Fifth Floor: Gregory the Smarmy

[Wilber Winterbottom]

Further down the fifth-floor corridor awaits a statue of a rather large bald man with several chins. If you know your potions or history well enough, you will be able to identify this medieval wizard as the inventor of Gregory's Unctuous Unction. Though a fine wizard, he is credited for worming his way into King Richard's confidence and making a fortune by administrating his BFF-in-a-vial to the former Muggle ruler.

While Gregory the Smarmy's story may be interesting to some, you might find what he is hiding to be more your scene. Looking closely behind the large man, you just might see a slight opening of a secret passageway. Few, however, have access to the passage and know exactly where it leads because not very many people know how to get the bulky statue to move aside. Trying all of the random passwords you know will result in failure and wasted time. Perhaps you need to take a leaf out of Gregory's book and find a way to excessively flatter him. Good luck.

[Emzily]

It felt good to have time to just wander aimlessly around. It was funny that he had stumbled across this particular statue - of Gregory the Smarmy who allegedly concealed a secret passageway - because Solly was so desperate to find one of those during his time at Hogwarts. He quite fancied having a statue named after him as well. He had tried silly passwords to get through here before, and embarrassed himself in the process, so refrained from that this time. Instead, he sat at the base of the statue to relax for a moment.

He pulled out his diary notebook and flicked through to the most recent page that he had already started. He rarely wrote his thoughts down in any order, or in any way that made sense. Definitely not a future writer within Solomon Duck.

A few splashes of ink here, and some very messy handwriting there, the time was escaping Solly as he enjoyed some quiet. For now.

[AlwaysSnapesGirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emzily

It felt good to have time to just wander aimlessly around. It was funny that he had stumbled across this particular statue - of Gregory the Smarmy who allegedly concealed a secret passageway - because Solly was so desperate to find one of those during his time at Hogwarts. He quite fancied having a statue named after him as well. He had tried silly passwords to get through here before, and embarrassed himself in the process, so refrained from that this time. Instead, he sat at the base of the statue to relax for a moment.

He pulled out his diary notebook and flicked through to the most recent page that he had already started. He rarely wrote his thoughts down in any order, or in any way that made sense. Definitely not a future writer within Solomon Duck.

A few splashes of ink here, and some very messy handwriting there, the time was escaping Solly as he enjoyed some quiet. For now.

Ezra was on a mission of sorts. A first year (or was she a second year? He hadn't asked) had apparently lost her pet rat. She'd been crying and asking around the common room for help, and, well, how could he say no? He felt bad for her and offered to help search for the rodent. She had gone off with her friends to look but gave him a small picture to go by.

And so he was wandering around the fifth floor, but so far, no rats to be seen. Which ordinarily would be a good thing, but not when it was a kid's beloved pet.

He was nearing the large Gregory statue now, and who should happen to be sitting beneath the statue but Solomon Duck. Just sitting there writing. Seemed an odd place for it, but to each their own, he supposed.

Normally he probably would've just nonchalantly continued walking by, but...well, a sense of duty to his search prodded him to ask if the Slytherin had seen anything. So...Ezra paused.

"Have you seen a rat around here?" he asked.

[Emzily]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSnapesGirl

Ezra was on a mission of sorts. A first year (or was she a second year? He hadn't asked) had apparently lost her pet rat. She'd been crying and asking around the common room for help, and, well, how could he say no? He felt bad for her and offered to help search for the rodent. She had gone off with her friends to look but gave him a small picture to go by.

And so he was wandering around the fifth floor, but so far, no rats to be seen. Which ordinarily would be a good thing, but not when it was a kid's beloved pet.

He was nearing the large Gregory statue now, and who should happen to be sitting beneath the statue but Solomon Duck. Just sitting there writing. Seemed an odd place for it, but to each their own, he supposed.

Normally he probably would've just nonchalantly continued walking by, but...well, a sense of duty to his search prodded him to ask if the Slytherin had seen anything. So...Ezra paused.

"Have you seen a rat around here?" he asked.

His thoughts and scribbles were plentiful today, it seemed, as he scribbled away. Serious concentration was present, and apparent all over his face, complete with the tip of his tongue poking out. Said concentration DESTROYED when Ezra Hensley, of all people, decided to stop and actually speak to him. Well, that was something quite unexpected. He couldn’t wait to write about THIS later.

Solomon, of course, closed his notebook immediately and rested his hand palm down on top of it as extra protection. Although he didn’t expect Ezra to be the type to try and prize something so personal from his hands with any force, but then again, he didn’t know Ezra that well, did he?

Usually Solomon would have greeted the Gryffindor in some solemn manner, for unknown reasons, however he felt nothing but curiosity towards him. “Loads, actually.” Solomon replied. People loved to lose their pets in this castle - it was concerning. Him, of course, being one of those people who frequently had to hunt for his bloody toad. “I swear I saw a few of them get through the secret passage way.” He pointed to Gregory the Smarmy, obviously making all of this up.

“You don’t look like the type of person to own a rat.” Horrible creatures, in Solly’s opinion.

[AlwaysSnapesGirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emzily

His thoughts and scribbles were plentiful today, it seemed, as he scribbled away. Serious concentration was present, and apparent all over his face, complete with the tip of his tongue poking out. Said concentration DESTROYED when Ezra Hensley, of all people, decided to stop and actually speak to him. Well, that was something quite unexpected. He couldn’t wait to write about THIS later.

Solomon, of course, closed his notebook immediately and rested his hand palm down on top of it as extra protection. Although he didn’t expect Ezra to be the type to try and prize something so personal from his hands with any force, but then again, he didn’t know Ezra that well, did he?

Usually Solomon would have greeted the Gryffindor in some solemn manner, for unknown reasons, however he felt nothing but curiosity towards him. “Loads, actually.” Solomon replied. People loved to lose their pets in this castle - it was concerning. Him, of course, being one of those people who frequently had to hunt for his bloody toad. “I swear I saw a few of them get through the secret passage way.” He pointed to Gregory the Smarmy, obviously making all of this up.

“You don’t look like the type of person to own a rat.” Horrible creatures, in Solly’s opinion.

Ezra did notice how quickly Solomon shut his notebook, but he didn't think too much about it beyond that. He assumed it was homework or a letter or something of the like, and he felt no particular interest in trying to read it even if he could. What did the Slytherin have to write about that would be of interest to him anyway?

Besides, this conversation might be turning out more promising than expected. Maybe he was on the right track. Loads of rats? But some of them...going in the passageway?

He glanced at the very slight opening behind the statue. Could any of the rats really fit in there? Because surely they couldn't open it when no one else seemed able to. Or at least, he hadn't heard of anyone succeeding.

Hmm...

"I don't," he replied, turning his attention back to Solomon. "A girl lost it and asked me to help find it. Was there a brown rat with a bow around its neck among the ones you saw?"