What was this?

TURNSTILES?

Amara tried to push her way through. But the thing wouldn't budge. SIGH. And she looked around for some signs. Surely a great dumb person who installed it would have left some note?

AH THERE! Pay one knut? EVERYTIME?

"This is the great Hogwarts?"

She stared at the notice, her eyes wide. She eyed the notice grumpily. Sighed, put her hand in the pocket and...there was nothing in there. WHAA? She had conveniently placed her money bag in her trunk.

Now what? She'd have to wait for some pestering lion to come help her. Lord Merlin, will this Hogwarts ever be normal?

Christmas had just entered the potrait hole and saw the turnstiles just great her money was precious and with the way the food was she needed the money for candy and she didnt want to have to pay a knut every time to enter the common room so she thought about finding somewhere else to sleep but for tonight she paid the knut to enter the common room

She had already handed her plate, bowl and her cups to Aidan after getting them nicely cleaned up. They were safer with him. Now, with a tummy FULL of ice-cream she dragged herself up the seven flights of stairs, hardly looking at anything or anyone and made her way to the Fat Lady's portrait. Yeah she knew the password, she just said it, duh.

Lex stepped back and watched it swing open but just as she was about to crawl through the saw the most ridiculous thing

"What the kneazle...?" She muttered to herself. When the heck had these gotten here??

1 knut? She raised an eyebrow at the ruuuuude thing before her. She had to pay to go inside??? But...but...her galleons were already booked. She and Aidan made plans to stock up on things in Hogsmeade, paying every time she entered (clearly this wouldn't disappear forever once it was handed a knut) would make that VERY HARD. This was not the right time. She wanted to sleep and all her money was in her trunk. Oh yeahhhh the trunk was IN the bloody Common Room--AndSoWasHerKneazle!!!!

O___O

Not again!

She kicked at the turnstile, hoping it would take the hint. "I don't have any knuts on me, do you take IOUs or something?" It didn't budge even a bit. This got her grumbling. Worst. Night. EVER.

With his stomach full of possibly the most unhealthy dinner he'd ever eaten, Jake made his way to the Gryffindor common room. He probably should have checked to see how many first years were actually following him... but the lack of nutrition and sugar rush was doing nothing for his patience. He really just wanted to sleep. Or do a few laps around the Quidditch pitch. But mostly sleep.

As he neared the common room, though, his pace slowed. And his eyes narrowed. What in Merlin's name...

...Turnstiles?!

Jake's eyes flew open wide and he went to check the things out. One knut for each time they entered the common room. First the bad food, now...

The realization hit the prefect suddenly: He'd forgotten to bring money with him on the train. All of it was in his trunk, which was conveniently delivered to his dormitory.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around frantically, hoping that a coin magically showed up. But nothing happened, of course.

He was stuck.

Wait. Maybe not. As an idea formed in his head, Jake took a few slow steps back from the turnstiles. He could just... jump over. If he got a running start he could easily make it over the turnstiles. And he could use a knut and make up for it... and never enter the common room again. The library had couches. Or maybe a professor would share their office. There were plenty of options.

She then spotted Lex and an older guy she recognized as their prefect. By the look of their bewildered faces it was clear that they didn't know about this. Not even the prefect? Tut-tut.

Still it was good to be in group. "UH...." she cleared her throat, calling their attention as she walked towards them. Once she was near, "What are we supposed to do?" she asked, addressing the prefect. She turned out her pockets. "No knuts" she said, sighing. She looked at Lex. "No luck with you too?" she asked the loud girl.

"Seems I've to camp outside the common room after all" she told the girl. She grinned remembering the earlier talk they had. What a lovely day. SIGH.

What...in the name of Merlin was this??

Turnstiles? They really had to pay money just to get into the common room? All her money was in her trunk in the dorm though. Merlin's beard. She did not want to pay money for every time she wanted to get in here. Looked like she was gonna be resourceful and find somewhere else to sleep for the year. But she wanted her things and Spot first.

She looked around at her fellow lions who also seemed perplexed and displeased by these things too. And then she noticed Jake. "What are you doing?" she asked, eyeing him backing away from the turnstiles.

Hearing a familiar voice, Jake looked over to see Penelope. He looked at her silently for a moment before looking back at the turnstiles. Slowly, casually, he answered, "...Jumping."

As he was mentally preparing himself for the jump, Jake was distracted by a girl. A very small girl. One he didn't recognize, so she was probably a first year. Jake straightened up, completely and ran a hand through his hair. Okay, maybe he should just wait out here until he made sure everyone else got into the common room. That was a Prefecty thing to do, right?

He looked at the girl, then at Penelope, then back at the girl. "Well. You're supposed to pay. A knut." He wondered briefly what sort of wizarding background this girl had and if she knew what a knut was. He saw her turn out her pockets though, and groaned quietly.

"Nothing?" he repeated, then patted his own pockets. "Me either." Someone should have told them. How hard would it have been to put that in the letter?

He frowned slightly, stepping up to the turnstiles again to get a good look at them. Obviously, not everyone would be able to jump. He might be able to lift the smaller students over...

He studied the air over the turnstiles, suddenly wondering if there was an alarm there. Sort of like muggle spy movies. Would those sort of things work at Hogwarts?

WHAT IS GOING ON? Ofim wondered when he tried to enter the common room. WAS HOGWARTS REALLY THIS POOR? This was ridiculous. The students shouldn't have to pay to use a common room.

He saw that Lex was trying to enter the common room and didn't have the cash for it. Ofim pushed his way to her "Hey, I can pay the toll for you if needed" he said to her.
He just wanted to get into the common room and relax.

Her attention was drawn from the turnstiles when Jake showed up. See? Even he was wondering about this stuff! Didn't anyone think it would have been good to tell them all this in advance? Like, she wouldn't have left her money in her trunk if she knew this would happen and she would have taken Felix down to the feast with her. Of course, this was only so she wouldn't have to go in at all. As it stood, she needed her money and her kneazle.

She noticed him backing up and watched on curiously. "Hey Jake, if you make it to the other side without something terribly tragic and gruesome happening to you as a result of your defiance, will you drag my trunk and my kneazle down here for me?" She asked in the sweetest of voices.

She needed her things.

Oh hey! The little Lioness who couldn't stand her house. Lex looked over at her once she began clearing her throat. "Well, I have no idea actually. I think Jake might try getting over but I don't know how well that'll go." If the Headmistress had been the one to set these up personally then something bad might have happened to him. They'd never know 'til he tried. "I've left my things in my trunk and they're in there. I take it the same happened to you?" Why else would she be standing out here?

Lex laughed lightly. "I guess you do!" That reminded her of the conversation they had earlier. It just...didn't seem as funny anymore but still laugh worthy. "I suppose we could all go finding somewhere else?" That could work? Yeah?"[/b]

Alexa's attention turned next to Penelope. People were filing in and slowly everyone was noticing that they'd have to fork over money they probably didn't have or stand here looking like everyone else.

"Think he might jump. Do you suppose it'd work?" If so she volunteered to go next. Just so long as it worked and there were no effects as a result. Kneazle didn't feed themselves so hers couldn't stay in their alone and she couldn't go over to Honeyduke's without even a knut in her pocket. Oh look at that. A knut. She needed those for candy, NOT for this.

"You don't have any money on you either?"

Natasha got past the portrait just to be blocked again. There were a few students already there.

"What's going on?" She asked. She thought she recognised a few of them from the train, or feast. Amara was the only one she new though, so she inched closer to her. Then she noticed the sign. They had to pay each and every time they wanted to go in? That was never mentioned before.

Natasha fished out her small money pouch. She never kept all of her money on her, but liked to have just a bit in case she needed it.

Feeling awkward, she looked around. "Do you not have any money?" She asked Amara, hoping she didn't sound offensive. She knew Amara had money, she just referred to having money with her right now.

Oichi yawned as she walked over to her common room after the feast. She approached the fat lady and gave her the new password. She then stumbled further and hit something. She opened her eyes slowly and saw her fellow housemates and a turnstyle. What? Upon closer inspection she saw that it would cost one knut to enter the common room. She was now awakened with rage. "WHAT THE HECK. THIS IS OUR COMMON ROOM, NOT A HOSTEL, I AM NOT PAYING FOR THIS STUPIDITY!!! I'LL SLEEP OUTSIDE TILL THIS IDIOCY IS SOLVED!!!" (She was so glad she kept her book bag on her right about now.) And with that she found a place on the floor and laid down for the night. She was sure this level of crazy must be solved by morning.

Sarah was eager to get to her dorm, she needed to lie down her stomach was aching from the food she had to eat. She needed to write home to her mother asking for some food, expecially bread. She could have made her own pot and continued to cook to the brocolli with spell work, yet bread that not soft was not okay for Sarah. She walked up wondering why people were all clustered around when she saw the turnstiles.
"What in Merlin's moldy socks is going on?" then she noticed clicked. She had to PAY to go in. "One knut everytime!" she repeated, still absorbing. "What is this? A common rite is being denied to us? They are trying to forcibly squeeze money out of students." she said.
She reached into her pockets and inside was a few knuts. "anyone need to borrow and pay me back another time? i I won't charge interest, I promise"/ She asked.

Seeing Alexa out of the corner of his eye, Jake side-stepped over to her. "As encouraging as that is, Lexa..." Sarcasm, that was, "I think... I'll hold out for a bit." He was thinking seriously about the sort of magic spy abilities Hogwarts might enable, and he didn't fancy getting injured on his first day back.

He would have said that, too, but he was distracted by a very LOUD voice. He looked over sharply, sighing silently before speaking up in the most authoritative tone he could muster. "There's no need to get so upset," he told the girl. "If you're unable to pay, we'll just wait for Professor Bentley and ask if there are other options." Surely someone would come check up on them, right?

As for Sarah's offer to pay... Jake didn't say anything. He didn't want to borrow anybody's money... no matter how short-term or however small the amount was. No, he'd figure something else out. Or... maybe Anya had money with her. He wouldn't mind owing her. ...Where was she, anyway?

Hey look who finally made it! She looked over at him considering his offer only very briefly. "I don't know. This seems a bit off. Why should I pay money to go somewhere that I have every right to be for free." Her eyes wondered back to the turnstile and she thought to give it another kick but she didn't. "Think about it. We have to stay in there, it's ours so why pay?"

It didn't make much sense. "Honestly, I just want my kneazle and my trunk. With the way this is all turning out there's no telling what the inside might look like." Did NO ONE see the Great Hall?? It was a mess!!! She dreaded to think of what else might look like that as well.

Lex almost jumped when there was suddenly shouting. Slowly she turned to look at the girl who'd opted for the floor. If she was going to decide to sleep on the floor anyway then why'd she have to shout about it. It didn't make the turnstiles disappear it just gave her a headache.

"I think you might end up sleeping outside all term then. The school's broke. I think it'll be like this all term." That didn't mean she fancied staying on the floor though. NOPE. "There must be other options. The floor? I'm sure we can do better than that."

And there was someone else offering to give up their knuts. Was she the only one thinking about how this would affect her candy for the year? Clearly. She wasn't necessarily going to make such an offer. Not yet anyway, she had to see how things were going and what the situation really was. Plus. She needed her trunk and until she got it she wasn't going to make any money commitments.

"I'm sure something will get worked out Sarah, you don't have to go offering your money just yet." But then she couldn't expect anything else. This was Sarah, always a giver. Something Lex never understood but she wouldn't question it either.

Oh? So he wasn't jumping? But then...how would she get her stuff? She nodded slowly. "Alright...probably wouldn't have worked anyway." Things here had a funny way of fighting back and she didn't exactly want to see Jake getting hurt.

He mentioned something about their Head of House. "You think she'll be coming? I mean, I think they expect everything to go smoothly and everyone to have some knuts on them so would they really come to check on us?" If they never thought there was a problem then they probably wouldn't try fixing it either.

Only thing was...there was a problem.

Jumping? Hm. That could be a good idea. Maybe. Assuming there wasn't a magic charm placed around this thing that prevented it. Which there probably was, considering things. But really, what other option was there? Were they just supposed to sit outside just because their money was in their trunks and no one had told any of them this was gonna happen? Merlin.

"Good luck with that."

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaniDiNardo

Alexa's attention turned next to Penelope. People were filing in and slowly everyone was noticing that they'd have to fork over money they probably didn't have or stand here looking like everyone else.

"Think he might jump. Do you suppose it'd work?" If so she volunteered to go next. Just so long as it worked and there were no effects as a result. Kneazle didn't feed themselves so hers couldn't stay in their alone and she couldn't go over to Honeyduke's without even a knut in her pocket. Oh look at that. A knut. She needed those for candy, NOT for this.

"You don't have any money on you either?"

"Probably not." And it looked like Jake was thinking better of it now since he was instead talking with some other students. That was kinda a bummer though. Because what if there was an off chance that she was wrong and there actually wasn't a charm keeping them from doing so, but that was what the professors wanted them to think. So now she was considering trying it just to make sure...

Money? "Nope, none. It's all in my trunk." Which was usually in her dorm by now. A dorm she currently could not get to. Meh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosa Chispa Princessa

Oichi yawned as she walked over to her common room after the feast. She approached the fat lady and gave her the new password. She then stumbled further and hit something. She opened her eyes slowly and saw her fellow housemates and a turnstyle. What? Upon closer inspection she saw that it would cost one knut to enter the common room. She was now awakened with rage. "WHAT THE HECK. THIS IS OUR COMMON ROOM, NOT A HOSTEL, I AM NOT PAYING FOR THIS STUPIDITY!!! I'LL SLEEP OUTSIDE TILL THIS IDIOCY IS SOLVED!!!" (She was so glad she kept her book bag on her right about now.) And with that she found a place on the floor and laid down for the night. She was sure this level of crazy must be solved by morning.

...Really? "SHOUTING isn't really gonna help." So chill. Merlin. And...she was just gonna lay down by the turnstiles? Well, okay then.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Princesspower

Sarah was eager to get to her dorm, she needed to lie down her stomach was aching from the food she had to eat. She needed to write home to her mother asking for some food, expecially bread. She could have made her own pot and continued to cook to the brocolli with spell work, yet bread that not soft was not okay for Sarah. She walked up wondering why people were all clustered around when she saw the turnstiles.
"What in Merlin's moldy socks is going on?" then she noticed clicked. She had to PAY to go in. "One knut everytime!" she repeated, still absorbing. "What is this? A common rite is being denied to us? They are trying to forcibly squeeze money out of students." she said.
She reached into her pockets and inside was a few knuts. "anyone need to borrow and pay me back another time? i I won't charge interest, I promise"/ She asked.

And then Sarah was there...and it seemed she had money. And was willing to share. Hm... Penelope considered this. She didn't really like borrowing money from people, mostly because she didn't like owing them and trying to make sure to pay them back. But this was a really small amount, and all she really needed it for was to get her stuff and Spot, and her money was with her stuff. She had quite a few knuts there, so she could instantly pay her friend back.

Yeah, that seemed like an okay plan.

"Can I have one, Sarah? I can pay you back once we're through. My money's in my trunk."

Mack rolled her eyes as she finally made it to the turnstiles, everyone was grumbling about them. Seriously, we have to pay to enter our own home. The plates, cups, and silverware were one thing but paying to enter the common room. She reached into her bag, pulling out a knut and inserting it into the hole. The turnstiles opened and she passed through.

Ky have seen those metallic box things before. HE HATED THOSE. He used them all the time when taking muggle transportations and such. They hate him too, because they never seem to work for him. The turnstiles would always block him before he could cross.

And apparently, they have to pay 1 knut everytime they want to go in? What? Who made came up with this idea? Is this thing normal around here in this school? Why is the school being dominated by muggle objects? WHAT KIND OF MAGIC SCHOOL IS THIS?

Ky wants to rest and get some sleep. It's better to obey rather than causing any trouble at the moment. So he took out a knut from his pocket and slip the coin inside the metal box. Immediately after he slipped the coin in, he pushed the metal bars as quickly as possible so he wouldn't miss the timing. Luckily, it worked for him this time! WOOT. He stood at the other end of the turnstiles, jumping up and down at his unusual success. The people that were around probably thought he was nuts.

Now hopefully, it will work for him everytime he enters.

Tag just wanted some rest, to sleep and ease off his mind. So, obviously he went to his house. After passing through the portrait hole he saw that the lions were all standing around each other, creating a little crowd. What was going on?

"Ummm, huh?" Tag muttered as he saw turnstiles and looked at everyone else.

Did they not know how to work these? He remember seeing them at some of the places and rides at Disneyworld, he just had to push through the barrier. So, Tag went forward and tried to push through the turnstile. Nothing happened besides some metal clanking and an odd jamming noise. He must've had to push harder. This time Tag put his hands on the pole of the turnstile and moved his palms forward but nothing happened. "Its stuck. What's going on?" The leprechaun asked confusedly as he turned to Penelope and Lex.

"I wanna see Spot." He added quietly.

Anya skipped up toward the common room... and stopped abruptly. "... what's...?" she asked looking around. She stood on her tiptoes and looked around.

"Jake?" She jumped up and down a few times trying to spot him. Stupid Prefect duties. They kept them separated.

Oh. Look. There he was. She slipped into the spot beside them. "I don't see a machine to get coins. How much do you think it is?" she asked patting her pockets.

"I've only got a galleon on me. You think that's enough?" Why? Because that was her first reaction to seeing a turnstile.

... it hadn't quite hit her that another train ride or admission to a theme park wasn't on the other end of the payment trap.

It was just as she'd thought. No one really had any money on them. This was ridiculous, hopefully others knew that but at the same time...so was standing out here...

Lex was tired. She didn't want to stand anymore and she wanted her kneazle. It was just good she'd kept her candy bag with her or she would have had something like a mental break down. Yeah, kinda like in her first year when they got kicked out of their Common Rooms. She heard Penelope accept Sarah's offer and started to wish she had too.

"Do you think inside looks anything like the inside of the Great Hall?"

Oh and there was Tag!!!

She watched, only slightly amused as he tried getting in without the 1 knut payment. It was only when he asked that she felt the need to explain. "You gonna have to feed it 1 knut before it lets you in. That's why we're still here, money left in our trunks and all." She gave him a curious look. "Do you have your money on you?"

Something caught her attention shortly after. It was really just some jingling at first. When she turned, she found Felix sitting at her foot with her money pouch. "Felix! You're NOT stuck inside!!" GRIN.

Anya was there too!! They never got to finish there cup game because of everything that happened and she wanted to ask if they could some time but now wasn't exactly the right time given the circumstances.

She reached down and pulled the pouch from her kneazle's mouth, before looking over at the girl again. "You'll only need a knut." She informed her, sounding just a little less bitter than earlier when she had absolutely nothing on her. Really, she was just glad she had Felix, She was NEVER leaving him with her things AGAIN.

In response to Lexa's question, Jake lowered his voice. "I have no idea." He didn't know anything about this situation. Which was ridiculous... they should have told the prefects, at least. This was making him look extremely unprepared and it wasn't good for the rest of the students to see their leaders like this.

Lexa had a point, though. The professors would probably expect everything to go smoothly. Who said anyone was going to check on them any time soon... if ever? "We can just... hope. Or send a runner." That would be a last resort, though. Jake didn't want to bother anyone.

As he said that, he felt someone walk up beside him. He looked over quickly, but instantly relaxed when he saw that it was Anya. "Hey," he said quietly as he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"It's a knut each," he answered, looking back at the turnstiles. When she mentioned that she had a galleon, Jake looked back at his girlfriend. "I haven't seen anywhere to exchange larger coins... I wonder if those will do it for you." Back to the turnstile. Was there any place on them that looked like it would give change?

"A knut?" Anya asked rolling the coin between her fingers. She had a lot more than a knut. "Think this'll fit in the slot?" Hopefully, right? [b]"I guess... I'll pay ... for... the next 492 people... ... you know... assuming the thingy took her coin.

"What is this for anyway?"

Anya instantly moved closer to him as Jake put his arm around her. Mmm. Cuddly.

"Oh. Okay. Umm... I guess I have the house covered this time then...?" You know... assuming the turnstile thingy took her galleon. "It's a good thing I didn't buy anymore sugar quills on the the train then, huh?" she said handing the coin over to her boyfriend.

"What's this for, anyway?" Because... and in-school water park would be brilliant.

Melanie was so excited to go the common room. Her bags were inside which meant her ramen was inside and she was absolutely starving. That was when she saw the crowd outside. What was going on? She stood on her tippy toes, trying to see what was going on but wasn't quite sure. That was around the time she saw the turnstiles that looked a lot like the ones from the subway station.

Did they need a metrocard? Melanie didn't bring one. As she got closer though, she noticed a little hole at the top. They would... have to... pay?

So the school could afford these turnstiles but not proper plates? And that reminded her that she did have her plate and spork in hand. And her cup. She'd need to owl her cousin later as well. The Gryffindor fumbled in her pockets for her wallet. "I know I kept it with me," she muttered, sticking her hands deep into one pocket.

Ah, Lex answered the confused leprechaun. When she told him he had to pay the thing one knut to get in he angled his head and looked at her. "You have to pay it?" He asked what she had just confirmed, his shoulders slumping a bit. "That's a bit of a rip off. I mean, we live in here. I'm not gonna pay to sleep in my house until I actually buy a real house or flat." Responsibilities. Ew.

That was slightly out of hand. What if they wasted all their money going in and out of the common room, and no one else had any more to share? Would they all just sleep on the cold hard ground somewhere around the castle.He frowned slightly when it seemed that Lex's cat? came by. "You're not Spot." Tag said grumpily as he crossed his arms.