsewhere in the castle. "Um... I think I have Charms next." Second guessing himself, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper which had his class schedule upon it. One or two had been circled, though there were no other notations accompanying them to detail why that was.
"Yeah," he said, running a finger down the list to reach Thursday and observing the day's schedule, "Charms." He still had about half an hour before that class started. He glanced back toward the other boy who had knelt down. "That's on the Third Floor, right?"
After a moment, he hastily added, "I'm Eliphas, by the way... Thanks for the help."
Like the Sorting Hat, and the portraits on the wall, it seemed as though the Grand Staircase had some sort of sentience, a mind of its own. Perhaps that ought to have made the idea of scaling them all the more daunting, yet surprisingly enough it left the boy with only curiosity and further inquisitiveness. A multitude of questions leaped to the forefront of his mind, and yet in that moment he vocalized none of them.
Instead he watched as the older boy pulled a map from his bag and spread it out for them both to see. With it, Eliphas was able to see the various other routes through the castle, stairwells which weren't prone to wanderlust could be found on various floors, and in various towers - something he vaguely knew due to the location of the Ravenclaw Common Room, but hadn't expected for the rest of it. He realized therein that he'd been missing out on far easier routes through the castle. What a dunce!
"Wow, there are a lot of different staircases aren't there?" he remarked, speaking not only of the vast amount there in the Great Staircase but also elsewhere in the castle. "Um... I think I have Charms next." Second guessing himself, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper which had his class schedule upon it. One or two had been circled, though there were no other notations accompanying them to detail why that was.
"Yeah," he said, running a finger down the list to reach Thursday and observing the day's schedule, "Charms." He still had about half an hour before that class started. He glanced back toward the other boy who had knelt down. "That's on the Third Floor, right?"
After a moment, he hastily added, "I'm Eliphas, by the way... Thanks for the help."
@Jack Burnett
The Dust of Stars
Stamina: 5 Evasion: 8 Strength: 2 Wisdom: 9 Arcane Power: 6 Accuracy: 5
I am actively seeking RP partners. Want to write? PM me!
14 Nov 2021, 06:13
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
"There definitely are," Jack acknowledged the first year's comment on the staircases. "Charms, huh? Okay, well the Charms classroom is over here, so the quickest way should be...riiiight...here. Provided these ones don't move." He turned to look at the eagle. "We're going to have to try to make a break for it. Think we can do that?"
Glancing over to see the parchment which had the other boy's list of classes, he noticed the circled ones and rose a brow in curiosity. Still, time was of the essence and he didn't know if the other kid might have thought him nosy to ask about the circles, so he kept his questions about them to himself for the time being.
When the Charms class had been confirmed, Jack nodded. "Yup, Third Floor it is." He ran his finger along a potential route they could take to show the Ravenclaw which way they could head if all went according to plan. "If this area's closed off here, we can go the long way around. I hope it's not, though. When the abandoned toilets aren't flooding, it can be a pretty handy shortcut."
The boy's introduction of himself appeared to catch Jack off-guard, as if it was a total and unexpected change of subject. After a moment, however, Jack tried to offer another smile back as he answered, "I'm Jack Burnett. And no problem. But uh...do you have a last name?" Glancing back toward the paper, he scratched the back of his neck as if in embarrassment. "It's just that I guess I find first names a little personal...so I call people by their last names instead."
Getting up off his knee, he handed the map over to Eliphas. "Here, you can keep this with you. It'll probably be helpful finding your other classes and with the other moving stairways. I think I've pretty much figured out where I need to go from the time I've had it anyway."
@Eliphas Dune
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
14 Nov 2021, 06:32
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
He shuffled ever so slightly closer as the older boy traced a proposed route upon the map, getting a good look at it. Truth be told it was all a little dizzying, there were so many staircases, so any potential routes, and in that moment he was grateful that he wasn't trying to navigate this all alone. The notion of making a break for it was a little unnerving, but in the presence of an older student he could hardly step down from the call to adventure.
Instead he nodded his head, trying to instill some confidence within himself. "Yeah..." Okay, so maybe he didn't sound so confident yet. But that didn't matter. As for the circles on the schedule, a glance revealed them to be: Astronomy, Herbology, and Flying, though the astute might notice that the latter wasn't so confidently circled as the other two.
With the various shortcuts discussed, talks momentarily turned to introductions and then more specific names. For a moment there Eliphas almost considered calling Jack's bluff, stating that he did not, in fact, have a surname. However this didn't seem like the appropriate moment for jokes, not least given that he was already wasting the Slytherin's time being a staircase coward, so instead he offered up his surname rather plainly. "Dune" he stated, with a curious expression on his face as the older boy expressed his discomfort with first names. "Eliphas Dune."
He wondered if that meant Jack would rather be called Burnett, then? He didn't voice his question. Instead he took the offered map as Jack rose up from a kneel, eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Wow, thanks!" His brain immediately wondered to all the places he could explore now that he had a map of the castle grounds... That itch to traverse Hogwarts proper left him with a diminished sense of uncertainty, and bolstered his confidence. With a map in hand he felt like a true adventurer, like Indiana Jones or something.
And Indy wasn't ever afraid of something as silly as stairs.
"Okay," he said, expression steeled as he turned his sights toward the start of the route Jack had traced out, "I'm ready..."
Instead he nodded his head, trying to instill some confidence within himself. "Yeah..." Okay, so maybe he didn't sound so confident yet. But that didn't matter. As for the circles on the schedule, a glance revealed them to be: Astronomy, Herbology, and Flying, though the astute might notice that the latter wasn't so confidently circled as the other two.
With the various shortcuts discussed, talks momentarily turned to introductions and then more specific names. For a moment there Eliphas almost considered calling Jack's bluff, stating that he did not, in fact, have a surname. However this didn't seem like the appropriate moment for jokes, not least given that he was already wasting the Slytherin's time being a staircase coward, so instead he offered up his surname rather plainly. "Dune" he stated, with a curious expression on his face as the older boy expressed his discomfort with first names. "Eliphas Dune."
He wondered if that meant Jack would rather be called Burnett, then? He didn't voice his question. Instead he took the offered map as Jack rose up from a kneel, eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Wow, thanks!" His brain immediately wondered to all the places he could explore now that he had a map of the castle grounds... That itch to traverse Hogwarts proper left him with a diminished sense of uncertainty, and bolstered his confidence. With a map in hand he felt like a true adventurer, like Indiana Jones or something.
And Indy wasn't ever afraid of something as silly as stairs.
"Okay," he said, expression steeled as he turned his sights toward the start of the route Jack had traced out, "I'm ready..."
@Jack Burnett
The Dust of Stars
Stamina: 5 Evasion: 8 Strength: 2 Wisdom: 9 Arcane Power: 6 Accuracy: 5
I am actively seeking RP partners. Want to write? PM me!
16 Nov 2021, 03:52
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
Thick brows rose as hazel eyes glimpsed the circled subjects. Jack wondered idly at the back of his mind if those might have been potential favorite subjects. They seemed like subjects even a kid who wasn't well-aquainted with magic would know - with the exception of Flying of course. Not that it was difficult to deduce what that subject was about, but perhaps it was its unfamiliarity that caused the circle surrounding that one to be less confidently drawn than the other two.
Mentally stowing away the information for another time, he took careful note of Eliphas' uttered full name when it was spoken and repeated it for memorization's sake. "Eliphas Dune." He beamed then at Eliphas. "Pleasure to meet you, Dune."
Jack nodded in response to the Ravenclaw's expressed gratitude, glad he could provide some help beyond this one route he planned to take with the first year. Eliphas' expression changed both surprised and amused the Slytherin as they both turned to the set of stairs before them; the first of their obstacles on their route to tackle. "Alright! Ready...set...go!"
He dashed forward, hurrying from one stair to the next, but making sure to keep Eliphas in his sights as he did so. He was careful not to stray too far ahead or fall too far behind, wanting to keep pace with the other boy as they went. While it was important to hurry, he also knew how Hogwarts' castle could be distracting in its myraid of ways. Jack figured it also wouldn't have hurt to take in the sights as they went in order to make mental landmarks for future excursions through the maze of the school.
Thus, he was careful not to rush his companion or otherwise make him feel like he had to speed on his way to his next class. Besides, as a first year on the first day of classes, he had to have been allowed a little leeway for being late.
@Eliphas Dune
Last edited by Jack Burnett on 16 Nov 2021, 04:39, edited 1 time in total.
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
16 Nov 2021, 04:27
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
Dune.
It felt really strange to be called by just his surname, almost as though he was hearing the word in a different light for the first time. It didn't even really sound the same when it was following Eliphas, or Oscar, or any other family member with the surname. He was surprised to find he liked the sound of it. Maybe Jack was onto something with the whole surname-only thing.
"Pleasure to meet you too, Burnett," he finally uttered the other boys name with a cheeky tone and grin to accompany his mimicry. There wasn't much time to relish the moment though, before the task at hand required settling. Eliphas inhaled a slow breath, exhaled it a little faster than he meant to in that it resembled a huff of hot air, and then braced himself.
Ready... Set...
He could feel his muscles priming in anticipation, the way in which a cats might before it made a pounce. His back foot lifted before the word 'Go' was fully out of the Slytherin's mouth, and as such he was hot on the other boy's heels as they made their way up the stone staircase. Adrenaline flooded through his body, a mixture of excitement - after all, this had more or less turned into a race in the eyes of the eleven year old - as well as the fear of being left behind on a moving structure fueling him.
As much as there was to see, in that moment it simply flew on by. The portraits, the tapestries, even the other stairs which had begun to move, none of it mattered to him when compared with the promise of a solid landing just up ahead. Somewhere that wasn't known to fluctuate its position on a whim.
He never got ahead of Jack, even despite his best efforts, but he never lagged behind either...
It felt really strange to be called by just his surname, almost as though he was hearing the word in a different light for the first time. It didn't even really sound the same when it was following Eliphas, or Oscar, or any other family member with the surname. He was surprised to find he liked the sound of it. Maybe Jack was onto something with the whole surname-only thing.
"Pleasure to meet you too, Burnett," he finally uttered the other boys name with a cheeky tone and grin to accompany his mimicry. There wasn't much time to relish the moment though, before the task at hand required settling. Eliphas inhaled a slow breath, exhaled it a little faster than he meant to in that it resembled a huff of hot air, and then braced himself.
Ready... Set...
He could feel his muscles priming in anticipation, the way in which a cats might before it made a pounce. His back foot lifted before the word 'Go' was fully out of the Slytherin's mouth, and as such he was hot on the other boy's heels as they made their way up the stone staircase. Adrenaline flooded through his body, a mixture of excitement - after all, this had more or less turned into a race in the eyes of the eleven year old - as well as the fear of being left behind on a moving structure fueling him.
As much as there was to see, in that moment it simply flew on by. The portraits, the tapestries, even the other stairs which had begun to move, none of it mattered to him when compared with the promise of a solid landing just up ahead. Somewhere that wasn't known to fluctuate its position on a whim.
He never got ahead of Jack, even despite his best efforts, but he never lagged behind either...
@Jack Burnett
The Dust of Stars
Stamina: 5 Evasion: 8 Strength: 2 Wisdom: 9 Arcane Power: 6 Accuracy: 5
I am actively seeking RP partners. Want to write? PM me!
16 Nov 2021, 05:02
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
Being called by his last name by Eliphas caused Jack to grin back. Quick learner, this one. Well, he supposed he wasn't in Ravenclaw for no reason. But could he keep up on their journey to the Charms classroom on the Third Floor?
Yes, as it turned out. Yes, he could. Jack was a little surprised and very impressed by the younger student's spring into action before he had even fully finished his last word to start them off. Despite how he had been feeling only a few minutes earlier, all gloomy thoughts were banished from the third year's mind as he rushed up the stairs with his new aquaintance. It was amazing how much even just an aquaintance could chase away lonliness. Despite the fact that he had traversed that route many times before to get to his own Charms class, Jack felt a renewed burst of energy following it this time, as if sharing the novelty of Eliphas' first time.
He had thought of making it a race, certainly, but he didn't want to put pressure on the younger boy to think he had to win if it would have made him feel uncomfortable. Being the older and taller one, the Slytherin already felt he had an unfair advantage. Pretty soon, though, it became evident that Eliphas' discomfort wasn't an issue and Jack worked harder to get his own blood pumping. It had been a while since he had run full out like that.
In no time, the both of them had reached their destination of the Charms classroom entrance. Jack gasped for air as he leaned over with his hands on his knees, laughing breathlessly just outside the door.
"Phew!" he exhaled, still laughing between breaths. "You're one fast eagle! Run like that to all your classes and the stairs won't even have time to think of switching on you!" He held up his hand for a high-five if Eliphas wanted to give one.
"Looks like we made it with time to spare. Oh, but before you go in, I have something for you." Regaining more and more air as he spoke, Jack set down his bag in order to retrieve something from it.
@Eliphas Dune
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
16 Nov 2021, 05:29
142 Moving Staircases to Avoid
Being the younger and smaller of the two, it wasn't long before Eliphas began to feel a distinct burning in his leg muscles from their quickly-increased rate of travel; as Jack pushed himself into a faster run, so too did Eli in order to keep up. He didn't even really give himself a chance to consider whether or not it was worth doing, whether or not he actually wanted to race. Nope, in the heat of the moment all bets were off and the boy acted on instinct alone.
And instinct bade him to keep up or risk falling behind.
A grin had formed and stuck to his expression, even as his lungs joined his legs in burning. Had the classroom been too much further he felt certain he'd have keeled over along the way, panting as he fought to catch his breath. Instead they came to a slow at precisely the right time. His breathing was still ragged, and he felt the urge to slump down and rest, but he had made it relatively in one piece. In fact, he hadn't even noticed the transition from stair to corridor until he stopped in place and glanced around.
He'd done it! He'd climbed the wandering stairs!
Jack drew his attention away from the small victory he'd won, his words causing the grin to spread across the boys face eagerly. Outrun the stairs? Now that sounded like a fun task! Of course, he reciprocated the high-five rather enthusiastically, and then leaned back against the wall. It was nice and cool, a welcome respite that helped to calm down his racing heart. Eliphas was about ready to take a well earned nap.
In that moment he envied all the happy, fat cats in the world. They could nap whenever they pleased! He, however, had Charms shortly. No such luck for him.
"Thanks for helping me get up here," he said, between huffs, as he caught his breath. The Slytherin's next words, however, drew him from the wall as pure curiosity wavered through him. Something else? He'd already given him a map! "You do?" came his immediate response, surprise lacing his tone. "What is it?" he asked, suddenly feeling a little caught off guard and bad for not having anything to give in exchange. He was practically bursting with anticipation as Jack rummaged through his bag, his mind racing through a hundred thousand ideas of what it might be!
So much so that he was bouncing in place.
And instinct bade him to keep up or risk falling behind.
A grin had formed and stuck to his expression, even as his lungs joined his legs in burning. Had the classroom been too much further he felt certain he'd have keeled over along the way, panting as he fought to catch his breath. Instead they came to a slow at precisely the right time. His breathing was still ragged, and he felt the urge to slump down and rest, but he had made it relatively in one piece. In fact, he hadn't even noticed the transition from stair to corridor until he stopped in place and glanced around.
He'd done it! He'd climbed the wandering stairs!
Jack drew his attention away from the small victory he'd won, his words causing the grin to spread across the boys face eagerly. Outrun the stairs? Now that sounded like a fun task! Of course, he reciprocated the high-five rather enthusiastically, and then leaned back against the wall. It was nice and cool, a welcome respite that helped to calm down his racing heart. Eliphas was about ready to take a well earned nap.
In that moment he envied all the happy, fat cats in the world. They could nap whenever they pleased! He, however, had Charms shortly. No such luck for him.
"Thanks for helping me get up here," he said, between huffs, as he caught his breath. The Slytherin's next words, however, drew him from the wall as pure curiosity wavered through him. Something else? He'd already given him a map! "You do?" came his immediate response, surprise lacing his tone. "What is it?" he asked, suddenly feeling a little caught off guard and bad for not having anything to give in exchange. He was practically bursting with anticipation as Jack rummaged through his bag, his mind racing through a hundred thousand ideas of what it might be!
So much so that he was bouncing in place.
@Jack Burnett
The Dust of Stars
Stamina: 5 Evasion: 8 Strength: 2 Wisdom: 9 Arcane Power: 6 Accuracy: 5
I am actively seeking RP partners. Want to write? PM me!