If there was one thing he learned from last term, it was to NOT put his academic stuff on hold until the last minute. Since school started last September, the sixth year has been on top of things. Homeworks were submitted on time, and the sensation of being accomplished drove him to be more dedicated with his studies. Yes, he’s starting to act like a Ravenclaw. Only...he doesn’t have the brain of one. Clearly.

After checking their notice board again for the updated submission dates, the young man turned to the Slytherin’s study area and dumped all of his stuff on the table and started to sort out his unfinished homeworks. After pulling a stack of parchment from his bag, a vial containing white liquid rolled out of it, and Ethan was quick to catch it.

Right...right. Potions. He needed to get that one done too.

Sighing, the teen pulled out a chair, sat on it...and contemplated on what he would do with it. Should he...well, taint someone’s drink to get his homework done or...?

If only she’d figured out how to get people to do her homework for her… That was still one thing Brooklyn was trying to work on. In general, she preferred not actually having to exert herself unless she got something out of it. Points were all well and good, but she liked more immediate results. Hence her normal habit of showing up to classes yet not always getting homework in on time. Eventually she’d probably have to work on that part, but not yet. Not right now, not when she didn’t have exams or anything to worry about. So far, she hadn’t had a lot to worry about, aside from wanting to practice the Patronus charm.

She hadn’t thought she’d get that done in the common room, and definitely not over at the study tables, but she’d found herself wandering over in that direction anyhow. If anything, it seemed quieter than the main area of the common room, so maybe she could read in peace. Except, as she’d gotten nearer, she saw a familiar person at one of the tables, staring at an equally familiar vial. Familiar only in that it looked an awful lot like the one she’d been carrying around in her bag since the Potions lesson, just in case she found the most opportune time to use it. She knew he wouldn’t have taken hers, so it had to be his and that told her a lot about him. Maybe that was why she liked him.

Either way, she’d ended up wandering nearer, until she dropped her bag on the table and perched on the seat next to him. “I don’t think staring at it is how you use it,” she commented. Who needed proper greetings? Not Brooklyn, not when she already knew what someone thought of her.

Tainting someone’s drink would mean exerting effort on his end. After that, he’d have to follow around his victim to record the result. Yep. Too much work, and he only has a few days to do all of that, and turn his homework in on time. Plan B would be...to find someone who is willing to take his potion and just get on with it.

He’s got a list of people in his head, which just might be willing to take his potion. He’d go and ask them...unless they show up soon in the common room?

Plan C would be to do the homework’s second option. Safely putting his vial of Fear potion on the table, Ethan rummaged through his belongings, and pulled out a particular set of parchments and re-read the instruction given by Professor Culloden. At first, Option B looked like an easy choice to take, but the amount of time and research that he needed to accomplish would be great too.

The sixth year need not look up (or down) to see the person who joined him at the study area. The voice, and the way she carried herself around was all too familiar. “Good day to you too, Brooklyn.” He said grinning from ear to ear. She IS a scary she-Snake, no doubt about that, but he knew that she’s got a vulnerable spot behind all that sass, which, to Ethan, makes her adorable. Of course, he wouldn’t say that out loud to her. The sixth year didn’t want to be hexed BY a THIRD year, thank you very much. “All caught up on homework, or...?” he asked as he finally looked at her, a grin still on his face. Does she need help from an older student? It was unlikely because it’s Brooklyn Andrews, but who knows?

Cutty had gotten the message. He took a moment to consider it and wonder what it could be about. Was it serious? Or a prank? Or something else entirely? And then he promptly forgot about it. So it was by sheer coincidence that he'd come from the Slytherin Boy's Dorms bearing his potions homework to find his cousin and Andrews talking. Or it looked like they were talking. It seemed to be going better for Andrews than it had with Whitty. Honestly, he was surprised Andrews still spoke to any of the Slytherin boys.

He dug out his phial of milky looking fear potion and headed over to the study tables. "How would yew two like to take a little mind trip?" He asked, placing the potion onto the surface of the table clearly visible to all parties. "I got some movin' images in me bahg that'll make this juice conjure dowright primal levels. I'm talkin' shark infested waters at night." What the hell was Cutty even...? "Without a boat." What??

Was it because of the family bond that Cutty and Ethan subconsciously share, or was the other Mordaunt just in time to rescue him from his dilemma? Either of which, Ethan was thankful. Besides, Cutty was at the top of his list whom he thinks won’t mind drinking his potion. For a moment, he felt like a god who has impeccable summoning powers.

The conversation between him and Brooklyn was put on hold, as the blond Mordaunt welcomed another body who was in need of a partner. The moment Cutty took a seat, the elusive plan to get the homework done fell into place perfectly. If only the whole school could see what was going on, he was sure they’d be feared. Ethan was sure that the two snakes before him were dangerous enough, minus their brewing powers. And...hold up. Is that...a Fear potion as well?

Ethan can only give his cousin a shrug. “I’m game.” If Brooklyn will join, then the Trifecta of Disaster would be complete. "We can go for a three-way swap...let's do it round robin style." he said as he turned to the only girl in the group. Things could turn tragic for the three of them, or downright entertaining. Whatever the result will be, he was sure that none of it would slip out of the common room.

See? Brooklyn had known she didn’t need to bother with a proper greeting. Ethan had given one to her anyway, and she’d grinned back. That was the advantage of knowing who knew what was appropriate. Who respected her. Besides, it wasn’t as if he was a professor. She would have started things off with the polite greeting then, but either way, nobody was offended. Things could move on. There weren’t many people who actually got past her prickly nature.

She’d tilted her head to one side like a bird, or maybe a baby velociraptor, as he’d suggested she was caught up on homework, seconds before another voice had sounded to signify someone else had joined them. Of course she wasn’t caught up, and neither was either of them if they still had full vials. She wasn’t stupid, and she wasn’t about to do whatever Cutty was suggesting without knowing what she was getting into first. He wasn’t about to see her fall for his tricks.

Still with her head tilted at the angle, calculating if it was worth it, she stuck her hand in her bag and pulled out the small vial of milky liquid. Her only answer was to set it on the table where they could see it. At least she could hope Ethan wouldn’t let her flip out too much, on the chance whatever Cutty was talking about really happened. Unless he was too far gone to care, but she wasn’t going to think about that. Everyone was supposed to worry about her first, after all.

The lack of spoken words from Brooklyn made Ethan a bit worried for the younger Snake. Was she having reservations dealing with the Mordaunts? The Slytherin blinked at the idea as he followed the same vial of milky substance being placed on the table. Well, how about that? Three ‘Fear’ Potions. If it was a test whether they were true Slytherins, all of them would pass. Ethan’s attention drifted back to Brooklyn, waiting for her to say something, but apparently, she remained quiet.

The older Slytherin chuckled to himself as he procured the base potion from his bag and placed it inside his pocket just to be sure. While doing so however, he already guessed that Brooklyn didn’t want to deal with Cutty, so it left him with no choice but to take Cutty’s potion, and have Brooklyn take his. She trusts him, right?

Ethan then gently grabbed a first year by his collar as he passed by their table and instructed him to get three goblets, and a pitcher of water from the common room. It didn’t take long for the terrified first year to deliver his request. Setting the three goblets for each of them, the Slytherin then went ahead and filled their vessels with water. “A little amount should do the trick. I don’t want to go through this for ten hours...” he said, quickly glancing at Cutty as he uncorked his vial and poured at least a teaspoon of the milky substance in his water goblet. He then passed it to Brooklyn. “Cheers. You’ll be fine after 10 minutes or less.” He then turned to Cutty and gave him the look. “If I die because of your potion, I've got Brooklyn as witness, so be careful.” And yes, he’s watching YOU, Cuthbert.

Brooklyn still hadn’t said a word, not because she was afraid to. She just hadn’t seen a reason why she needed to actually say whether or not she was willing to go through with testing out either of their potions. More accurately, she wasn’t entirely willing to trust the mind trip or whatever it was Cutty had talked about. She still felt like Ethan would take care of her, although his little terror tactic on the firstie amused her greatly. Of course, she hardly would have allowed anyone who didn’t have some sort of power to get close to her. That was just a fact, even if she was still the most important one. She was still the queen, no matter who else claimed the title.

“Me either,” she finally said, in response to the comment about not wanting to deal with the aftereffects for hours. She didn’t really want to deal with them at all, but she’d also noticed Ethan was giving her his potion. So her idea wasn’t wrong. It also meant by their own agreement that Cutty would have to take hers, so she half knelt on her chair until she could reach another of the goblets.

Moments later, she’d poured some of her potion Maybe half into the water inside, then slid the goblet over toward Cutty. She wanted to make sure she’d gotten that done before drinking the goblet of potion-laced water Ethan had given her. Just in case it worked fast. Plus, she sent Cutty a look as Ethan had talked about dying. Yep, she’d definitely tell whoever it was his fault if that happened, but first, she had to drink. She’d lifted her goblet to her lips slowly, still watching the two boys over the rim even as she’d tilted it to drink.

"Ethan, after all we've been through. Is this really how yer treat yer own cousin?" He joshed at the fair-haired Mordaunt boy in mock offense. Joshed, of course, it was very hard to actually offend him. In his 6 years at the school only 2 people had done it successfully. He held up the phial full of milky white fear-inducing potion and uncorked it with his thumb, eyeballing the dosage. A teaspoon as he'd seen was the amount Brooklyn was taking.

"Does murder run in our family?" He asked curiously, giving the potion a stir with the end of his wand and then setting it before Ethan. He had a feeling he knew what Ethan's fears were. The problem was, they were hard to imagine being more intangible. But from his antics in Ancient Runes and his cozying up to Healer Murdoch, Cutty could gather that Ethan was afraid of disappearing into the ether and being forgotten. His own father was like that. There were some similarities there.

Cutty took the goblet from Brooklyn giving it a stir with his index finger then put the finger to his mouth. She wanted him to take the entire dose. Could be interesting. And it wasn't like they didn't have a cure ready if things got out of hand. He was hard enough to predict without the potion, no wonder they were afraid to lose their lives. Or maybe that was just standard mistrust. He knew Brook to have issues with trust as per their last conversation with Grayson. And Grayson was one of the most trust-worthy wizards he knew so long as one wasn't bringing one's girl around him. Although, Cutty had a feeling Ruby's tolerance for that had led to better relationship security all-around.

The dark-haired Mordaunt smiled and winked at Andrews in response to her look before knocking back the entirety of the dosage she'd given him.

Ethan laughed out loud. LULz. ALL THEM LULZ.

“Cutty, my dear cousin...” Ethan chuckled out the remnants of his outburst, “Don’t even try to sound funny, because it doesn’t suit you.” He said pointing at his face and encircled it with an imaginary circle. He laughed because Cutty had to make an effort. Brave of his cousin though, so it was...kind of impressive. The dark haired Mordaunt can thank Salazar Slytherin that they were in the confines of their beloved dorm. He was literally saved from deep humiliation, that is, if Cutty even knows the emotion.

Ethan watched as Cutty stirred the contents of his water goblet with his wand. The blond teen eyed the vessel with a raised brow, suspecting Cutty that he did some sort of non-verbal spell on it. A set of blue green eyes then shifted from the goblet to Cutty at the mention of murder. Ethan was half convinced that his cousin was out to get him, but he trusts tiny Brooklyn that she will report any funny business if he does get killed. “Murder?” Ethan repeated the word with a sceptical look. The blond Mordaunt pondered on the question, and quickly gave Cutty a knowing grin. “It will start from you, if I die today.” And with that, Ethan bravely raised his goblet at Cutty and drank its contents.

Fear in 5...4...3...2...

Brooklyn’s gaze had gone to Ethan as he’d suddenly laughed. That had been unexpected, and she would have wondered if it was a result of Cutty’s potion except as she’d looked over at him, he hadn’t drank it yet.

Things were already getting weird and she had barely touched any of the liquid in her goblet. If the potion was going to be like this, she was already afraid of what was going to happen once she actually drank it. Even trusting Ethan not to have poisoned her, thoughts were already brewing in her head. Not very good thoughts either, and definitely not helped by how calm Cutty was being at getting the goblet she’d put her potion into. The fact he’d stirred it with his finger and then actually tasted it, like he was testing her. It unsettled her, especially as he’d winked at her before knocking the whole thing back. As if he knew she had given him more than Ethan had given her.

But then Ethan had followed suit, so she finally tipped her goblet more until she’d swallowed the contents. I wonder how long the potion takes to work, she wondered, blue eyes back on the two older boys as if either of them would answer her question. Either that, or as if they’d suddenly start running around the common room screaming.

She hoped she wouldn’t do that.

Ethan was pointing. He was pointing again. But at least he didn't touch him. Things were getting better.


Or were they? Ethan brought up murder a whole lot. Like he mistrusted him for whatever reasons. And, you should never trust somebody who doesn't trust you.


Especially with murder. Ethan was going to try to kill him. Perhaps, that had been the plan all along. They'd found out about his father and sent Ethan to Hogwarts to kill him to keep the bloodline pure. And Brook was in on it. She was always in on it. Look at the faces she made and the suspicion with which she regarded nearly everyone she'd interacted with.

"Not a single murder?" He asked, the pupils in his dark eyes getting smaller and his pulse starting to race. "Yer blaggin' me 'ead."

Ah, the throes of paranoia.

Not even a single drop of confusion took place. Did Cutty’s potion worked, or was he just...scared of him all along?

And why was he so interested with his family’s history? Ethan had heard things of course, and he has been constantly assured by his cousin that there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. Not even their grandfather who apparently had a mistress...has a son outside of marriage...and that he’s got a cousin from that branch who was sat beside him.

Ethan clutched his goblet as soon as he drank the potion. His worry from the get-go turned into something else. His questions turned into paranoia. What is Cutty up to? Was he asked by his father to watch out for him? Was the dark haired Mordaunt there, to deliberately hurt him so that his family could get back at their grandfather?

If yes...then, will his grandfather even care? Ethan sat back, apparently defeated by the worry inside his head. No...no, he’s not worried and afraid of Cutty. He’s afraid because it seemed that he didn’t matter to his grandfather. Time and again, he had wished Alfonzo to be as caring and loving as Botros, but now...now he realized so much more.

“I’m...I’m not sure.” Was Ethan’s response. The Slytherin got up and stood away from Cutty and Brooklyn. He stood by one of the pillars and crossed his arms around his chest. He didn’t want to be near his cousin...nor Brooklyn. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life...

Why were they still talking about murder? Especially like they actually expected one of them to murder the other, and she was sitting there as witness. Brooklyn wanted to know, but then s he also didn’t want to know. She didn’t want to know that someone had murdered someone else. That Cutty had murdered Ethan, or even vice versa. At the moment, that seemed entirely possible, as she’d continued clutching her goblet, nearly looking as if she was using it as a shield. It had stayed in front of her, half hiding her face aside from the blue eyes that had continued to watch the two boys over the rim.

She was steadily growing to realize she didn’t trust either of them. Not if they kept talking about murder as if it was so easily done. The gaze that kept watching took on a slightly trapped feeling, a sensation that the owner was teetering on the edge of something, that she could react in a completely unknown and likely unexpected way if she was pushed. The tiny redhead was a cornered viper, holding herself back but poised to strike if either of the two boys had gotten even the slightest bit closer to her. There was still the table between her and Cutty, yet she was painfully aware of Ethan right next to her. At least, the older blonde boy was…until he wasn’t. Until he was suddenly over there by that pillar, and her blue eyes had shifted in that direction before going back to the boy across from her.

She wasn’t going to be murdered. She wasn’t. She wouldn’t let them.

Three distracted Slytherins sitting at the study tables
One (SlytherinSistah) might feel a pinch and then another on his ankles
Reddish bumps is what he’ll find once he goes to investigate
Better see someone about the swelling before it is too late.

Cutty, being an expert in reading people's intentions (and by that I mean being an absolute turnip at it) gleefully misread Ethan's slightly vulnerable tone in the answer to his question as that which might be used for guilt. Aha! He'd caught him! That was practically a confession. No water boarding required.

The sensation that he could die was registering as thrilling in Cutty's broken little brain, as was the fear. He wanted to play and he had to find a way to prolong this feeling. But would Brooke, the would-be accessory to his murder agree to continuously supply him? It might give her a chance to ...Whoops! Slip him a little something.

But what if she didn't? What if she was a Stabitha Jones in the making and preferred more direct methods? What if...

SHE WAS BACKING OUT???!!

Ethan had gotten up and started feeling guilty and that only left Brook.

"Don't yer get cold feet now, Andrews. I'm sure yer had a de...AaAAkh!" He shouted and stood up quite quickly. Bending down immediately, Cutty examined the source of the pain. He lifted his trouser leg and pulled down the sock. A large, swollen red bump and then another right next to it. "There's spiders in here." He informed them. His heart racing ever more now, not just for previous thoughts but for potential happenings now that spiders were in the picture.

He felt ridiculous and afraid at the same time to be honest. He’s been sharing the same common room and dorm room with Cutty for the past three terms, and though he seemed to be misunderstood by many, Ethan never considered him as a threat. He always knew that he and Cutty shared something. That something though, was elusive as ever, but somehow, he has been blinded by it, and ridiculously built trust around it.

Maybe being paranoid isn’t so bad after all. Maybe the world isn’t just full of teddy bears then.

Ethan’s throat began to feel dry as more thoughts crippled his once logical brain with fear, and continued to eye the two Snakes before him. For the record, he had never seen Brooklyn that quiet and still before. Ethan was sure that she’d be an easy victim IF she wasn’t aware of the tainted drink.

The seventeen year old jolted as soon as Cutty stood up, shouted, and bent over to look at...his ankle? Ethan already had his wand in his hand just in case Cutty decided to elevate and push the possibilities of the potion further.

And spiders? What spiders? WHY THE HELL ARE THERE SPIDERS??! “CUTHBERT! Spiders aren’t...” part of the plan! Ethan’s voice shook. He couldn’t get himself to continue because the picture of cobwebs that adorned the portraits back at the first floor came to mind, as well as the young face of Gregoire Bastion. Poor lad was mauled and died because of one mother acromantula when he tried to get rid of it.

No...no this can’t be. “I...I can’t think...straight anymore...” he thought to himself as he placed his palm on his forehead.

There must be something he CAN do...

Wait...the effects of the potion should be wearing off by now, yes?

As Cutty had spoken to her, Brooklyn’s eyes had stayed on him. Even though she had absolutely no idea what in the world he was talking about. Especially as whatever it had been had turned into a shriek that had made her shrink backward as if she was trying to get away from him. She didn’t care what he was looking at, what had made him react that way. She just didn’t want it anywhere close to her, and as he’d suddenly changed demeanor and spoke of spiders what seemed like calmly to her. Nope. She wasn’t doing spiders, not when she hadn’t seen them. For all she knew, there were baby acromantulas on the floor, and she was glad she was sitting with her feet curled underneath her. She didn’t care if they were babies. It was too close to big acromantulas, and she remembered last term, not to mention the spider that had been in the Transfiguration lesson this term. She wasn’t getting anywhere close to any spiders.

Her blue eyes had shifted to look at Ethan as he’d suddenly burst out with…she wasn’t even sure who he was talking to. As far as she knew, he was talking to someone who wasn’t there, but then maybe it was Cutty. She couldn’t focus, not when there were spiders. In the back of her mind, a voice reminded her that she wasn’t afraid of spiders, but right now she was ignoring that. She refused to move from the chair, to let her feet get anywhere close to the ground and whatever had made Cutty yell. She was just going to stay where she was, as far back in the chair as physically possible and still clutching the goblet.

The potion should wear off soon. Hopefully. Either that, or she needed Ethan to come back over so he could give her the antidote.

Curling your feet up under you isn't going to save you. We have ways of getting what we want.

While you sit there waiting for that potion to wear off you feel a little pinch on the back of your neck that soon turns to a stinging sensation. Best seek help for that before it's too late.

Andrews kept her eye on him and Cutty took that as a good sign that she hadn't lost interest. He hadn't noticed when she jumped at his yelp upon being bitten as he was himself too busy examining the wound. When he looked up though her legs and feet were curled up under her seat like she was afraid of the hot lava ground. Perhaps the spiders, though. Brook hadn't been there when Gregoire had shuffled off this mortal coil, but then the lot of them hadn't and it still affected them nonetheless. Even he started to think of it, in his fear induced mind. A sea of little acromantulas was probably coasting along in a thin sheet of spider bodies beneath them right now. They'd get bigger and then eventually devour everyone before he had the chance to see his first real cat fight! A goal that was amazing considering the tenants in Cutty's apartment complex.

Cutty looked up in time to see Ethan clutching his wand and it excited him. Was Ethan going to cast on him? Oh no! Ethan was definitely backing out. Cutty's heart lept in a sea of fear for what he'd do without the struggle to survive that his own paranoid mind had made him think was well on its way. But then Ethan spoke and Cutty pulled down his trouser leg as he realized what his cousin was saying. Ethan was definitely backing out! Cutty's heart lept in a sea of fear for what he'd do without the struggle to survive that his own paranoid mind had made him think was well on its way.

These dizzying thoughts began to combine with the possibility that Professor Dakest would soon show them the bogarts, or what Cutty thought would more or less be a closet full of spiders as most everyone was still traumatized. His insecurity, paranoia, excitement, disappointment and most of all FEAR collided with a wall of overdosed potion and soon the 16th year old's hand was over his mouth and he was speeding out of the common room.

Ethan just stood on his spot, clearly not knowing what to do next. The potion however, as expected, had lost its effect because soon after Cutty left them, he felt normal…and a bit confused. Why, did his cousin flee? And…Brooklyn. She wasn’t moving still.

The Slytherin kept his wand away as he sat next to the third year and procured the antidote from his pocket. Ethan was quite sure that his potion mix was a tad strong for such little frame. “Now, don’t be afraid. Remember, you drank the Fear Potion for our homework and to get rid of it, you have to take this.” He said as he pushed the vial of clear liquid towards the redhead. “Go on…”

Merlin. Playing with emotions IS a sin. Tsk.

The whole incident was getting to be too much for her. Brooklyn knew she couldn’t get any further back in the chair, away from Cutty and the assumed spiders that had bitten him on the ankle. The dark haired boy hadn’t said anything since that announcement, but the silence was almost scarier. She didn’t like being victim to a fear potion. She didn’t like being a victim. She was supposed to be the one who was above it all, who had the power to influence things to her whims…”Ow,” she said, suddenly shifting forward and turning to look behind her. There had to be something sharp on the back of her chair. It couldn’t be spiders or whatever. Nope.

But then, she didn’t see anything. Just the smooth back of the chair and she turned back to the two boys only to see Cutty running off looking as if he was going to vomit. She didn’t think that would reverse her potion, but right now she was more concerned by the stinging sensation on the back of her neck. That and the remaining traces of the fear from Ethan’s potion running through her. This wasn’t fun at all. She’d been scared of murders and now her neck hurt. Not nice.

She’d turned slightly to look at Ethan as he’d sat back down next to her, anyway. Telling her not to be afraid was kind of ridiculous. He’d been the one to give her the potion after all, even if she’d trusted him way more than she did Cutty. Her blue eyes had went to look at the vial he’d held out for maybe a beat too long before she’d reached a hand out to grasp it, dropping the goblet onto the table. At least one of them was honest, and apparently worried. She’d tipped the vial once it had reached her lips, swallowing some of the liquid inside and feeling the fear finally fade away. That was better. Definitely. Except it hadn’t done anything about her neck.

“Did you see anything on my chair?,” she finally asked, breaking the silence. She didn’t care if he’d seen what bit Cutty. Just whatever had dared attack her.

For the record, he was worried about Cutty too seeing that his cousin had ran off without taking the antedote. He’d have to search for him next, but first, he’d make sure that Brooklyn was okay, and that she’s completely free from his Fear potion.

Ethan was too busy observing and calculating Cutty when Brooklyn let out a tiny yelp. Of course he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary because, well there’s nothing out of place. The older Slytherin watched the younger snake take his antedote, and was relieved to see Brooklyn well and good. Well, was she really okay?

And…did he see what exactly?

Ethan eyed Brooklyn’s chair and shook his head. “I didn’t see anything…” the Slytherin trailed off not sure what Brooklyn was talking about. “Everything alright?” he asked as he reached out for his satchel and packed away his things. He still needs to run after Cutty and make sure his cousin was okay.

Zhenya had returned from another trip to the library, with some more exam papers and heavy books under her arm. She placed them all down onto a study desk and flopped down onto the chair. She knew her eyes were starting to get darker from all the late night study sessions she was sneaking in, but she felt so behind already.

Today she was going to do some Care of Magical Creatures study. She didn't do so well with that subject, and she wasn't sure why. Sure she cared about animals but... she wasn't always that keen to involve herself with them if they were anything more than an X. She flipped open the textbook and pulled the exam paper closer to her, where she looked at it for a while. She unrolled a piece of parchment, with a lot of notes already scribbled on it, and got out her ink and quill, dipping it in to be ready.