Days had passed. Maybe even weeks. Noelle couldn't tell. It was too dark to tell if it was morning or night. It was too dark to tell much of anything. Noelle didn't even know where she was at.

At first, Noelle had tried fighting her way out, everytime that ghastly looking man let them out to clean the others. But she had been... Punished for her rebel ways. It had all buried Noelle's hope of ever getting home. This could possibly be her new home for the rest of her life.... If she managed to live that long.

Because, she'd noticed that some of the others had left. And hadn't come back. The cries kept her awake and Noelle barely slept. Her mind was numb. Her shoulder still ached sometimes from the bite the goblin had given her. Her face was bruised from the occasional smack she'd taken from talking back. She'd finally learned to control her mouth after a few of them.

The cleanings were the worst though. When they were let out, they were to clean. Spotless. Every inch. Which was hard with the materials they were given. Noelle had learned that her level of cleanliness was not on the level of cleanliness of the person that checked it. They couldn't sleep until it was spotless.

Then, when they could sleep, Noelle and Sabbie had been led back to their cell, where rats scurried around. It was dreadful. It was bleak.

A rat scurried across the floor near Noelles foot and she gasped, kicking at it. She was hungry and tired but everytime she closed her eyes, someone else wailed or a rat's claws could be heard on the stone floor near Noelle, causing her to sit upright and look through the darkness for their glowing eyes.

Did she mention she hated rats?

Shivering, Noelle's eyes searched for Sabbie in the dark. He was her only sense of joy in the place, and it was slowly growing dim. "Sabbie, I want to go home." She whispered, probably about the 100th time since they'd been down here.

She just wanted to go home.

The days of their incarceration had past in obscurity before Sabbath realised that they were losing track of time. In the dank and light-starved environs of the dungeon, they had no concept of day or night or any idea how long they had been kept. It was then he began to gouge the side of bench seat with a tally mark every time they received their measly piece of bread. It was all he could do to try to keep track of time from this point forward. From his estimations, it had been 12 days since he’d started keeping count.

Hunger burnt through Sabbath’s stomach like fire ants, although his thirst often overtook hunger in the race for supremacy. Physically, he was in better shape than Noelle, being less mouthy, he was less prone to punishment. There were brazen rats that occasionally scurried across the cell floor taking their opportunity to nibble at their ankles when the two were sleeping or less vigilant. He and Noelle had since worked out a system to maintain a watch and keep them at bay while they slept that had varying success.

The dungeon was bitterly cold, Sabbath kept his hoodie pulled up around his face and he and Noelle spent much of their time huddled together for warmth on the wooden bench seat. They’d now learned the spots where the roof leaked. Sabbath having made the mistake of allowing his jumper to get wet, suffered days of shivering damp cold until it dried out in the dank environs of the dungeon. He would not make that mistake again.

That’s how they sat now, huddled together. Sabbath had his arms around Noelle and he could feel her shivering. He saw her turn her head, her eyes searching for his in the dark, ”Sabbie, I want to go home,” she had whispered. Sabbath cleared his throat, which was raspy from disuse, “I know Nells, I do too”. He pulled her tighter to him, “But we have to be strong,” he replied as he had many times before and rested his head against hers.

Sabbath could hear the desperation in her voice. But, from early on, he was determined he wouldn’t succumb to despair. Instead, he resolved to keep a strong front, at least for Noelle. However, underneath that facade of stoicism, Sabbath was angry. He was practically seething with ire for his captors, for the witch that kidnapped them, for the goblin that bit Noelle. He was so angry, that if he dwelt on it too much, he ended up shaking not from the cold but from pure rage.

He was mindful though that his anger was sapping his energy, he resolved to contain it because their food supply was so meagre and already he was tired, he was so tired he could feel the dull ache of it leeching into his very bones.

This was not helped by his continued lack of sleep which had been fitful and sporadic, disturbed by the pitiful wails of other captives. Their sudden and alarming shouts of delirium and anguished moans infiltrated even the deepest of lethargies, and although, he knew in his mind they were victims too, at that point, he hated them too. He hated them all.

The familiar creak of the upper door leading to the dungeon can be heard. It warns that the two can be expecting company in a very short time. Is it cleaning day? Feeding time? What time is it?

The heavy door slams shut with a haunting thud, then footsteps begin the descent, taking a brighter light than what is typically seen down here.

Irritated grumbles accompany the footsteps and whoever it is, makes their way down the row of cells as the dungeon takes on an eerie silence.

A shaky breath left Noelles throat as she leaned into Sabbie for warmth. She wishes she knew if it was morning or night. She wished she knew if people were looking for her or not. She even wondered if people were. She hoped they were. She didn't dare lead these thoughts to Sabbie. He was so strong and she already felt so weak.

Her stomach growled. She was ready for another piece of bread and hoping for that morsel of meat that seemed to come every so often. Droplets of water were heard dripping and Noelle tried to gain composure of her breathing. She wouldn't cry but she wanted to. Everything was so bleak.

Just then, the door was heard. The door that sent chills up her spine. She never knew what was coming. Were they going to be let out to clean? Or given food? Or something else? Noelle tried to train her eyes and ears on how the footsteps were different when they came in. But so far, she wasn't able to tell.

She squeezed Sabbie's hand softly and gave another shaky breath, her eyes on their cell door.

Sabbath could feel Noelle shiver, he knew she was as hungry as he was and he could hear her stomach growling as badly as his, but she didn't complain, she was strong even if she thought she wasn't.

Sabbath stiffened when he heard the familiar creak of the upper chamber door. He could hear footsteps dragging on the stairs, and shadows were leaping in the glow of a moving light source. Someone was approaching, maybe he and Noelle would get their slice of bread? Maybe, they'd be forced to clean again or, Maybe none of the above? Ultimately, he reasoned, it was futile to guess.

However, Sabbath did resolve to request more food for both he and Nells, if indeed they were being brought their meagre meal.

As the figure approached, the familiar bubbles of anger simmered in Sabbath, he clenched his jaw and returned Noelle's little hand squeeze in an attempt to reassure her. His black eyes turned to the cell door and he watched, intently, for the new arrival.

The light further down the hall continues to get brighter until the now familiar face of the silver-haired man comes into few. This time, he is not alone and there is no cleaning equipment just a small figure that is obviously sobbing.

The man rattles his keys twice before unlocking the cell. Get in there you!" And with a shove the two now find they are a company of three. The opening is slammed shut once more then piercing green eyes give them all a look over. "I'll be back after you've all been fed. The place is a right awful mess and I'll be damned if I let it stay that way."

His gaze pauses especially long on the defiant girl before he turns and trods back, taking the majority of the lighting with him.

Where was he? Where was his mummy? Who was that man?

The 8 year old clung to the metal bars in a vain effort to see anything, ignoring the chilling cold of the metal. "I want to go home." He said to no one in particular. "Please, sir, come back! Please." Why wasn't he coming back? He didn't want to stay here. It hadn't yet occurred to him that he had company, with the way his eyes were still adjusting to the poor light and it left him feeling horribly alone.

Noelle watched the light, as it got closer. A tingling sensation went up her back, but instead of cowering, she sat up straighter. It was her usual response. To meet the eyes of the silver haired.... bad name man as he came closer to them. It must be the Gryffindor in her, telling her to not show she was frightened.

But she was.
So frightened.
The man, everytime he came, gave her chills to her toes and she hated feeling like this. She'd never really been scared. Her family had always been there to protect her. Not to mention, Noelle was scrappy and had been taught at a young age, due to working on a farm, how to handle herself.

But this, this man, was something different entirely.

So when he opened the cell door, Noelle was sitting straight up, eyes unfaltering. She kept down her fears for the moment until he threw someone else in there with them. Noelle tried to keep the shock from her face. It'd only lasted a moment until her eyes were back on the silver-haired man. She eyes him, her lip curling in disgust, until he walked away.

Then her big sister mode came in. Timmy looked to be about this boys age. Noelle moved from Sabbie and the bench and went to squat next to the boy. "Hi there. What's your name?" She wanted to get the basics out of the way, and also maybe distract the boy from the horrible place he was just pushed into. "Im Noelle Summers." She said in a soothing voice as she gave him a smile. One that probably didn't look to pretty, due to the lack of hygiene they'd had.

The silver haired man appeared at the door as he had numerous times before, but this time Sabbath's eyes fell instantly upon the terrified face of a small boy, younger in years than both he and Noelle. The old man had shoved the boy inside before slamming the door shut and Sabbath had taken note that he'd said he'd be returning soon.

Nells had already dropped his hand and gone to the aid of the boy. Sabbath tailed her as she approached him and watched their interaction, quietly assessing the newcomer. The kid was young, but Sabbath was never quick to trust. He knew it was unlikely, but the boy could be a plant of some kind. Before he got overly friendly with the kid Sabbath wanted to find out what he knew, and fast! Sabbath wasn't sure when the silver haired an would return, he had to get the important questions answered quickly. There'd be time for introductions later.

"Listen, Kid. We're all friends here. Tell us what you know about the outside world. Have you heard if there are people looking for two missing kids?" He blurted.

Little face still pressed against the cold metal, he wasn't expecting voices. It came as such a shock to him that he jumped slightly before turning.

There was a girl...and a boy but he didn't want to stay with them, he wanted to go home. His name? "Mason." The boy all but choked on a sob, now fully grasping the severity of his predicament as he glanced from one to the other. They were stuck too. They couldn't get him out of here and before he knew it, his face was soaked with tears.

"I...I dunno."

He was a part of the outside world until just recently but it seemed he could hardly remember anything.

"I want to go home." Repeated again and again...and again.

This poor kid.
Noelle could tell he was heartbroken. Her heart broke for him more.. More than it already was for herself and Sabbie. She eyed Sabbie and his tone that he was using at the boy. She could tell he was suspicious of him. But really?? Obviously the boy was scared to death, and he was so young! There was no way he could be planning anything. I mean, he was there with him.

Noelle could tell the boy knew nothing, or was too upset to really think about what was going on. Now he was repeating himself. Noelle frowned. She would have offered the end of her shirt to wipe his tear stained face but her clothes were dirty and ... Basically in rags. His clothes were in much better order for face wiping.

"Thats okay that you don't know. Do you remember who took you?? Or how you were taken?" Noelle asked the boy in a soothing voice. "Whats your name?? Don't worry. We will get you out of here." She wasn't sure how but she would figure out a way.

"My mum is wicked protective and her charms are insane. She will find us." Noelle was trying to reassure herself as much as she was the boy. "Do you have parents?? Will they be looking for you?" The more looking for them, the better.

Noelle was unsure if Sabbiesfamilywodbe looking for him. He was pretty free with his family and they weren't magical so getting told things, it didn't seem likely, but Noelle was hoping they were looking too.

She would get this boy out of here, one way or another. Even if she had to take the silver haired man down herself to create enough time for Sabbie to get the boy free.

"Hey Nells", Sabbath touched her lightly on the shoulder, "give the boy, err, Mason, some room. I think you might be freaking him out even more" he offered.

Sabbath held up his hand to silently halt the conversation, he crooked his finger to indicate they should move a little closer. At a whisper, he started to talk, "Mason, Nells, Listen!! The silver-haired man said he'll be returning soon. We all want to get out of here, we all want to go home, that's a given. There are three of us now, and we've got to make some decisions..." He lowered his voice, "What do you say we try to overthrow him?". Sabbath knew Nells had some fight in her, but so far, Mason, seemed pretty sooky. Sabbath wondered if he'd in fact be more of a hindrance than a help, in the very least he figured he could be a decoy.

Sabbath glanced at Nells and Mason through the dingy light and continued, "They seem to be protecting their investment. We're not worth much to them if we're hurt or injured, so thats why they treat our wounds". His eyes flicked between them to gauge whether they were following his line of thought, "How about this.. when the old man returns, you", He looked at Mason, "you lay on the bench and pretend to be sick groaning in pain. When he enters the cell to look at you, we," he pointed at Nells, "can create a distraction while one of us tries to slip out the door, to run for help". He paused, "If that fails, then we go to Plan B. We all try to jump him. All three of us at once, BUT, our first priority is to get hold of his wand".

"Listen, If any of us get hold of the wand, don't waste time, use it, immediately! If there is anyone looking for us they should be able to trace our underage magic."

What do you both think? he asked in a hushed tone.

Noelle stood and gave Mason some space like Sabbie asked. She was only trying to help... Not smother the kid.

But she stood and walked two steps over, which was pretty much the whole width of the cell, and listened as Sabbie came up with... Some sort of a plan. Wasn't he a Ravenclaw? Did he not see the flaws in the plan?? Maybe it was the situation they were in, that his head was too traumatized to think clearly. Although, Noelle did like that plan to grab a wand at any cost an use it. They had the trace on them and if they were to use magic, authorities would be summoned.

"I like the wand plan.. But the sick plan.. Although I believe he wants us better, I see a few flaws with that plan. Like one.. I doubt he will come into the cell to check on the boy without casting some spell on us to keep
Us immobile while he works. Not to mention if he will even come into the cell at all. "

Noelle sighed, she was losing hope. "i do have another plan... But Sabbie.. You're not going to like it..." Her plan was very risky. Not to mention could very easily get one of them killed, most likely herself, but if it would save the others...

Sabbath was aware that the options he'd proposed had holes in them. But, they needed to put some ideas out there and come up with a plan. "Ok, so the sick thing probably won't work. But, I think tackling him outright will also be foolish, we need to get him off guard, use a decoy or something..... He glanced at the kid though the gloomy atmosphere, "Lets face it, Mason here doesn't look like he's up for doing much fighting. Unless he has some hidden talent he's not telling us about." Sabbath looked at Mason almost laughingly "You're not a ju-jitsu fighter or able to do wandless magic or anything, right? He felt ridiculous asking, and half joked, the kid was quaking in his boots.

Sabbath turned to Nells and eyed her suspiciously. He knew that look. "Hmm, I'm not agreeing to anything in which you try to get yourself killed, or try to take one for the team, Nells. He raised his eyebrows, and looked at her expectantly, "Ok, then, lets hear it". he said, not unkindly. They needed to lay all their cards on the table.

For his part, Mason just kept staring between the two of them, happy when he did get some distance from all the questions and words she kept saying. Right now...it was just really hard to understand most of what they were saying and with every second that ticked by, he realized more and more that he would be here for a while.

The little boy leaned against the cell gate, listening as they discussed how they would leave but he didn't know anything about fighting...or wandless magic. It only happened sometimes and he didn't know how.

Mason shook his head, confirming he was as useless Sabbie (that's what the girl had called him) had suggested...which only left him feeling worse.

"Nobody should die." He finally spoke up, contributing little to the actual plans to decidedly unwilling to see anyone not living anymore.

Noelle's hope was all but fading. She went and sat on the bench, pulling up her legs and wrapping her arms around them. She buried her head in her knees and breathed deeply. Why has she been so stupid and gone to KA?? She should have asked her mom to join them. But she knew that her mom would never let her go down there... And she had wanted to help Sabbie see if the gypsy hag was in any relation to him. Another sigh/sniffle escaped her mouth as she decided to think about her actions, for the 1000th time since they'd been down here.

Noelle had always pushed her limits. Going on the farm where she wasn't supposed to go. And so, when the opportunity arose to go on a little adventure to help Sabbie find his family, of course she was in. Only, she should have been smart about it. She should have found out more about Knockturn alley instead of just diving in.

But she'd done it like that, and she was facing the consequences now.
She just wished she could turn back time.

The plans on escaping were running through her head next. She heard the boy say no one should die. She lifted her head onto her knees and looked at the boy leaning against the cage door. Then she looked at Sabbie. Then back at the boy.

"Mason, do you remember how you were taken? Or where?" Noelle needed to know some things before she could continue thinking. All she knew was, she'd been stupid, and now, it was time to fix things.

"Thats right" Sabbath looked at Mason. "Nobody should die" he restated. "As long as we are smart and stick together our chances of survival are higher." He glanced at Nells, he knew she was their loose cannon with matters of constraint. "Soo, that means, no rash moves without telling the group" he held her gaze. "Just remember that Nells, If you wan't to help save Mason here. Its worse for him being the smallest if we get split up or punished for bad behaviour. After all, its survival of the fittest"

He looked at Mason, "We've been here for almost a month, so I guess we should introduce ourselves, we'll be seeing a lot of each other, I gather... I'm Sabbath" he gave him a wan smile.

Introductions over, Sabbath wandered over and sat beside Nells on the bench. He put his arm around her shoulders. He knew her spirits were waning. "We'll make it out. You'll see. We're survivors, don't let them break you down" he reassured her. Despite their hunger, Sabbath reasoned that physically they were in OK shape, but, the mind was going to be a bigger hurdle. He knew she was beating herself up. "You can stop blaming yourself too" he added. "No one has the right to steal us off the street no matter what street it happens to be. Knockturn Alley or not. They are in the wrong, not us. I refuse accept the blame, we are the victims here" He slammed the wooden bench with his hand, his anger besting him "Screw them! I want to see them suffer for this, even if I have to learn dark magic myself to see it through" He fell silent and looked down, regretting his outburst and thinking out loud.

Why was he staring at her?? Okay so she made split minute decisions that weren't so smart sometimes... Didn't everyone? She lifted her brow at him but held his gaze. And survival of the fittest? That meant Mason didn't stand a chance.. And Noelle, even if she didn't know this kid at all, had her mother's Hufflepuff blood running through her and would leave no man behind. But she wasn't making promises. She would do what was best for all of them. Whether that meant some things... Or others.

Had it been a month?? It felt like longer. Like half a year!! Of course, when all you saw where the walls around you and other prisoners when you were instructed to clean them. Time seemed to stand still. Sabbie tried to mark the wall but with no sunlight, it was hard to tell what day started with what night.

Noelle watched Sabbie quietly as he made his way over. He slid his arm over her shoulder and usually it confronted her, but she was in a mood. People were allowed those right? She shifted to let him know she didn't want his comfort right now. She wanted to believe they would be okay but she was beginning to loose faith. Her dad had watched the tele. She knew that if children were taken, after 48 hours, people lost hope. How many hours had it been now??

Sigh.

But his words were true. She was beating herself up, but the truth of the matter was, no one had the right to steal children. But she couldn't help but to think that they wouldn't have been stolen of she had just asked her mom to come along.
"if we weren't alone though, they most likely wouldn't have taken us." Noelle said quietly. She wish knew how Mason was taken. Then maybe she could put pieces of the puzzle together. "Though, I bet if just mom came, they would have tried" she muttered and gave another big sigh. Because seeing things first hand, things were a lot worse in Knockturm Alley then she originally thought.

Her stomach rumbled and she couldn't help but think of Mason. He reminded her of Timmy. Her brother. He was going to need more food than what they were given. The Hufflepuff side of her knew she was going to give him a piece of her portion as well.

Noelle's mind began working again, she wouldn't concentrate on one thing, but she wasn't sure why. "I don't think the three of us could over take a full grown man with a wand. Even with a decoy, which we don't have much to offer... " Noelle took a moment to look around. Hay, a bench that was attached to the wall, probably by magic because Noelle had tried to move it to see if any holes were around when they were first locked in, and ... Well themselves. That was basically... Nothing to work with. "We need another plan. I just... I don't know what that plan is." That plan was too risky. And since her plan was even more risky, they weren't going to do either.

Noelle looked away from Mason. He couldn't do any magic, not on purpose anyways. "Does emotions usually trick your magic?" She asked Mason.

The little boy breathed a small sigh of relief hearing the older boy agree that no one would die. It was a scary thought and he wasn't fully convinced they could make sure it never happened but hope in itself was comforting.

When it came to how he was taken and where...."I...I don't know where. Mummy had to get some things. She told me not to move--I shouldn't have moved but then there was a noise and...and it sounded like a cruppy. I thought...maybe if mummy SAW the cruppy she'd let me keep it but..." His eyes started to water as he recounted the events. "The more I followed was the further it went until I didn't know where I was at all and there was a man. He said he'd take me back to my mummy b-but he didn't, he just took me to that man upstairs instead."

By now the boy was sobbing, internally beating himself up for not staying where his mum had told him. There had been plenty of people where she'd left him, plenty of people if the mean man had come but he'd wanted that cruppy so badly.

"I didn't mean to not listen." Somehow he managed to quieten down as they spoke, though nothing stopped the tears from coming. By the time his magic came into question, the boy could only hopelessly shrug his shoulders. "I don't know. I-It just happens sometimes."

Sabbath listened as Mason poured his heart out, he felt sympathy for the kid, he had quite a few cousins his age "Cruppy's are cute, aren't they?" He said to him. "Just think, when you finally get back home, your Mum will probably be happy to get you one" he smiled at him, he could do nothing better than attempt a positive spin on a negative situation.

"At least we know Mason's mum will be looking for him, she'll alert the authorities. We can't be sure that Hope was unpetrified and made it to them. We should probably assume she hasn't been because, I'll tell you what, they're taken their bleeding time if she has"

Sabbath looked at Mason,"We came here in search of the Gypsy hag, because I wanted to speak with her and ask her some questions. But we didn't even make it into Knockturn Alley properly. We were still on the stairs, when a goblin snitched us", he scowled. "So, it probably wouldn't have mattered if you'd stayed where your mum said to anyway, Mason".

Sabbath's stomach grumbled, he was irritated and hungry. When Noelle pulled away from him, he got up from the wooden bench in frustration, He looked at her, his annoyance displaced. He didn't really blame her for how she felt, he was just as ticked off too.

He started to pace in thought, the confinement of the dungeon was giving him the willys, he desperately felt the need to get outside, to feel the sun on his face, to breathe fresh air. He hated being indoors at the best of times and this was getting beyond his endurance.

He plonked himself back on the wooden bench,held his head in hands and sighed as his thoughts turned to home, his grandmother, his aunts, uncles and all of his many cousins. He wondered what they would be doing right now. He wondered if they even knew he was missing, but then the thought of his grandmother being upset distressed him. He imagined her voice in his mind, her soulful lament as she sung flamenco bulerias.

He started to sing an old Gypsy song that was a favourite of hers, the sound reverberated clear and loud off the dungeons stone walls, he was sure that it could easily be heard upstairs, but he didn't care, somehow it made him feel more connected to her just to sing it aloud.

Noelle's heart broke for this kid. She frowned at him, knowing what it was like to not listen to their mother. Her mom had told her to stay away from Knockturn Alley. She treated it like a Haunted House. Something that was scary but very intriguing. She didn't know or understand the full extent of the danger until she was in it.

But this boy had been in Diagon Alley. Taken right out of the blue. He'd been picked and tricked into going down. Noelles mouth huffed as she became infuriated. "These.... " She had to restrain herself from saying a curse word. How dare they!! Pulling children from even Diagon Alley and taking them here? There must be loads of kids taken! This has to be stopped!!"

Noelle stood and stomped her foot. She was mad. Her face a red and blotchy. "And you said a guy took you? Not a goblin? Or a witch?" She asked Mason, tilting her head. There must be a whole system in place. Oh no.... Would they ever get out then? She had to come up with some way to get out of here.

Poor Sabbie.

He looked hurt and mad when she had pulled away, but in all honesty, all the human contact she had in the last.... However long they'd been here, had not been good. She had been petrified, tossed around, smacked numerous times, and spat at. She didn't want to be touched by anyone. Even Sabbie. Which was sad, but she couldn't help it. Even the rats were no help to being gentle. They bit and scratched if you didn't pay close attention.

Then Sabbie began to sing.
And loudly.

His sorrowful tones filled the dungeons and traveled up. Noelle sat back down on the bench and scooted over so Mason could sit. "Im sorry Mason. I wish you didn't have to be here, but you are. But Sabbies right, when you get home, maybe your mother will get you a crup." When. Not if.

Noelles as going to get them out. Her eyes were trained on the door of the cell as Dabbie sang.

Sabbath was tired, so very tired. Even the effort of singing was very taxing. According to his tally markings on the side of the wooden bench seat he guessed they'd in here for over two and a half months.

Over that time, surviving on one slice of bread alone once a day and a morsel of meat once a week had stripped weight from all of them. Really, none of them had had much to spare in the first place. It was starting to take its toll on Sabbath and he had more and more episodes of dizziness. He hadn't mentioned anything to Noelle because she'd already seemed increasingly distant from him in her own internal struggle.

He felt the now familiar giddy feeling wash over him and stopped singing. He tried to regain his breath by standing, but the effort only increased his dizziness which was now accompanied by a loud rushing noise in his ears. He reached out to the stone wall to steady himself. He could hear Noelle talking to Mason, but her voice seemed so distant.

A further two weeks pass with little hope of escape. Days go by without a chance of escape and at some point Mason is taken from the cell but not returned. Everyday more and more prisoners seem to be disappearing but no new ones are added. Eventually, it's as if the two are the only ones left in the entire dungeon but it's not so. The occasional cough confirms they still have company filling up some of the cells.


They'd finally found them. It was lucky the man knew it was better not to jerk Law Enforcement around given how wand happy most of them proved to be. Right now though...it was odd. So far they'd gone through the upper floors but not a single bad guy. WHERE was the bad guy she'd come all this way to tackle to the floor and take out her frustration on for having nothing ELSE to do but find him this whole time?

Merlin's beard this was ridiculous. Alexa made her way through the place until she finally came to a door. Locked. Figures. A quick expulso took care of that but her wand was immediately at the ready once more in case something was there to greet her on the other side.

The dust settled however that was as eventful as it got. No one here either?

"Hey guys! Found a staircase leading down. This might be what we're looking for!" Unless the man had cleared it out as well. He seemed to know they were coming.

Slowly, Lex descended the stairs, wand aimed in the dim lighting and senses on high alert. "Anyone down here?"

Did they lose YATIs? Alexa Cambridge would probably be among the time that would get killed on missions. There would no longer be any sneaking in because he was quite sure that if anyone was around they would have heard the young woman's voice.

Thanks a lot for that.

He sighed quietly then held up his hand to stop them, and hopefully Cambridge as well.

"Can we use our hands and/ or faces to communicate next time?" He whispered fiercely.

He was moving behind the YATI but walked up so he was next to her, then went in front.

Since he was asked to lead this investigation, he figured he'd take or fend off the first hex, in the event that their presence in the building was found out.

Down the stairs he went, into the darkness.

And there went Tyler missing the point. Lex didn't protest as he cut past her and headed further down the stairs.

No one as far as they could see. Only place left was this dungeon according to the map the man had given them which meant if anyone was hiding, it'd be down here. They didn't need a battle in a confined space. If anyone was down there it was better to lure them out, bring them up to their level--hence the explosion instead of an 'alohomora'. There should have been reactions, even just for self defense but there was none.

Coming down the stairs left them so vulnerable. If anyone wanted to attack it would be now but having cast the bait and getting no bites, she was already resolved to the fact there was no threat either and would let Tyler be the hot shot he wanted to be. This WAS his mission afterall.

No response on whether anyone was down here either but just maybe they hadn't gone far enough and so she continued her descent behind him.