Potions Cupboard
 

A small cupboard is wall-to-wall shelving that extends to an impossibly high ceiling considering it's in the dungeons. The shelves are covered in dusty jars and phials. Better be careful if you take something, you'll probably leave fingerprints.

Arriving at the door to the Potions Cupboard, Celandine hesitated. She didn't want to go inside without permission but since she had no intention of touching any of the potion supplies and the treasure was for the school; she figured it might be okay. She opened the door and sucked in a breath as she saw how impossibly full the small cupboard was.

Cela coughed slightly from the dust and kept the door propped open while she gaped at the dusty vials and bottles, unsure where to start. She looked over her shoulder, hoping to see her housemates or fellow treasure hunters bringing up the rear. Maybe one of them could levitate her to peek at the higher shelves.

Gosh she hoped that the potions Professor or someone would come along to help. Figuring she might as well start small; she crouched down and began to examine the lower shelves. She didn't touch anything since some of the contents of the various jars made her skin crawl.

Barry clambered down the stairs he was going to go to the professer but the door to the store room was open so he went right in. There in the bottom shelves was Cela looking for a clue.

"It won`t be there it`ll be in some hard to reach place like the top shelf or something" said Barry smilling "And could it hurt to at least wait for me?"

Celandine grinned when Barry joined her.
"Well don't just stand there- help me look! Celandine turned back to continue scanning the bottom shelves and shuffled around on her hands and knees as she peered between dusty bottles.

"You are taller than me Barry- you look higher up."

"Oh yeah sorry" said Barry he closed the door in case the potions professer got suspicius and went to look. He asked Cela quitly while looking"Hows nico?"

"It's okay; just start looking, Barry." Celandine responded, still peering at the lower shelves. She turned around as she heard the door close and fidgeted slightly. She closed her eyes tightly and took a few minutes to breathe. Even though the air was dusty it helped alot. It wasn't so scary being in a tiny cupboard when you weren't alone.

"I don't really know. He doesn't talk to me much these days. He's off being all angsty and theres all these girls around him all the time and I don't know what happened but Kayla won't talk to me and I heard he made Anna really upset and I don't want people to think badly of me because of him." Celandine sniffed slightly, obviously a bit miffed with the whole thing.

"And he hasn't gotten me any of that special sugar free candy for ages so I've had to have normal candy," Celandine looked up at Barry, "And you know what happens when I have too much sugary stuff." She fidgeted a little more; the sugar high she had been on all day was wearing off and it made her jumpy.

"Barry do you want me to levitate you so you can look higher up?" Celandine asked, "I'm really good at charms you know." She had even rescued Garret from a tree one time. Gosh, tree-hunting was so much easier than treasure hunting. "Once we are done here I was thinking it might be kind of fun to put a saddle on the whomping willow." Cela mused as she peeked at the dusty shelves.

"Hmm to bad I`ve tried talking to him and well sometimes hes pretended I`m not there. I don`t mind his loss not mine" said Barry.

"Yes I can remmember what happens" he murmmered quitley he liked Cela but when she was hyper it made him happy but it made him think as if Cela was a little child.

Barry hesitated when Cela asked her if she should levitate him up so he could look. He was afraid of hights but he wasn`t going to tell Cela that. He said in the end in barely above a whisper "Y-yes ok"

"If I ever get all angsty over anyone like he is, Barry; do me a favour and cast an aguamenti in my face okay?"

Celandine pulled out her wand and got to her feet, "Okay, are you ready?" she didn't wait for an answer, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Cela levitated Barry slowly raisnig him higher so he could look at the top shelves."Can you see anything?"

Barry didn`t answer to the question. He would have said ok but right now he wa more concentrating on the being levitated.

It felt strange floating around you felt so free. He dare not look down in fear of what might happen if he did he looked around nothing but more then more pots. He called down "Levitate me to a different shelf"

Cela obligingly flicked her wand and moved Barry ever so slightly to better give him a view of another shelf. "You should... like put your hands above your head and turn around. Like the Billywig Ballet without the sting. I wonder if it feels like being levitated if you go to outer space?" Cela chattered slightly, flicking her wand to keep Barry as steady as possible.

Barry shut his eyes as he was moved he might feel great now but moving in the air gave him air sickness. Just look around and then she`ll lower you down he thought. "Cela you don`t think its in a jar do you?"

"Ohh I don't know, but don't just go opening things Barry; there might be poisons or something." Celandine looked up at him wide-eyed, "And theres so much dust and it will make me sneeze if it gets all over me; just keep your eyes peeled."

"So you want me to stay up here looking for a clue. " he asked a bit meaner then he had intended. "Cela I know your a good at solving puzzles but is there any chance you could have been wrong?"

"If you are scared its okay, Barry." Celandine responded cheerfully, "I won't drop you I promise. And no. I'm not wrong. The clue is 'Born out acid pops' which is an anagram of potions cupboard; which is where we are."

Could the girl read minds? Or did it show on his face? of cource he didn`t think that she would drop him I mean she had had practice right? Wait that thought scared him. "So it sounds like I`ll be here for sometime. To pass the time why don`t you tell me a story? Or I`ll tell you one" he said as he tried to sit down in thin air it wasn`t easy at all but he managed it after alot of moving

"You can tell meeee one." Celandine responded, a sly look on her face, "Since you wouldn't want me to get so caught up in telling you one that I drop you now would you?" She wouldn't drop him but it was kind of funny making him think that she might. While she was levitating him, she continued looking around the shelves herself. "Are you sitting on nothing Barry? That is so cool. Heyyy want some candy?"

"Ok I`ll tell you one but what do you want to know about? Me? Or something else?" asked Barry as he exammined a jar with eyes in it. Were they alive? He looked away quikly and he muttered "But cela said she wasn`t" . Then he listined to Cela and said "Um I guess so its strange I feel like I`m going to fall. Thanks." he said and then a few candy peices flew up to him as he waved his wand.

"You, Barry." Cela answered, wrinkling her nose a little as more dust fell on her. She was suddenly aware that she was in a tightly enclosed space and she eyed the door and licked her lips a little. Shaking herself she looked up at Barry and waited for him to start telling her a story. She giggled and blinked as some candy flew up to him. "Holler if you see anything."

"Dom-in-ic!" Celandine greeted, one eye on Barry who was levitated above her, "Yeah we are! Want to help us? Pleeaaaaaaaaaase? I shall bribe you with candy if you do." Celandine held up the bag and continued flicking her wand at Barry to keep him stable, "And Barry is about to tell me a story."

"Hmm lets see. I was born into the Weasly family as you know I think my dads grandfather was one of the weasly twins I forget which.I have a older sister Carolyn shes in beaxabens now and Danniel the prankster. Anyway I grew up like any other wizard kid I learn`t about wizarding culture at home and I attended a muggle school , I lived in a 2 bedroom house which was actually bigger in the inside if you know what I mean. And well I had a normal life till one day my mother dissapeared" he stopped there and let the information sink in as he looked around and ate a peice of candy.

Oh that hufflepuff boy had heard! He didn`t want Dominic to hear! But he said "Hi Domnic" anyway. Wait his clue was upstairs. "If you don`t mind me asking what brings you down here?"

Taken aback slightly by Cela's use of syllabifying his name, Dominic took a deep breath, attempting to comprehend her. Merlin! Someone was quite hyper. "Of course I would love to, but um . . . no candy is necessary." He told her, as Dominic would not be bribed with things such as sweets. At the mention of Barry's name, he turned to look up at the third year.


Oh that story was quite interesting, but Dominic quickly frowned when Barry didn't seem all too pleased with his being here. "Well to be honest, I specifically came down to do some research on love potion ingredients. However, I also remembered that Cela's clue led her to her, so I figured I would see if you guys were down here and found your next clue. Which it seems you haven't . . . " Perhaps the clue wasn't in the cupboard after all?

Nicholai was walking past the potions cupboard when a few words caught his attention, namely Love Potion and Cela. He frowned and approached the door, stepping inside the surprisingly cramped cupboard. His eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the Hufflepuff and, upon seeing his sister with the tell tale signs of sugar consumption in her eyes, his gaze flickered up to where Barry was being levitated.

He visibly relaxed but did offer a glare at both of the boys before turning to Cela.

"Having trouble?"

"You went to a muggle school? Awesome!" Celandine enthused, popping another piece of candy in her mouth. She made a slight face of surprise at his comment about his mother, "Oh Barry that is terrible. I'm so sorry."

"Ooh suit yourself." Celandine responded as Dominic refused her candy offer, "Love potions are bad, Dominic." Celandine said sternly, "Besides doesn't that Slytherin girl already like totally angst out over you?" She paused, "No we haven't found it, but where else can 'potions cupboard' mean except the potions cupboard?" Cela asked with her head cocked on one side and her wand still extended, levitating her housemate.

Celandine whirled around at the sound of her brothers voice. Ohhhh snap! She stuffed the bag of candy in her pocket and looked up at him innocently.
Then she remembered she was mad at him because of Kayla and Anna.

"Nothing I can't manage with the help of my friends." Cela indicated Dominic and Barry, making a slightly apologetic face at Dominic for labelling him as her friend when he probably thought she was a crazy sugar fiend.

Dominic's thoughts of the clue and the cupboard were interrupted though as an older Slytherin boy whom he'd seen before in classes and around the school, slipped in. Gulping nervously at the sight of him, he could have sworn the boy glared at him before turning towards the one female in the room.

Frowning at the mounting tension, Dominic looked down at the floor as he waited for someone to address him once more . . .



Looking up at the sound of Cela's voice again, Dominic narrowed his eyes upon seeing her pop another candy into her mouth. For the love of Merlin; wasn't she already hyper enough?! Shaking his head, he sighed quietly. "No Cela, the love potion isn't for me. In my potions lesson, we're supposed to do research on it. Not sure why to be honest," the fourth year shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. Love was just a pointless ideal. It wasn't real.

Though it was her next comment that Dominic nearly choke on air. "UH WHAT!?!" he murmured, narrowing his eyes at the young 'claw. "Anyone who is angst out over me, is clearly very foolish." Said adamantly, as if that ended the topic right there. "And my point was that perhaps it just meant in the Potions Classroom, but not specific to the cupboard. Have you tried maybe searching the office?"

Upon hearing her explain herself to the Slytherin boy, Dominic sighed as she called him a 'friend'. Well that was . . . odd. Especially since he'd only just met Cela like once before. Shrugging it off, he started looking on the shelves for some sort of clue ...

Nicholai ignored the excessive (for Cela) amount of candy for now, but tipped his head down at Cela as she addressed Dominic. "Is there not a potions cupboard in the hospital wing?" Nicholai ventured. He raised an eyebrow at her friends comment and looked between the two indicated students, taking numbers for later.

Nicholai shot another scowl at the hufflepuff boy who he recalled seeing with Kayla, obsered Camira jump upon and was now in a cupboard with his little sister (even if admittedly he wasn't alone). There was almost no way he wouldn't be suspicious of the kid.

"Well, would you like me to help you?"

"If you think its somewhere else go ahead and look somewhere else," Celandine peered up at Barry, "I'm trying to concentrate, I don't suppose either of you would like it if I dropped Barry on you?" She grinned and flicked her wand, continuing to levitate Barry.

"Can you see anything yet, Barry?"

"Cela, would you like me to levitate you?" Nicholai moved backwards, sure that Barry was missing something. "Maybe we should just try to accio a clue and see if a scroll or scrap of parchment appears." Nicholai muttered.

It was worth a try...

"I guess, try to accio something first and if that doesn't work, Barry and I can swap for a while," Cela responded doubtfully, "My wrist is getting a little sore."

"Accio clue." Nicholai obliged, not really expecting anything to happen but still being firm with the spell.

Celandine shrugged and began to gently lower Barry so that he was on the ground again. She rubbed her wand hand and offered a smile at Barry before gesturing for Nico to levitate her.

When nothing happened, Nico shrugged and levitated his sister slowly raising her to the top of the room. "Look around, I'll lower you as you check each shelf, twerp."

Celandine felt herself lift into the air and began to examine the shelves. "Eww, You are right, Barry the eyeballs are gross." Probably though, the clue wouldn't be in any of the jars. Cela began to tentatively move a few of the potions ingredients, unsure what she was looking for but keeping her eyes peeled.

"Careful with what you touch Cela- some of that stuff on the top shelf is likely to be poisonous." Nicholai watched carefully and turned to the Hufflepuff, "I don't think its going to be that easy as far as just accioing it." Nico shrugged, "I'm Nicholai Toussaint by the way."

Cela picked up the eyeballs and peered at them, holding them up to the light. She was about to set it down when she noticed something stuck to the shelf. She tentatively reached out and dusted the area off with her hand and brushed the dust off her hand absently as she squinted for a better look. She reached out her hand and prodded what looked like parchment stuck to the shelf.

"Domi?" Nicholai raised an eyebrow and stepped back as some dust showered down from Cela's position, "Well, yes Celandine is my little sister."

"Dominic Denton, sorry," Dominic corrected, taking a step back to allow Nicholai room to move away from the dust showers. "Oh. Well that ... makes sense."

Barry was thankful to be finally back on the firm ground he said to Nico a quick "Hi" and then he looked back up at Cela "Look everywhere Cela in the places you wouldn`t expect a scroll to be! The chances are that it is " he said as he thought back to his trip up he had mainly just been looking at what was in the jars. Then he looked at Dominic "Found your clue yet?" he asked.

ooc: You have been PMed.

"I've got it." Celandine called over her shoulder, "You can put me down now, Nicholai." She shook peeled the parchment off the shelf and shook it madly, sending another shower of dust down on her brother.

"They probly have. I guess its time for another meeting? Nico do you have yours?" asked Barry quitely at least Cela and Nico were on speaking terms

Anna rounded the corner and headed towards the Potions Cupboard. She'd heard that the Ravenclaws would be down there looking for a possible clue, and if they'd found it, she needed to tell them about the next meeting on the off chance they hadn't gotten the owl.

"Oh, you're here," she said, looking at the assembled clue. "Found anything yet? If you have, you better come quickly! We're all meeting on the ground floor in the entrance hall. Slytherin and Gryffindor are already there. We need the other two houses, though."

"Its started?" asked Barry he nodded at the others to follow and headed off to the entrance hall.

Nico shook the dust off himself with a scowl and levitated his sister to the ground. He pushed her out the door and stepped out after the others, closing it behind him.