Yuussss MAZE TIME.

West was so down for this activity and he paraded on into the maze with obvious eagerness. He had the plastic bracelet on and it was cool to see how it was working. Awesome. He happened to like mazes though he did have a slight pause, regretfully thinking of Bliss and knowing her maze fears and hoping that someone would help her through the Hufflepuff one.

He couldn't for two obvious reasons, but he sent her good mental wishes anyways.

Oh hey, what was ... there was a board in front of him. With a riddle? West read over it twice. All about unifying masculine and feminine energies, it looked like. As well as maybe trust and balance between body and soul? Well that was Ehwaz for sure. West mused on it and then confident as ever in runes, decided he was right.

"Its Ehwaz." He said immediately. Not that he carved it right away. Teamwork this was supposed to be, right? So, someone else could do the grunt work, he'd just do the thinking and stand by and let others get sweaty.

Leading a group of Slytherins out to the grounds, Dylan rubbed at his face. They had maps and colored identifier bracelet's...He was totally impressed with how much thought must have went into this setup.

Stopping next to Odessa, Dylan offered a bro!nod. Skimming the riddle, he'd also quickly come to the conclusion that it was Ehwaz...That material plane bit gave it away...

How clever of YOU, Professor.

"Aren't you going to carve it...since you guessed it?" Dylan was giving looks. Naturally...if he'd have guessed the right rune first, he'd have went ahead and began carving. "I wonder if you can carve runes together...As in a pair of people carving the same rune at once...."

It was something else to speak to the Professor about...

Either way..."If you don't want to, we can wait for someone else." Yep...because carving that rune just moments before had freaked him out a bit...and he was in no rush to repeat the process.

Maybe in a bit...

Still following the guys out to the maze carrying the map, Sky fidgeted with her bracelet. Not that it was bothering her or anything, just that that was what she usually did with bracelets. Had nothing to do with her sudden nervousness over group work. Nothing at all. As she stepped into the maze, though, she pulled her robe a little tighter around herself. After all, it was kind of chilly. And she had obviously not had her jacket. For obvious reasons. And then she came to a stop as it seemed the first riddle had come up. And West had already guessed it. But wasn't carving it. Really?! Well, just don't go expecting her to do it. Because she hadn't even finished the practice activity. In her opinion, you guessed it, you carve it. And to make that point, she raised a brow.

"Got the map."

Following the rest of the group towards the maze from the Slytherins, Daichi had not even read the whole riddle when West spoke the answer. He never said it but he was glad that they had someone like West who was clearly a part Ravenclaw on their side. Or else they would probably be stuck on the riddle right now. well, Daichi would hehe

"I can carve it in, if that's okay?" he asked after hearing the conversation between Dylan and West. He was actually pretty good with the spell work from what he had learned in class. Plus he didn't mind it.

Oh look it was Daichi. Was he there all along? West smiled vaguely at the prefect.

He was gonna carve it? He was asking permission?

"Oh sure, go ahead. You know what Ehwaz looks like right? Go for it." West stepped back and waved at the board. See? Go ahead. By all means. Also.... hiiii Sky.

West grinned at his newest teammate. "So you get to tell us which way to go next once we get past, since you got the map." Did that work for everyone?

Also did anyone bring snacks?

Since Kat had been one of the last of the Slytherins to get out of the classroom, she arrived a little bit later than the others... but she was here anyway. No big deal. Kat joined the others who have been here before she was. Nods for everyone. Yep, she saw you all obviously. Then the riddle... Kat read it a few times before letting it sink in.

Yeah, they were right. It was Ehwaz. Mhm. And was Daichi supposed to carve it? Well... okay. Guess she could give him a chance even if she badly wanted to carve it you know.

Get carving, co-prefect. Kat didn't want to be kept waiting.

A pair of Thestrals trot across the grounds, away from the shelter of the forest. Heads turning rapidly with ears laying flat, the Thestrals assessed their surroundings, their white-eyes observing the equally odd behaviours of the little humans.

"I know" Daichi said to West with a nod and took his wand out of its wrist holster. "It's the one that looks like an M" He pointed it at the wooden plank but lowered it slightly when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

He turned his head to the side and his eyes met a pair of Thestrals. Well, they were near the forest so it wasn't that odd right? "We have company" he said. "Thestrals, in case someone thinks i'm crazy" Since those creatures were invisible to the people who hadn't witnessed...anyways!

He turned his attention back to the wooden plank and focused on the incantation."Intaglio Ehwaz" he said in a firm voice and light from the wand hit the board. "Ehwaz...Ehwaz..Ehwaz" he continued muttering as slowly, but faster than in class, the Runic letter for Ehwaz became visible in the carved wood.

When he was finished, he stopped the spell with an Finite and took a deep breath. "Alright, done" he announced with a small smile as the carved Ehwaz shined in the wooden plank.

Now what?

Nod. Yes. West might have said something about runes and that heyyy they could go through the barrier! But... yes he saw the Thestrals. West watched with his head tilted to one side...

... and then looking towards Dylan he silently made sure his wand was at the ready because that was not normal.

"I see them." He said quietly. And he thought he recognized one of them from when he and Kat had fed them that one time with raw meat.

"... I feel like someone should go let Professor Barlow know there are Thestrals roaming around on the grounds." He added sort of casually, like it was no big deal but ... come on. Strange.

Further ahead and away from the creature and the crowd of students, lied another plank with another carved riddle.

Dylan was still content to wait for someone else to do the rune...and couldn't help but to smirk when he seen who was offering. Of course it would be Daichi...Of course. Good for him.

Yaaaaaaaawn.

Oh......Hey Hudson.

Giving her a small grin, the Captain offered a fistbump. He was sorta in love with the talent on his team....He was convinced they had the best opportunity to win GOLD...Better than any term previous to this...and it was his last as Captain. So, if they could win, it'd be more awesome than usual. Yep........

What?

Hearing what had just been said, Dylan's eyes flew to where West was looking, seeing the two spiny-black creatures watching them with creepy eyes. The Slytherin continued to stare as he withdrew his wand, his mind racing with what could have lured them out of the forest...It was odd to be seeing them so out in the open like this. Yes, he shared that look with Odessa...

"I think...our Prefect should run along and tell Professor Botros..." He offered in a low voice...He meant Daichi, of course...."...or I can send a Patronus."...Yes, he could...

...but then a new riddle has just appeared...

Not really wanting to take his eyes off the creatures, he side glanced it, reading the riddle out of the corner of his eyes. Naturally the talk of 'your road' and all that reminded him of the lesson they'd had on Raidho...and how that rune was about someone's personal journey. Maybe that was it?

"....Raidho." That was his guess...as he focused his attention on the creatures once more. Would they make a move against them?

West followed along to the next plank, still wand at the ready just in case of events, and also it wasn't like he didn't need it in case of carving reasons right? West looked over the riddle and nodded. For sure that was Raidho...

"Raidho is about life's road." He agreed, "And the three what sew the yarn... or actually weave humanity's fate, are Urdr, Verdandi, and Skuld: The Norns. They're represented by Raidho too, because of life's journey from birth and becoming through being, to death. Its a bit like the Three fates in Greek Mythology." So totally was Raidho. No question about that.

West held his wand out and immediately started carving the R shape with the triangle and two lines coming out on different angles from the bottom, not even bothering to wait. Other people could carve it too if they wanted, but he was going ahead.

"Intaglio Raidho Raidho Raidho Raidho Raidho..." Given what he knew about that particular rune, his focus on it was pretty awesome and stuff, so of course it was nice and glowy on the plank. Boom.

Did they need to check the map before moving forward again?

As the students move on according to their map, and maybe after coming to a few dead ends, they spot another riddle on another board.

With one last glance at the forest and students, the Thestrals proceeded to walk across the grounds. Side by side, with their leathery wings shielding their skeletal bodies.

......................

Well, she was still waiting. Carving down a rune wasn't that hard right? Kat watched the rune Daichi was carving on the wood. While waiting, Kat wasn't sure about that fistbump from her captain but okay, she fistbumped him too. Once that was done and they went further inside the maze, Kat just followed them. Well they did know these stuff so... Kat wasn't going to butt in. They all got this under control anyway. Proud Slytherin. Dead ends though.

BOO. Kat hated mazes too much to appreciate getting adventurous.

Ahem anyway, they got the second riddle finished and carve so that meant they were going to be looking for a third riddle around here. Then... hey look. Another board. With a riddle. Kat squinted as she read it. Dragon, hero, slay... blah. Not so helpful.

Giant though. HMM. That sort of gave it away. "Thurisaz," she concluded. That sure was the rune they were looking for, yeah? Yeah. That was it. "Anybody wanna carve that one?" She had done her part. It was sort of a teamwork activity anyway so there... she was letting someone else do it.

Go on.

Seeing the Thestrals moving along on their merry way, Dylan relaxed some...but not entirely. It wasn't that they were overly dangerous...It was just such an odd sight, seeing them out in the open with so many people around. He'd never personally heard of them being the sort of creatures to venture out...

Which...logically...not everyone could see them. Only those who'd witnessed death. So...Well, that made some sense, anyway.

Onward!

Following behind the others and keeping his eyes peeled for weirdness, they'd come across yet another board with another riddle. Good thing Hudson was a smart!Slytherin and identified with 'giant' translating to 'Thurisaz'...

Carving it? Right. He was on it.

"Back away, dearest...." Gently nudging his Keeper out the way, Dylan leveled his wand on the plank and FOCUSED LIKE WHOA.

Breathing, relaxing his mind, picturing the rune, feeling the rune, BEING the rune...

"Intaglio Thurisaz Thurisaz Thurisaz Thurisaz Thurisaz......." He maintained the mental aspect, not breaking eye contact with the plank as the rune began drawing itself..."Intaglio Thurisaz Thurisaz Thurisaz Thurisaz Thurisaz....."

Again...he got that anxious feeling at first...but then once the rune completed itself, it went away. Merlin, that was odd.

"Finished."

At the end of the maze's path, after a fork and a left turn is the last of the puzzles that would take you outside.

Following the map that Sky had, West was happy to go on with the others to look for the next barrier. Thanks to the map it wasn't like they were making a million wrong turns either. Just that way... and this.... and there! Another bit of wood with a riddle and all that. West went over and got nosy.

Hum.

Glory and Victory meant a few different runes... but the hint was in it saying like Wunjo but brighter, and like Teiwaz but freer, meaning it wasn't either of those... and what was brighter than the sun? West was pretty confident that Sowilo was the right rune and he had his wand ready in case he needed to carve it, but for now he just stood back.

"Sowilo is endless energy and abundant victory and glory."He commented helpfully. And also wasn't Wunjo OR Teiwaz. Did the others agree?

West could see the Thestrals as well?

Daichi looked at the younger Slytherin for a second before his eyes found the Thestrals again. He felt easier now that the Thestrals were walking the other way and when the spell he had casted on the board opened it he looked at Sky. She had the map right? When the others walked further, he walked behind them through the maze.

Because he was behind the others, he could see what was happening and what the others were doing and he rolled his eyes when Dylan fistbumped Kat and even called her dearest. Blegh!

Before he knew it , they were already at the fourth riddle and when the board blocked their way he read the text. After hearing West's answer for the riddle he looked at the board again, a slight frown on his face. He never had been good with riddles anyway. "I think so.." He knew the symbol of that rune but the meaning? He had no idea...

Because he already had carved a rune in one of the wooden planks, Daichi decided to let someone else who hadn't done it yet get the credit.

Yes, Kat could still see the Thestrals. Even if they were leaving and stuff, she side!eyed them. It wasn't the first time she saw them, but honestly... why were there Thestrals in here? Surely this was an Ancient Runes class, and not a Care of Magical Creatures one. And, they should be staying in the Forbidden Forest or wherever the staff people left the Hogwarts Thestrals in. Stables probably, or somewhere. Anywhere but here, even.

And then... dearest? Well... well. How weird. Kat just moved away when Dylan decided to carve the rune for them. HAHA Daichi.

Okay, that was done so... moving on. Until another board with a riddle. Kat read the riddle too, and then West said Sowilo. Hmm... yes, he had a point. "Sowilo," she agreed. It had to be Sowilo. Was anyone going to carve the rune for them? Nobody? Okay... so Kat shall do that. The prefect took her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at the board. She carved this rune on her desk earlier so this shouldn't be a problem. Picturing the Sowilo rune in her head and focusing on the board, Kat started. "Intaglio Sowilo Sowilo Sowilo Sowilo Sowilo..." Glowing rune was glowing. After the rune was carved on the board, Kat kept her wand back in her pocket.

That was the last of it now, yeah? "We're done." Sort of. Maybe. Did anyone have a final say? It was still a teamwork activity anyway so yes, their comments and thoughts still mattered.

Thestrals?! Where?! Not that she would be able to see them, anyway. But appearently her housemates could. That was curious. But she wasn't about to ask, either. It was really none of her business, anyway. Sky did keep on eye on the map, though. Giving out directions as the second and third riddles were solved. And as soon as her teammate was done carving this rune as well. Wait, they were done? Hmm. Which meant..... "Okay, so it looks like we have to go..." okay, so map was kind of hard to read. "this way." To the left, to the left everything you own in a box to the left. Jeez, looked like a long way.

Ab grabbed his staff closer to his chest and called out, "All students take off your bracelets, and join me when you see me as soon as the illusion goes away." They would see him with the unicorn and the Hufflepuffs easily considering that the four mazes were side by side. He was going to tell them about the puzzles and then dismiss them.

ooc: - post your character in the Hufflepuffs' maze, please, where the professor will announce the results to the competition and reward with points.
- As soon as your character takes off their bracelets, the maze will disappear and they will find themselves in the Grounds, not far from where the other houses are.