Sophie was still grumbling under her breath as she exited that room the Governors were having their meeting in and made her way toward the stairs. She still couldn't believe the Reynolds man had taken off to the TOWER PATCH of all places and just left her to follow him. Little old ladies didn't stand a chance around him, now did they?

Sophie paused to take in a few sharp breaths in an attempt to get some normal breathing going on. She'd long since used all her good energy, though. Maybe she could just lie down right here until somebody picked her up and moved her. She was about to do just that, when she heard a nearby voice.

"Headmistress," she said, breathing heavily. She lifted her head enough to get a good look at the woman's face.



Okay, breathe Sophie. Breathe. She blinked and tried to get the image of the Headmistress' face out her mind. DEAR MERLIN. That was the stuff nightmares were made of! Not that Sophie was a spring chicken either, though. Anyway...

"You have to come quick," she said. Err...on second thought... "Or just...when you can get there, you know. Anyway, there's a meeting in the Board of Governor's room. We're..."

Pause. BREATHEEEEEEEEE. "We're..."

Culloden really was a man of few words now wasn't he. He had barely said two words since Cece found him with Bunz outside. That was fine with her though. Just as long as he held up his end, or side of the headmistress so she didn't land on the ground.

Tearing her thoughts away from Culloden and his silence, Cece looked at Annie when she whined about a lift. "We only have a couple more floors to go, but we could always levitate you if you're too weak to walk that far."

She started to look around the Entrance Hall for a chair they could put the woman on. Maybe once they got her seated they could just levitate the chair, after putting a sticking charm on it of course. Wouldn't want the woman falling off the chair on the way to her office.

OOC: Ignoring Sophie to give Bunz a chance to respond to her first.

"Noooooooo," Anastasia wheezed to Cece, "nooooooooo, I meant an elevator lift, not a," WHEEEEZE, "physical lift from you two." She shook her head and put a hand on her chest as she tried to catch her breath. She wouldn't mind if Cosgrach carried her but with the evil Healer around? No thanks.

Then lo and behold a mini-me version of herself showed up. Actually she looked more like Anna Newell if Anna had suddenly turned 90. HAR! Annie wheeze-laughed for a moment at her own private joke.

What was the girl going on about? "Ehhhhhhhh?" she put a hand to her ear to mime not being able to hear Newell. "What are the Board of Governors doing? They should be coming to meeeeeee is what they should be doing." Herrrrr. In her office. Yes, that's right. Plenty of space up there.

She nudged Cece with her shriveled-up elbow. "To the first floor." Onwards and upwards!

Sophie heard several questions from the Headmistress, but truth be told, she was frozen in fear and couldn't reply. Merlin be with them all if the woman looked this way all the time. If they didn't find a cure--would she?! Okay, that made it official. Sophie was NEVER acting up again. NEVER.

...or at least not as long as the powers-that-be looked like this.

Sophie followed them up, mainly because she was supposed to be catching up to the Reynolds man, who'd asked a shriveled up little girl to follow him to the SEVENTH FLOOR. Then he'd just left her!

Sophie followed suit, although slooooooowly. She'd catch up sooner or later.

Amethyst was HERE with her assistant as soon as she got the letter. Her hair wasn't messy, but it was a matter of time. She had read the papers, but she had always thought it was just a potions lesson gone wrong. This, though...

She was panicked and it was obvious on her face. She didn't even know where to go. She had no choice but to latch onto the first human being's arm and order in a clear voice "Take us to where these old students are gathered."

If that person refused to do it, she would not hesitate to use her wand.

Andrew re-adjusted the heavy medical bags he was carrying as he stood next to his nervous and fidgeting mentor and boss. Hopefully someone would come and guide them to the aging students and staff.

Surely the people in charge of this school didn't expect them to play hide and seek in order to find the Hospital wing right?

Glancing over at Mrs Boyle he asked curiously. "Was it Mr Botros that sent you the owl?"

Weren't there such things as mall walkers in the muggle world? Caleb was pretty sure there was. And if there were - well, Hogwarts needed mall walkers. It was what old people did, yes? And Caleb was OLD and taking walks all over the place simply so that he could keep from turning into a pile of old bones and dust. So therefore, Caleb was going to start a Hogwarts mall walking club. Yes. Done. He'd have to get on that - before he like, died possibly.

As he walked around the school, he crossed through the Entrance Hall and then he noticed two strange people near the doors. They were adults, and people he didn't recognize. So they weren't professors. He stopped and stared at them, his bushy eyebrows wrinkling in confusion.

"Who are YOU?" he asked.

Her kneazle wasn't missing, she hadn't lost him and she wasn't currently spending away her time looking for him despite the pile of homework still back up on her bed. Nope. Not at all. What gave anyone that bizarrely accurate idea? Ahem.

Lex hobbled down step after step, slowly of course because she didn't plan to break anything while trying to find the unruly feline. On her way down she heard what might have been Caleb yelling...asking for identification. It kinda sounded like people in the castle that weren't usually in the castle and there were only a few guesses as to who: visitors, MOAR GOBLINS ZOMG SOMEONE CALL AIDAN, or dark wizards. Whoever they were, a decision was made; she wanted to see.

The Gryffindor hobble!hop!walked down the remaining stairs. There was Caleb...and two people...and some poor kid, looking terrified whom the woman's hand was latched on to. "Er.....if this is a hold up just know, I worked my butt off in a Herbology Competition to help earn us some money and we'll starve without it." Eyes on the kid, then them. "Plus holding people ransom won't work." Yes. Putting that out there. Granted it WOULD work but you couldn't tell the bad guys what they wanted to hear.

Lex hobbled slowly over to them, squinting at them both in an effort to get a better look. Now then. "What he said. Who are you guys exactly and why can't this stuff ever happen to Beauxbaton?"

She had no idea why she headed here. She was pretty sure she had something in mind when she decided to come this far but now she had forgotten. Nope, it wasn't a symptom of aging like the others. The snake had a glitch-y memory. Something she was born with or maybe she just didn't concentrate enough. Not that this bothered her much. She came to accept it.

Though, now she didn't know whether to head back to the common room or stay here a bit longer hoping to remember what she wanted to do in the first place.

But it appeared she wasn't gonna do either. Drawn by unfamiliar faces and voices, Cassia approached two people whom she was sure she hadn't seen before. Oh, and Caleb and Lex were here, too.

Seemed like the young snake didn't know them either. Though the staring wan't necessary. Maybe it would be good if she stepped in as well. She stood next to the second year then spoke, "Need help?" She considering saying hi, but she knew nothing of them. For all she knew they were goblins in disguise who came to steal from the school again.

.....it was even more TERRIFYING than she'd initially thought! This was TERRIBLE! She looked at the POOR POOR kid in worry and couldn't articulate one single word for a moment. Then more people showed up - all looking WORSE than the first and - and -

They had to act IMMEDIATELY!

"We come from St. Mungo's," she spoke fast but clearly. She looked like she was over the initial shock and gained control of herself. She didn't even pay attention to the Gryffindor girl. She spoke too long in such cases of emergency.

"We were asked to come here. You should take us to your healer right. Now."

It was an ORDER! Or else - maybe they shouldn't even move. They didn't look young enough to move.

Ohdearohdearohdear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Boyle

.....it was even more TERRIFYING than she'd initially thought! This was TERRIBLE! She looked at the POOR POOR kid in worry and couldn't articulate one single word for a moment. Then more people showed up - all looking WORSE than the first and - and -

They had to act IMMEDIATELY!

"We come from St. Mungo's," she spoke fast but clearly. She looked like she was over the initial shock and gained control of herself. She didn't even pay attention to the Gryffindor girl. She spoke too long in such cases of emergency.

"We were asked to come here. You should take us to your healer right. Now."

It was an ORDER! Or else - maybe they shouldn't even move. They didn't look young enough to move.

Ohdearohdearohdear.

Caleb's heart nearly skipped a beat.

Wait.

HEALERS?!

FROM ST. MUNGOS?!

OMG.

THEY WERE SAVEDDDDDD!!

Caleb grinned widely and grabbed the healer's hand. "Of course! This way, come on! She's my head of house, I'm sure she'll be super excited to see you! Hey, can I get healed first since I'm helping you?" he asked, his words coming out a mile a minute in his excitement. This was so great! He couldn't believe their luck! They were finally going to get the help they deserved!!

One student showed up....

Another student showed up...

And then a third student.

All three students that came over to them showed clear signs of aging. This situation was even worse than they had anticipated.

Andrew itched to go up to the girl with the running mouth (Alexa) and touch her face and hair just to see if it the wrinkles and grey hair was real. He managed to restrain himself though.

Shaking his head he repeated what his boss had just said as his eyes drifted over the three student’s taking in their aged appearance. "We are truly healers from St Mungos and this is anything but a hold up."

Did they have enough supplies to cure the whole school?

This was bad. Really, really bad. How could she have misplaced her brother's glasses? She needed them to read and do homework and basically to SEE. So when she spotted unfamiliar adults at the Entrance Hall Beverly pressed herself against the wall, as if she'd blend in. Who were they? Were they here to reposes stuff? Were they really adults and not over-grown goblins? She couldn't tell, practically blind and all. It was lucky when a few students approached them and answers were thrown out into the wind.

Healers. Healers from St. Mungo's. Well. DID THEY HAVE A CURE? She WANTED it FIRST.

Hearing the Slytherin boy ask if he could get healed first, Bev decided to get into action. She wanted first. Pushing herself off the wall she mustered her best hacking cough and clutching her chest she walked toward the Healers as if she hadn't noticed them yet.

COUGH COUGH COUGH.

Soon she wasn't acting as she really began to cough for real. Stopping in front of the adults she 'jumped' as if surprised. "He's right," she said, nodding her head at the Slytherin boy. "The Hospital Wing is that way." Beverly pointing in the direction and waited for a reaction.

This little old lady needed help. FIRST.

Cough, cough!

HEALERS????

Reeeeaaaaalllllyyyyyyyyyyyy???

Oh Merlin what were they wasting time down here for??? She needed that cure STAT. Also, excuusee yoooouuuu little people but she was older and therefore closer to dying therefore SHE should get cured first! Plus she was Prefect. That had to come with all kinds of perks. They were Slytherin, she didn't have to do that whole self-less act thing for them, that was Cassia's job and she wasn't even sick to begin with.

It was highly reassuring that this wasn't a hold up but yeah....healing was far more important than peace of mind right now. "Yes yes! This way! Then we can have me looked at and young again. You'll never know how much I miss my blonde hair. Come along." Pay NO attention to the hacking girl over there, they needed to get to the Hospital Wing before she dropped dead.

With a final gesture Lex started up the stairs even faster than her old bones would allow. Usually this would be a huge mistake she'd pay for later but HELLO Healers, she was SAVED.

"I hope, I hope," was all she could say. Were the issues less severe, they would have been REPRIMANDED for being so INCONSIDERATE of each other, but there was no time for lengthy lecture! They had to act QUICK! So Amethyst wanted to follow them, but another dying coughing student joined them.

She was distracted for a moment. She HAD TO help her or else she would DIE! She started for the bag Andrew was carrying, but remembered the MASS of students that were ill.

"Andrew, you have the bags, so you tend to her while we go to the hospital wing. Then she can show you where it is. Or," she turned to the Slytherin boy, "why don't you stay with them to make sure everything is fine and help Andrew if he needs anything?" Yeah. Good plan. And he'd get his treatment too!

......Amethyst wouldn't panic. Not this experienced healer!

"Let's go." With that, she followed the other girl that was climbing the stairs faster than Amethyst could.

He could hear Beverly coughing up what sounded like her right lung upon re-entering the castle. She appeared to be with two others, fellow shriveled snake Caleb Newell and an older wizard, whom Cutty did not recognize. Was the unfamiliar wizard making her cough? Cutty needed to learn that trick immediately if so.

"Ere!" He croaked out, sounding a bit offended and announcing his appearance if no one had noticed him at the time. "What're doin' to Wayne there?", he probably looked more protective of Beverly than he'd meant to.

Fascinated by the different stages of aging the student's were showing Andrew naturally zoned out for a few seconds.

The girl with the nasty cough though broke him out of his reverie as well as Amethysts penetrating voice.

"Of course boss." he chirped in reply as Amethyst left the hall with the brunette. Rummaging around in the bags a small “AHA!” escaped from his lips as his fingers pulled out the coughing potion.

Going up to the girl with the bad cough (Beverly) he held the potion out to her. "Here you go dear. Drink this. It should help you breath properly. Now follow me to the Hospital Wing so we can get you properly checked out."


Andrew was about to turn to lead Beverly out of the hall and towards the Hospital Wing when another aged boy appeared croaking out something he didn’t exactly register but he guessed the semantics.

"It's all right son. I'm a healer from St Mungos. I just gave your friend a potion that will make her breath more easily before I escort her to the Hospital wing for a better check up. You're welcome to tag along and lead the way." Yes, because Andrew still didn't know the way to the Hospital Wing. For all he knew it could be located in the dungeons or a tower. He'd rather not get lost.

Beverly was pleased her plan worked. She got the Healers' attention rather fast. However, they weren't going to give her a cure for the rapid aging. SAD. Now that she thought about it though, she'd rather have it confirmed these were actual Healers and not wannabe Healers handing out poisons or something. Wow. She hadn't even considered that at first. Desperation leads to stupidity. Check.

These Healers looked like the real deal...and she desperately didn't want to be OLD anymore. SHE WANTED TO LIVE. Was that too much to ASK? HMM??

Beverly coughed into her arm as she spotted the Mordaunt boy. He was going to ruin her chance at getting looked at FIRST. "Nothing, nothing." He sounded like her brother. Bah! "They are helping me," she said, setting off into another coughing fit.

Then the nice Healer was talking to her and she thought she saw stars. "What..? Oh...right. Thank you." Taking the potion and drinking it in one gulp, she felt her throat cool, making passage to her respiratory system. RELIEF.

"This way, Healer...?" She needed a name.

Beverly started toward the Hospital Wing, peeking back at the Healer to make sure he was following. She was keeping him close.

Healer-dude + cure = Beverly Take Over.

The girl's coughing was pretty bad, evidenced by the coughing fit just a few words to reassure her friend rendered.

Andy waited patiently and watched closely as the girl downed the potion in one go. There were always the risk of complications but she seemed okay. Flashing the girl a small smile he said. "You're welcome. I'm Healer Wombley; Andrew Wombley." Andy introduced himself. "Who are you?"

Making sure he hadn't lost any medical supplies Andy followed the girl out of the hall and off towards the Hospital Wing.

Wow, healers. Wouldn't have thought that! And look at the happy faces they got from the other old students. Who were forming quite the crowd now. A slytherin crowd plus a Gryffindor, that is. And was Cassia the only one who wasn't infected with aging horrible thing? Well, Cutty wasn't as far as she knew.

And they gave Beverly a potion already. She watched as the younger snake drank the potion. Juuust to be certain. They after all didn't see any formal proof that those were healers. But Beverly looked well and it looked like the potion had good effect.

Apparently they were going to the hospital now. She wondered if she should go seeing that she needed no treatment. But maybe they needed a healthy person with them. So yup, to the hospital.