"What exactly d'you suggest we do about it then?" Harry asked skeptically when they were out of ear shot. "Go looking for whatever scared the pants off of Slytherins and kidnapped the son of one of Voldemort's most loyal followers?" he demanded.

Hermione's face had hardened into thought, her eyebrows a thick caterpillar across her head, her eyes lit with a sparkle. Something was of course up. Hagrid got so bumbly when the Professor's came out and the warning of staying off the grounds was so very sudden. Turning to Ron and Harry, her voice hushed, she asked, "Someting is out here, isn't it? They don't want us to find something. And Hagrid knows what it is, correct?"

Harry did have a point, Ron thought to himself, as they walked down the Hallway looking for a private place to discuss the matters. But then... "Well, mate, I donno, but something about this stinks. Dumbledore isn't saying anything, and Hagrid...well...usually Dumbledore isn't all that particular about shutting him up, isn't he? I mean, we learned all about Fluffy that way...and Fudge too. I think this goes beyond Slytherins and Malfoy and stuff...it's something big."

"Maybe worried because whatever he has brought will be killed by the aurors when they find it," Nott said offhandly. "Wouldn't be unlikely."

The second question arose much more curiosity, "Don't know what's that," he commented. "It, whatever it is, would need to go though the centaurs colonies path though, the short way is though them.

"Look there," he said to the boy. "Just between the 'estimation point' is the centaurs there seem to be a path."


He gestured the shadow of line in zigzag. "It's indeed strange, yeah, all 'covered' spots are not even near the main part of the forest or this spot."


But WHAT is it? A voice Nott's mind nagged. What was the parchment meaning and how it was related to Malfoy, if it was at all?


"Where are the Greehouses? Behind the Quidditch pitch, aren't them?" He shrugged. "Well that makes it no one would be able to enter though that side." He just looked at the parchment once more before addressing the boy, "I don't know why are you including me in your, err, little investigation. But thanks."


He still had many supicious about this kid but then again... "What's your name anyway?"


ooc: just realized I miss that in the map, so let's make it the greenhouses are under the Quidditch pitch and before the new Outsider Gates.
-- "something beyond Slytherin and that"? I would never thought I would hear Ron said those things. Guess you are not of the belief Ron is the immature one, LOL^^

Hagrid had been looking the other way when hearing his own name spoken. "Huh? Yeh said somethin' Hermione?" he asked curiously, momentarily forgetting the figure of Fudge still barking instructions to the Aurors.

"You think centaurs are involved? Too bad they're all lockin' us inside, or we could take a stroll or somethin'...been meaning to thank them for that little thing they helped me out of..."



"Where are the Greehouses? Behind the Quidditch pitch, aren't them?" He shrugged. "Well that makes it no one would be able to enter though that side." He just looked at the parchment once more before addressing the boy, "I don't know why are you including me in your, err, little investigation. But thanks."

Gideon shrugged. He had no idea either, only that this was becoming too big a thing for one guy to handle.


He still had many supicious about this kid but then again... "What's your name anyway?"

"Gideon Adams. Of course, ev'ryone insists on callin' me Giddiyot."

ooc: I can't believe Ron jumped three points of IQ in this RP! I can't help myself...

"Did I say something?" asked Hermione innocently, looking up at the massive Professor as if she were baffled by something. "Well then... I suppose I'll come back here later, then, Hagrid." She bade the Professor good-bye before turning around and running off in the direction that Harry and Ron had left. She was sure that this probably baffled the man even more, but nonetheless, she still needed to know what really was going on. When finally she caught up to them, panting heavily, she listened to see what they were talking about.

"Well then, anyway..." Ron stopped outside a classroom he knew was empty and looked back at Harry. "This seems like a good spot..." He tugged on the doorknob, only to find that it wouldn't budge. "What the--"

"Uh-oh," Gideon gulped, the map dissapearing into a black void once again as he palmed it and stuffed it who-knows-where, sliding the other sheet of parchment where it lay before.

"Use your wand."

Hermione decided to choose that moment to speak up as she watched Ron attempt to open the door. She watched the two boys carefully, trying to peice together what was being spoken about.

Am uber-grounded and won't be able to post. I'm not really allowed online, but I'm sneaking time now... which I'll only probably be able to do for about 15 minutes every other day or so, So i'm cutting my RPGs to only a couple. Sorry.

ooc: Happy Anho Novo (New Year)! I wanted to let you all know that I will leave for a couple of weeks and should be back by January 18. I’ll try posting in the meantime but cannot bet my life on it. So, sorry, I wanted to let you know.

But anyway, so that you don’t miss me I am leaving behind some entertainment.

Now meet the first true obstacle (from the mind booster type, the battle-rpg should come afterwards). I will make sure to come to check and tell you in ooc or ic (depends…) if you got it right or not, if you manage or not. *wink wink*



“Err, sure,” Nott said when hearing Gideon. By this time he had pocketed the map on his pocket absentmindedly and was heading to the door. “Listen, we might need some more people to help us. Do you know anyone? I think I can let us out, the real problem would be finding out what we would be dealing with. I particularly am not fond of kamikaze missions.”



“I know of a Slytherin who might be interested. Maybe Granger could help, or another Gryffindor. Dumbledore surely trusts his house better than Slytherins,” though he might loose his tongue a bit with a Ravenclaw. Theodore had to take it back when remembering the last scene in the Great Hall. “Though the problem with Granger –well, other than her –” he coughed –“it’s her company, the Weasley and Potter.”



As he stepped out he continued, “Seriously speaking, I was never there that night, and I wouldn’t swallow codswallop about Imperious curse or Oblivating charms. I know what I was doing at that time and have no blank spaces on my memory, thank you very much –”



By this time there was a knock at the door, Nott turned to see the map disappear in Gideon-s pocket. Nott opened the dorr to find the trio and was about to comment but... and behind there was somebody else at the door, two some-bodies just behind Potter, Wealsey and Granger. But they weren’t paying attention to neither of them, they seemed too caught up in listening for a couple of students had won him over and were trying to get answers out from them, Fudge and Dumbledore. The latter looked calm and unperturbed as he listened carefully, the second was growing purple. It seems Fudge had overheard them rather than was asked. Mockery was all over his voice. "Ha! These kids want to play detective! Honestly, Dumbledore, what ideas you provoke in these kids," he said as he laughed in his nervous, acid way, obviously still resented to Dumbledore after being him the reason Fudge's popularity had gone down.



Dumbledore regained him without no derogatory comment and said, "I'm sure my students could work out many things on their own, Fudge."



"More than Aurors?" Fudge asked and laughed again.



"Aurors are wizards too, you know,” Theodore said before he could help himself, “and they haven't actually achieved much, did they?"



Fudge's eyes seemed to pop open with mirth. "So what, boy, you think you can do it better than a bunch of trained Aurors? Come on then, I listen! Why did I wasted galleons on Aurors if a couple of kids could do the job for them!" he leaned, with this same mock smile-



"Go on, kid. Tell me who's the responsible for all this, who took young Malfoy, or what did. I will give you full authority -the Minister Authority!- to act with your full will around looking for dark wizards if you tell me here, right now, who's the responsible. Go on!" He smirked almost evilly. "You can't, can you? Then move from my way you are not helping."





ooc: ok, people! This is the end of part one of the mystery - if you manage to respond the question Fudge made, correctly, you will be allowed into the next part, when you will be allowed to leave the castle under the Minister's permission and into the next scene^^ I will let you have three tries (you all, not one per person, so you will have to talk between yourselves -RPG- before giving the final answer/s) AND also a hint: It is not important 'who' but 'how' - luck! ^__^

ooc: Suddenly I have the urge to eat Scooby snacks and yelp "Zoiinks"! I'm not going to bother with the colors this time, since they're both talking to each other...

"How 'bout Miss Pushy back there?" Gideon indicated the girl who'd been on their tail earlier as he followed Theodore. "Or...I donno, maybe Ginny wouldn' mind...Luna loves a mystery...I sure wish t'Weasleys were still 'round. Two o' my best mates, brilliant minds...they always knew how t'get 'round things..."

Gideon blinked, once to take into consideration that someone had been listening in on his conversation, twice to register that Potter and two other students--Granger and Ron? was involved, thrice to register the Headmaster was in the vicinity. "Busted..." he muttered to himself. But maybe it wasn't for the worse...actually, he thought as he looked at the now famous trio, it could work...his mouth fell open when he heard the Minister's challenge. Was he serious? Well, not really, but it looked like he was confident that they would not get the answer right. It would be so much fun to best the Minister of Magic at something, and this was a prime opportunity. "Awlright Minister, you're on," Gideon proclaimed with an infuriating grin and a nod to Fudge, before turning to Ron. "Fire away, Gryffy."

"It had better not be You-Know-Who," he murmured offhandedly to himself, "because that would be so...uninterestin'."

Ron was taken by surprise that Dumbledore and Fudge seemed to have followed them here, also because none other than Theodore Nott was in the classroom he was trying to get in, and some other Ravenclaw boy who looked vaguely familiar, for reasons Ron could not place. He turned to look at Hermione in surprise, glanced at Harry, then gawked at Fudge. Apparently Fudge's last comments had yet to sink into his brain, for he could not believe what he had just heard. "Uh...well...ah..." Ron stammered, searching vaguely for some sort of cue. Something else clicked while he was at it, and instead of asking for an opinion of the matter he blurted, "Hang on, who said we were all working together?"

"Donno, but I'm goin' with it," Gideon replied with a shrug. "Well?"

"Well what?" Ron demanded, slightly defensively. He wasn't sure if he could trust a Ravenclaw who conspired with a Slytherin, expecially one that was quite plainly bent on lying about the whole incident.

"Well you're the one who's seen anythin' at all. What d'you figure?"

"And why should I tell you? Hasn't that bloke--" Ron jerked his head at Nott, "--told you anything?"

Gideon shrugged again, glancing at Fudge and Dumbledore. "I know a smatterin' o' stuff...and then some, bein' a 'claw." He winked at Ron, grinning childishly as if this was the best fun he'd ever had. "Come'on, let's give Minister Fudge a run for his money, shall we?"

It's big, an' mean, an' gives Hagrid the willies, Gideon thought to himself. Not many things give Mr. Blast-Ended-Whatchamacallits the willies, no? An' it howls...I like a good riddle, but i' sounds like there was several different beasties on the loose...maybe there was?

Ron was beginning to become fairly annoyed at this Ravenclaw boy who was starting to remind him of two people he never did like, but another thought intruded. He turned to Hermione after glancing once again at Fudge. "How many ways do you think a dirty great beast could get into the castle and grab Malfoy without making a racket?" He murmured to her, loud enough so that only the assembled group of students could hear. Chimeras probably don't fly, but a dragon couldn't fit through the window...Norbert? I suppose...You-Know-Who or someone could tame a dragon, or, I donno, use the Imperius Curse on it--nah, Hermione would probably think that was daft...

Hermione listened quizzically to the conversation, trying to easily follow what was trying to be said. She had no idea of what Gideon's thoughts were and she couldn't be sure if he would just mess with their minds anyway. She looked over at Ron, eyes clouded in thought. "Well... who says it has to be a great beast?" she asked. "Couldn't it possibly be something small but powerful? Besides, it has to be something which even Hagrid can't stand... right?"

"Like what, a cat?" Ron muttered in reply, becoming confused. "No...I saw something huge...you don't suppose it could get really small and then really big? It carried away Malfoy for sure..."

Gideon leaned in closer to the Gryffindors who were talking, thereby bringing the group in closer together. "I thought you knew," he said, mildly accusingly to Ron.

"Of course I do," replied Ron indignantly, "but it makes no sense. A really big thing like...like what I saw, can't break into the Slytherin Commons without making a big racket...and what was Malfoy doing out of his dorm so late at night?"

"What if he was expectin' it?" Gideon said, keeping his voice down although his eyes shone with excitement. "Or someone told 'im to be there, and then t'thing grabbed him? Hang on..." he turned back to Nott, the other boy being the only Slytherin in the group. "'s your common room, what were you doin' las' night then?"

"No use, he won't spill it," Ron growled. "Says he never was there. What have you got to hide anyway, Nott?"

"Never said he ought to have seen anythin', jus' wanted to know what he was doin'," said Gideon mildly in Nott's defense. "An 'onest question."

Nott teared his eyes from the Headmaster and the Minister who were still dealing with harrassing student to pay attention to the conversation.

"Wow wow wow! Why are you talking about as if Hadrig or anyone knew what´s out there?" he said. "You heard them, they have no clue. Up to know they only have the word of a couple of students - some more reliable than others."

Here he glance briefly at Ron.

"But on the plus side, " he continued looked at the two tall figures again. "You heard them, Fudge is staying until tomorrow so we have until then to solve this... though I still don´t understand what´s that makjes it so important to you three, Malfoy´s disappearance. Because, obviously, this is what it is all about, right?"

Turning to Ron, "And why don´t you ask your friend the oaf?"

ooc: don´t worry, melantha (lol, don´t know real name, sorry)

Ron did not want to admit that there was something very fishy about the whole affair, nor did he know the exact reason why he suddenly wanted to figure the whole Malfoy kidnapping incident, other than he'd seen it, or at least part of it, happen. Any other deep and critical thoughts were drowned by a wave of indignance at Nott's insult. His face went red for a moment, then he finally said, "Fine then, and if some sort of dark creature gets you too, see if I care."

"Are y'two always like this?" Gideon asked, glancing from Theodore to Ron. "Or is this t'stuff tha's best discussed on the Quidditch Pitch? An' I'm kind of still waitin' for some sort of answer..." he looked at Nott, not in a demanding way but with general curiosity.

Nott rolled his eyes. "Don´t make a drama of it. Fine, if he thinks I am a lier and unreliable and makes stories about me... nevermind, as if this conversation would drive us anywhere."

"What question? About how a beast can enter the castle unnoticed?" Theo asked. "No, well, if you ask my opinion there´s no logical way to enter the castle when being as giant as a dragon or chimaera, or whatever it was. Maybe it is not giant, only dangerous, as in poisonous.... but anyway, it shouldn-t have entered in the first place. The front doors are closed at night I believe and the way to the Common Rooms, the Slytherin Commons, is a long way going though Professor Snape-s chambers. And if that-s not enough you still have to explain how it went though the portrait door and such. You have to admit there-s practically no chances of such a scaring thing entering there, though being extra smart and being given the password."

He frowned. "I still have my many doubts on the beast itself, or the witnesses." He looked at Ron again and sighed, "Personal problems aside, no beast could explain that the references the witnesses make are so different from each other.

"Up to now... I will say we trust Weasley and Astrid´s descriptions the most, I honestly know nothing."

"Hey, maybe...oh, I know, I know!" Gideon bounced up and down, much like the way Hermionie might when she knew the answer to a question in class. "Maybe it was a human, or part-human, or some kinda animagus, that could, I donno, say the password an' get in? Heyyy...didn't Sirius Black break into the Gryff's Commons 'bout four years ago or somethin'?" Gideon looked slightly amazed at himself for being able to remember something from that long ago.

"Make stories up about you? Excuse me, the only one making up stories around here is you," Ron said heatedly at Nott. If it weren't for the continued presence of Dumbledore and Fudge, curses and hexes may have been flying. "What's up with you anyway? Afraid of getting your mate Malfoy in trouble or are you worried about saving your own hide? Seriously, I can't believe I'm wasting time with you..." he turned to Gideon. "Honestly, how can you talk to this git?"

"Whoa there, Gryffy," Gideon said, as if talking to a rearing horse. "Bank the fires o' your insults, willya? Didn't think I'd be hearing stuff like this from a Prefect..."

At this, Ron remembered that he was indeed a Prefect, and his ears reddened even more. He cast a glance at Harry (who was being rather silent) and Hermione (who looked confused) and shrugged. "Maybe we better check on Hagrid...or...eh," he muttered to Hermione. "Probably more useful than listening to this git Nott."

"Now that would be -"

Theodore did a double take before finishing that sentence. Actually something on his mind had clicked and he was soon growing a wide, face-splitting smirk. But that smirk, as soon as it came, fade to nothingness. Only if looking very deep on Theo's confused expression you could see something which could be mistaken for either worry or fear...

He was pretty much not concerned about the discussion going on between the ravenclaw, Gideon, and Weasley. As a matter of fact he was now staring at Ron with the amazement of someone who was watching a person grow a second head. But, if his assumptions were correct, he responded his unasked question, he had still to explain how had Draco been taken away against his will and so that no one saw the second body...

It was not until Weasley turned to speak to the others that Nott tried his own questioning:

"Sorry - Granger," he tried to question the walking encyclophedia before they go away, "I need to know something you might be able to tell. How much would a living person survive if shrank from either a spell or a potion?"

He knew he sounded incoherent, and he still couldn't tell out loud what he thought he knew. He couldn't just tell on Urganda, not if he respected his and his father's life. On top of it all the lack of sleep and food was provoquing him a headache, it should nearly be lunch time by now.

ooc: Eh...bump. Really.

Gideon looked at Theo's change in expression quizically, not sure if he had hit the mark or gotten way off. The fact that Theodore Nott was considering hie theory was something he had yet to take in, as most of his expounded theory tended to bounce off even his most brilliant Ravenclaw fellows' heads as complete nutter talk.

ooc: well, seems not Harry, Ron or Hermione are about to respond or ask Hagrid (which would be a good idea) so...


Nott shook his head again. As soon as he had said those words, his mind did a double take and be inwardly rolled his eyes. Anyway, the question had been 'who', not 'how'.

He looked back at Gideon, one of his fingers moving rythmically again his own arm while he pondered it out. Finally he had made up his mind, and he spoke to him once more.

"I think we should go to Dumbledore and Fudge to explain them your theiry, Gideon," he said. "I would dare believe you have just hit something there."

He smiled and his tired gaze now turned to the trio. "Do you understand or do we need to explain it to you?" he asked.

ooc: Okay, where is everyone?! The fun's just starting! Don't leeeave...all you lost and confused RPers can PM me if you still have no idea what's going on, it's difficult bouncing the RP back and forth between only two people...

Ron frowned at Nott, then at Gideon. The two people he would not want to trust his life with, who happened to have a point. "Please tell me I'm only having a nightmare," he groaned softly to Hermione.

Gideon grinned, absolutely beaming at the prospect of besting the Minister of Magic. "Though I wonder...wha's the thing howlin' outside then? Kinda funny that it does that, if it wanted t'get away..."

Ron frowned at this. The Ravenclaw had a point there... "You don't suppose it might be covering for something else?" He said to nobody in particular. Maybe he should run over to Hagrid's...

ooc: *sniff* I am wondering the same. And I had already planned a much more adventurous second riddle... Anyway, Backlash-Gideon got it right (I'm guessing) but I give extra virtual points to whoever else can tell me who is 'Urganda' (hint: literature)


"Howling?" Nott asked puzzled. "What howling did you hear? When?"

Weasley seemed to think of the same thing. Theo looked around and came to a decition.

"Let's split," he said. "Me and Gideon will present this theory to the Minister and the Headmaster. I think you three-" he gestured Harry, Ron and Hermione "- should go to the Gamekeeper's while we are at it. Don't worry, I don't plan on letting you three excluded. Though I still don't know your reasons to want to help other than curiousity. I am not questioning your motives right now, there's no time...

"My plan is going the Ministry and have his permission to go outside, where it seems everything is happening. I plan on saying to them that we are a group, a - we can honestly do with the help. So whoever is in our 'sabbath' should be allowed out like us two. So I say it is us five up to now... and we will decide later if we add another member. This way no one is excluded and we can kill some time."

Nott stopped, thiking of how his Slytherin fame would surely cause them some untrusting. "If you don't trust me you can trust the Ravenclaw, right?" he said, gesturing Gideon. "He can make sure I keep my promise."

Hey guys, it's been over a week since the last post so, I've locked this thread and it will be deleted in a week if I don't hear from you stating you'd like to start it back up again. I think Nadia and Jaren are pretty into this and I know it can be difficult to RP with just two people but, if you really want to continue, Emma and I have had lots of fun with just the two of us in the past... Let me know.

Kris

Ron looked very skeptical about the whole affair, but supposed it could be worse. He could be dealing with Malfoy's two thugs instead of this liar and a Ravenclaw who appeared to be in the wrong House.

"What's your name," he grunted finally, directing the question at Gideon. The Ravenclaw looked a bit familiar...

"Gideon Adams, trickster extrodinaire, hopeful runnin' candidate for Mischief Maker-in-chief." Gideon did a little bow with a wide grin. "You'r a Weasley, aren't you? Fred, George an' I used t' hang around a lot."

"You!" Ron suddenly remembered where he'd seen this kid--briefly behind the counter at Wheezes that summer, demonstrating merchandise. Well, if Fred and George thought he was okay... "Oh alright then. I'll go talk to Hagrid. Meet you outside the Great Hall in an hour and a half?" He still looked disgruntled.