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Boathouse https://s26.postimg.cc/ka3v8g6eh/boathouse-banner.jpg Every September 1st, the first years arrive at Hogwarts by boats that carry them across the Great Lake to the Boathouse. Apart from the entrance from the Lake through the long tunnel underneath the castle, this underground harbour can also be reached from the Boathouse Steps which leads down the side of the cliff on which the castle sits and from the path leading down from the paved courtyard. |
~ Open Post ~ The Boathouse was just where you might expect a quiet boy like Maxie Barton Anderson-Belfort to frequent, and frequent he did. The place had become, slowly but surely. one of his more beloved study spots, not just for it's solitude but for it's sounds. The gentle waves against the dock. The soft hoot of the wild owls perched up in in the deepest corners of the rafters. The windrushing through the walls. He felt lost in time here. A book splayed across his lap, a small brown bag with snacks by his side, and a thermos of tea to keep him company.. what more did the Hufflepuff need? Nothing, absolutely nothing. |
SPOILER!!: the sweet child Just like most students, Céline was supposed to be doing her homework at this moment. So of course she was in search of other things to do after doing the bare minimum to complete her homework. Today she was on the search for a net for some sort of improvised football goal. Kicking her trusty old football ahead, the fourth year set off to the most obvious place to find one, the boathouse. She wasn't sure if there were fish |
Darrygirl Footsteps. He heard them loud and very clear. No, no, no, no, no. No. No. No. No. No, thank you. No. He did not look up from his book, he was far too busy lamenting the sorrowful loss of his solitude. |
And down the steps after the ball she went, catching up with the football and giving it a kick right into the boathouse. Hit anything? Of coooourse not. She jogged into the room and spotted a kid with a book. What an odd place to be reading. "Oh hiya." Jó, Max, who even knew at this point. Did they????? "What're you doin down here then?" Cél jogged over and squinted down at the book, not all that interested in it even though he seemed to be. |
Lisa <3 It should have been a happier day for the 6th year Hufflepuff, it was after all her 17th birthday, the day she became legal in the Wizarding world. The age allowed her some freedom, like the ability to learn how to apparate, as well as being able to move out on her own, which she planned to do this summer.. But despite her new freedom, no smiles could be seen as Kamryn made her way into the boathouse, she dropped her book bag near a boat and settled down next to it, leaning against the hard structure with a sigh. She slumped down against it until her head was laying on the wood, but she didn’t care if it was uncomfortable, she just wanted to be alone. The kitchen was her usual haunt but she didn’t feel like seeing anyone today. Her thoughts came in waves as she kept her eyes closed, from idly wondering which is her family members would remember her birthday this year, to thinking that the day was cursed. She had broken up with her last boyfriend on her last birthday, and had broken up with her current one two says before. She didn’t know why, but losing Trigger hurt more than losing Cameron had.. and she felt equal parts of loneliness and sadness. She curled up and sighed softly, pulling her book bag into her chest, maybe she could sleep the day away and not have to worry about anything. |
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Sorry not sorry, Kamryn. Anahera had CASUALLY followed Kam after incidentally spotting her in the entrance hall. She'd been carrying a cupcake in her bag all day. Thank you, Hogwarts house elves for making it. And also for making sure she could safely stow it in her bag until the time came. They'd informed her that a simple Finite would lift the spell that was currently protecting it from getting crushed. After watching Kam enter the boathouse from a safe distance, Anahera slowly approached it too before slowing to a halt right by one of the outside walls. She pulled out the cupcake and whispered her Finite, making sure that she wouldn't be heard inside the boathouse. She then pulled out a single candle, put it onto the cupcake, then lit it with her wand. Et voilŕ! ".......HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" Hello yes, Anahera was inside the boathouse now, holding the cupcake and grinning. |
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“Anahera! ” Kam was on her feet almost instantly and she smiled as she saw the cupcake! “You remembered! ” She said with a grin as she headed over to the other girl and the cupcake. “Shall I make a wish and blow the candle out? ” She asked her softly. |
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Anahera grinned and waited for Kamryn to walk over to her. What WAS she doing down here all by herself anyway? "Yes, you have to." Obviously. It was birthday tradition after all. Still smiling, she held out the cupcake to the other girl, just at the right height for her to be able to blow out the candle. |
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That and she didn’t want to run into Trigger. Their break up hurt terribly and Kam was still trying “Thanks for remembering. ” She said in a soft voice as she looked at her friend and then crept closer. She looked down at the cupcake and then closed her eyes to make a wish. Just please let things go back to normal she wished softly as she openers her eyes and blew out the flame. |
The mist that began creeping out of the forest has begun to makes it way out onto the grounds. It brought with it something of a cold chill though this was as likely a result of the dreary January weather. The mist is wispy on the fringes but thick if one were to make their way into it. So thick that you wouldn't be able to make out right from left. So thick that you can't see anything beyond it. |
yo, mist! Nina Castillo did not plan on riding a boat. Nor did she plan on borrowing nets or fishing tools. That sounded terribly unappealing. No, she hadn't actually known what this underground harbor contained. Having only transferred to the school late last year, the Slytherin hadn't ever used the boats before. Stumbling upon this structure had been a complete and utter surprise. In fact, she had only ventured outside to escape some of her classmates. A list, which, only kept growing in length. There were far too many people to avoid within the castles confines, and so on days such as these when it all became too much... Her only real options were the grounds. But again, the Courtyard was far too common place, and she didn't want to freeze her bum by sitting by the lake. And so she walked. This was the farthest out she had ever gone. It was rather curious, this place. Kept neat, but the wood was worn. What was even more peculiar was the sudden, oncoming wall of mist. It was incredibly disorienting. Nina turned around to walk out of the boathouse to escape it, but... she couldn't see the door anymore? The mist was fogging everything up, she could hardly even see a few centimeters in front of her own feet. She could feel her heart rate quicken as the nerves kicked in. She didn't know her way out. And the longer she spun around in place, the more lost she felt. Her airways were also starting to feel quite heavy. She could still breathe, that wasn't the issue. It was more of an emotional reaction than it was a physical one. But she still coughed quite a bit. Um??? This couldn't have been normal mist, right??? |
Alice was out for a jog. Yes, a jog. She may have been more well known among the students and her colleagues as a Yoga practitioner, but anyone who knew the health fanatic knew that she was into all forms of physical fitness, and they may even have a few bad memories of how enthusiastically she had embraced and enforced disgraced headmaster Julian's exercise routine. Honestly, though, the only thing she hadn't liked about those exercises were how early in the morning they were. Alice knew full well the importance of a good night's sleep! If they were to take place during the daytime, then Alice would have been all for reinstating school-mandated exercise for the entire school. And yes, she knew the students would hate her for that if it actually happened. The current Health club was a good start, but Alice wanted fitness ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY. But enough about what might have been. She shifted her mind back to the task at hand, which was getting the best workout she possibly could on that chilly day. She was wearing a turtleneck jacket (and boots) only because of how cold it was. Her hair was cut a little shorter than usual, revealing the slightly pointed ears of the part-goblin. You could only see them if you looked closely, though. It was not until she had jogged down to the boathouse that she began to feel unusually breathless. At first she assumed it was because of how good she was exercising...but then she began to feel cold. "Um, what?!" she sputtered, coming to a stop. She should NOT be getting cold in the middle of a strenuous exercise! She noticed Ms. Castillo standing nearby (why hadn't she seen her before? Probably because of the mist - where had that come from??) and looking even more breathless and confused than she was. "Ms. Castillo!" she called out in a slightly more shaky tone than the usually dominant professor was known for. "Are you all right? Come with me. We need to get out of this cold." Wait...which way was out? A jolt of unease went through her. |
Needing to get out of the castle for one reason or ten, Eiji decided to try his luck with more ingredients collecting around the grounds. While pillaging the greenhouses, he was reminded of a certain algae that grew around the docks and soon was making his way over to the boathouse with a few empty phials still in his pockets. It was en route that he happened to see Nina heading that direction as well, which perked his curiosity and he had half a mind to wonder if this was her new area of solitude to avoid, well, to avoid a certain trio of petty mean girls who would be paying for their crimes soon enough. Which once again brought him back to the algae. It was a potent thickening ingredient with some magical properties when paired with the correct ingredients. Ingredients which just so happened to be a part of his special brew. So focused on the task at hand, his collecting that is, that Eiji did not even notice he was stepping into a thick mist until it was as thick as pea soup and he could no longer see the vials in his own hands. ".....what the...." And then, seemingly out of no where, he heard the History of Magic professor shouting to Nina. Ears perked and listening, Eiji found himself annoyed by this mist because how was he supposed to collect the algae when he couldn't see a damn thing? Grumbling to himself and wanting to find Nina, the fourth year took another step forward only to find there was no dock for him to stand on. Just air. And then came imbalance until.... |
Under normal circumstances Trinetta would be VERY upset to know that her usual hiding spot - the boathouse - was becoming more and more crowded by the minute. Even in the winter, she didn't mind heading down there when she just needed time to think and scribble in her journal. She usually had a bluebell flame in a jar to keep her warm, and just being out of the wind usually made it a rather comfortable atmosphere even in the dead of winter. It was the perfect place for her to just think when she needed to be alone. Nothing but the occasionally sound of the water moving around, or the creek of the boats as they sat there, unused. She heard a commotion coming from the boathouse as she approached, however, which made her wonder if she should stop and turn around. Maybe she should just avoid the boathouse all together. Pretend she'd never heard anything. Merlin knew WHAT was going on there, and it could be literally ANYTHING. This WAS Hogwarts, after all. She could hear O'Hara's voice coming from the boathouse, so whatever was going on...a professor was on it. That had to mean it was under control, right? But of course she was nosy. So naturally, she kept moving forward, reaching the boathouse with quickened steps. As soon as she entered the small building, though, her vision was completely blinded by a thick heavy fog. Her eyes widened, as if THAT would help her see better through the mist, hands immediately stretched out in front of her. Whatever she had been expecting - this wasn't it. Thankfully she knew the layout of the boathouse rather well from all her visits there, so she was able to maneuver her way to the middle of the room. Or so she thought? Even with a good knowledge of the place, all this mist was really jarring. "HELLO!? Professor?!" she called out, knowing that she had to be somewhere in all this mess. "What's going on!?" she asked, a slight panic in her voice. OOP. It sounded like something was in the water! Her brain immediately thought of the acromantulas that had attacked Trent a few months ago, and her brain started reeling. She knelt down to the ground and started feeling around blindly, crawling around on the ground until she felt the strong handle of an oar. YES! Just as she had hoped! She grabbed it and stood back up, turning wildly towards the water (or so she thought, she was actually facing the opposite direction). "STAY BACK! I'M ARMED!" she yelled, waving the oar wildly in to the mist as she did so. Her brain wasn't even registering the fact that it would be completely asinine for an acromantula to be HERE, in the boathouse, near all this water it could easily drown in. What if it wasn't a spider, though? What if it was an angry merman? Or a grindylow? NOT TODAY SIR, NOT TODAY! |
Nina prided herself on her ability to remain calm, even when she was upset, or angery, or nervous. She was typically able to wear a face in facade. In this moment, however, she felt complete and utter terror. She hadn’t SEEN the acromantula’s with her own eyes, but she had heard the rumors. And if there was anything Nina hated more than creatures, it was BIG SCARY CREATURES. And while she couldn’t see anything through the mist, she could most certainly hear the floorboards of the boathouse creaking. Someone or SOMETHING was following her inside. Her blood pressure had most certainly skyrocketed. Only making her move about with even MORE panic. The familiar (yet agitating) sound of her Professor’s voice helped ease those nerves a little. Phew. It was just Professor O’Hara. She naively nodded her head in response to the questions, all the while aware that the gesture would not be seen, and opened her mouth to reply when she heard the SPLASH of water. OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO. So naturally, she began screaming. And then, also naturally, she began screaming even LOUDER because she had just been whacked in the gut (by Trinetta’s oar). Whacked so hard that she was thrown off her balance and ALSO landed in the water with a very loud… S P L A S H ! ! ! Very loud because she was still screaming. And flailing around. And most probably splashing Eiji a whole lot in the— EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!! OH MY GOD. WHAT WAS THAT!?!? Her arm had just whacked SOMETHING (was it a head? a body part? a ???????????). “EEEEEEK!!!” |
Conveniently under water for most of the talking, Eiji was unaware that Trinetta had joined the trifecta of disaster to turn it into a quartet of ... quibble? It was hard to think up words beginning with the letter 'Q' when one was trying to find the surface of the water again and one one did find it it was hard to tell because of this blanket of thick mist. Even worse? Attempting to climb OUT of the water only to be promptly SMACKED square in the face by the flat side of something hard and wooden. He didn't even have time to register Trinetta's voice before he was propelled back into the water with a searing pain to his brow and tears in his eyes from the direct hit to his nose. A nose that was most certainly broken, so thanks for that. To add insult to injury, literally, Eiji received another firm slap and whack to the face from the flailing arms of one Nina Castillo. Not only was his nose bleeding like mad, but it felt like his ears were too from the shrieking and screaming coming from his housemate. Disoriented and in pain, Eiji tried to gain his bearings some how and swam in the direction he HOPED was the dock...only to swim directly - face first - into Nina's chest and his own bark of surprise. "What the hell was that?!" |
Alice heard one of the students shout out her name, asking what was going on. If only she had an answer to that question! "Trinetta?!" she shouted back, correctly identifying the voice. "Are you all right? Follow my voice! That is an order! FOLLOW MY VOICE!!!" She tried to move towards Trinetta's voice. It was at that moment that Nina's scream pierced the air, followed by Trinetta threatening someone. This was followed by a couple of thumping noises and then SPLASHES and more screaming - punctuated by a boy's exclamation of surprise. Growing increasingly anxious, Alice prepared her lungs to shout out instructions - when all of a sudden she was unceremoniously WHACKED by the back-end of an oar. THUNK! Alice crumpled on the dock in a small heap. "AHH-AHHH!!!!" she cried out in pain, part scream and part sob. She clutched her head in pain and writhed on the ground. An oar hit to the head would hurt a part-goblin like her much more than it would hurt a human, and she had gotten it right on the head. "HEEEELP!!!" She screamed, sobbing tears of pain and rage as she continued to clutch her head. She began to feebly crawl up the dock (away from the water) to avoid being hit again. A trail of tears followed her - each one a humiliating drop of pain unwillingly given. It was only when she reached the start of the dock that she heard the laughter. It was the laughter of other people. Equal parts joyful and mischievous, they caused a jolt of dread to run down her spine. |
Eni saw the fog before she heard the screaming. 'Was that...Professor O'Hara? What in the world?' Eniola took off at a run towards the screaming with little regard towards her own safety. Almost slipping along the grass she made it to the dock and saw her Professor on the ground. "Professor! Are you okay!? What happened?" She yelled as she ran to kneel down beside her. This doesn't look good. She thought as she saw the professor clutching her head. "Professor, please. Let me bring you to Healer Beryl." Eni looked around trying to find someone else that could help. |
The mist continues making its way across the grounds, seemingly indifferent to any that may now be in its paths. It soon engulfs everything and everyone around. Even then it keeps going at its steady pace. By now it’s hard to see much further than a hand’s distance ahead of you and there’s a faint, undistinguished rumbling. Bad weather, surely. |
THUNK. Nettie felt SOMETHING connect with her oar, and then heard the SPLASH as whatever she had hit ended up in the water. And then...ANOTHER hit. BAM! She was on FIRE right now! Take THAT scary acromantulas! You were NOT gonna get her today! Continuing to brandish the oar around as her only means of defense, she stopped suddenly when she recognized someone's voice. "EIJI?! Is that you!?" she called out. A sinking realization hit her and she felt her stomach drop as it started to dawn on her that one of her targets MIGHT have unintentionally been her friend. WHOOPS. Oh Merlin, was he in the water now too?! Had that been the splash she'd heard? He was going to MURDER her and use her organs for potions ingredients for this. "Hold on!" she yelled, flipping the oar in her hands to use it as a sort of ladder to get him out when...THUNK. She'd made a connection with someone else. That scream...it took her a moment, but as the howling went on, she realized it had been Professor O'Hara. OH NOOOOOO, she'd forgotten all about her! She'd hit the professor! OH NOOOOOOO! Could you be expelled for accidentally attacking a teacher?! Even unintentionally?? "Professor! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, although in the chaos of everything, she STILL couldn't see more than a few inches in front of her. Eiji could be drowning, O'Hara could be drowning, another voice had joined the pack...Nettie was fine, by the way, thanks for asking newcomer...it was all too much. Nettie didn't like the way her professor was yelling, either. It sounded BAD. How much damage had the oar done?? Nettie didn't think she was THAT strong...certainly not strong enough to inflict the kind of damage that would warrant a reaction like that... Suddenly, Nettie dropped the oar in terror as she heard...that sound. It was the unmistakable sound of many teeny, tiny little legs scuttling their way across the boathouse towards her. She screamed, instantly turning on her heel in instinct and running even though she knew in the back of her brain that she might accidentally run right in to the water. That was preferable, though, because those little creatures were surely gaining on her. It sounded like hundreds of them, creepy crawling things that were probably going to drown her in their stampede if she didn't get out of here... She ran in to the wall, stumbled a bit at the shock of it all, and let out another shriek because the scuttling noise was getting LOUDER. They were coming for her! She looked around wildly, but in all the fog, she couldn't see the floor. They were probably everywhere! A sea of giant bugs and beetles was probably raining down on her right now! She could practically feel them crawling up her legs! And she was alone. Her brain tried to remind her that it wasn't true...but she knew, deep down in her heart, she was utterly alone. Left here to be eaten by the bugs. No one. No Jimmy, no Royland, no Ethan, no Chloe, no Keenan, no Missa, no Eiji. Totally, 100% alone. Shock had taken over her body, and she slumped against the wall, pulled her legs to her chest, and began to sob. |
Eni started to become more aware of her surroundings, even as the fog got thicker and thicker. Why is everyone freaking out? Why did the Ravenclaw girl have an oar? What is going on? She just wanted to get out of there with the Professor. She can worry about the rest later, it seemed the Ravenclaw girl got a little sense and started running away from the water at least. Although with how thick this fog was getting Eni was surprised she didn't end up in the water. Eniola shivered. Whether it was from the chill of the fog or her own fear she wasn't sure. She could feel someone...something...watching her. It was unsettling and made her want to get out of there. 'Safety. I've got to get to safety.' "Professor!" She whispered urgently. They needed to leave. To run. It isn't safe. Something was out there. |
Alice blinked at the student trying to help her. Eni? It was hard to see through the fear and mist, but she felt a deep concern for this student's well being. It wasn't safe. They had to leave. She took Eni's hand in hers with every intention of leading her back to the castle, even though her head still throbbed in pain and she could barely stand. But then she saw them. Them. The source of the laughter. The voices continued to laugh. Their laugh was joyful and harsh at the same time. One of the sources of the laugh manifested itself. Laughing cruelly, it moved towards the professor and made as if to poke her with its wand. Alice raised her hands in front of her. "We're unarmed. Leave us be!" She tried to position herself between the voices and Eni. Neved had being poor at magic made her feel so helpless as she felt at that moment. Then that helplessness turned to rage as the wand poked in her direction again. Another wand pointed at her back. None of them touched her, but all came close. "I'll report ALL of you!!!" she shouted, rage contorting her features. She still gripped Eni's hand tightly in her own. Then the lead figure holding a wand mouthed something. It went something like this: READY TO FLY, LITTLE ALICE? READY TO FLY LIKE A BALLOON? In her fear, she couldn't even hear the sound of Trinneta apologizing, or any of the other cries of students. |
Eni couldn't see who the professor was yelling at, but she did see several things popping up from the water. Were creatures coming out of the Lake now like the Forest? What is happening to Hogwarts!? But no, these didn't seem friendly. They were menacing and scared the crap out of Eni that's for sure. Without thinking she drew her wand. No sense in waiting until after they're attacked after all. Especially when the professor is already injured. She could hear someone else screaming too, but it was coming from the Lake and she'd be damned to be going near there. No, no, no. Far, far away. That is what they needed to get. Far, far away. But they could hardly see anything. "Lumos Maxima!" Eni called out in hopes to scare off the creatures and to give herself some courage. She was back to back with the professor now, both seemingly preoccupied with their own issues. Eni had only one goal in mind at this point to get back safe. She even debated leaving the professor and making a run for it, but could she really do that? NO! If she wants to be a Healer she needs to be brave, no matter how terrified she really was. "Hello? Who's there? Is someone in the Lake?" Eni called out hesitantly, hoping not to lure the things any closer. "I swear, if you don't tell me right now who you are I'm running and you can fend for yourself! I won't wait. You can get eaten alive for all I care at this point." Calling over her shoulder to the professor she said, "Professor, get out your wand! We need to get out of here. Protego!" She yelled, Eni definitely didn't want to get eaten alive by....whatever those things are. Every second she felt colder and more terrified. What do we do? What do we do? What do we do? |
there are 4 types of people, apparently In case you were wondering, this particular fourth year was still screaming. Screaming bloody murder, actually. It was a great juxtaposition to how quiet she typically sat within her lessons. It was a rather unrecognizable noise coming from one Nina Castillo. Though it didn’t really matter that much as no one could SEE her at the moment anyway. They wouldn’t be able to recognize her even if they wanted to. The Slytherin frantically moved her head around from side-to-side, arms flailing every which direction. Her heart rate quickened every time she heard a noise from above or one from the water. OH NO OH NO OH NO!!! So many animals lived in the water here. What if the squid came after her or a mermaid or a grinDYLOW. OH MY GOD. She was going to DIE HERE. ”AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!” Again she let out a LOUD wail when something (Eiji) bumped right into her. OH MY GOD WHAT WAS— … ”....Eiji?” She recognized that tone of annoyance instantly. It was only for that moment that she had taken a break from all the screaming. In that same moment of rest, she had been quiet enough to hear Professor O’Hara again, whose previous instructions she had been screaming over and hadn’t heard. Whoops! Oh wait, what was that? Was Nina was screaming again? HAHAHAH. Yes. Absolutely. Because suddenly, fear struck her like never before. And if one thought the screams couldn’t get louder? Oh, they were very wrong. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!” Her shrill shrieks pierced through the air. Oh my Merlin. Oh NO OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO. There were three of them. No, ten. NO, TWENTY. And they were SURROUNDING her. Taunting. Angry. Eager to eat. Nina Castillo was screaming as loud as a venue full of thirteen year-olds seeing The Dead Kneazles preforming for the first time... if The Dead Kneazles were dying and the concert venue was on fire and everyone was slowly drowning in a gross lake filled with algae. No, she wasn’t just screaming. She was shrieking. At the top of her lungs--which were, by the way, unfortunately filling with (gross) water as her head bobbed up and down. She had to take breaks in between the screams to spit it out. Ew. In the sudden onset of fear and panic, she had completely forgotten that there were others nearby. All she could do was scream. There wasn't a possibility for escape. They were literally surrounding her. There wasn’t anywhere to go. So much for fight or flight. Nina Castillo was stuck. And she was screaming. And she was crying. And her stomach was throbbing in pain (thanks, Trinetta). And !!!!!! The worst part of all of this was that her mascara was probably running all down her face, the water was probably making her hair look so gross, AND her slippers had gone missing as a result of all the kicking around she had been doing in the water and they were her FAVORITE pair. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” Breath. Spit. Ew. Breathe. Commence. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” Was someone else talking? Because Nina couldn't hear them over her screams. Whoops. Times. Two. |
Eni was terrified. She couldn't move forward to the screams because it brought her closer to them. The things. Their mouths. My god, their mouths were horrible. What do we do? What do we do? What do we do? Her wand lit, she clung to it like it was her safety. It was her safety. It's her wand. She has a wand. What do we do? What do we do? What do we do? Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic. She repeated to herself as the creatures came closer. Panic. PaNIC. PANIC. PANIC! PANIC!! PANIC!!!!!!! "Protego Munio!" Eni yelled in her terror. Suddenly a bunch of rocks came flying at her - "Ahhhhhhhh!" - but suddenly stopped before her and began to make a protective wall around both her and the professor like her spell intended. Terrified. Utterly terrified. Eni heard the screams, she couldn't just stay locked behind a stone wall. She wouldn't be safe there forever, but at least it gave her time to think of a plan. And be terrified. Why can't I shake this? |
Yes, Trinetta, it was him. But the Slytherin was a little too preoccupied at the moment to shout back at her with his usual sarcastic retort and some jab about her stupid locket just becase he could. No, rather than indulging in his frustrations as he enjoyed doing a bit too much, Eiji Rasting was realizing just deep his troubles were. Literally. After colliding into something, panic began sinking in as his arms and hands could find nothing solid. No dock and not even another whack at whatever it was he had just bumped into. Just wet. More wet. More nauseating moist slapping. And there was shouting. So much shouting. And...what the actual hell? The professor was going to report them? FOR WHAT? Taking a swim in the boathouse waters? Not exactly intentional, professor. Too preoccupied with staying afloat, the Slytherin could not make out the shrill quiver to the professor's voice. But he could make out an unfamiliar voice that was talking way too bloody much. WAY too much. And then, beyond a reasonable doubt, he could make out the shrieks of Nina...and it honestly sounded like she was being eaten alive by something. "NI---" Gurgle gurgle gurgle. Down went Eiji under the water, his twig like arms and legs unable to support him above water. Or so he thought. His feet had, in reality, managed to touch bottom a bit ago and when he leaned his head back the water circled around his face just so, covering his ears and creeping across his pale skin to over his eyebrows and submerging his chin. Perfectly capable of breathing...and yet... ....his instincts were telling him to kick, to jump. His mind was racing and entirely irrational. His lungs would surely start burning terribly soon, making him all the more desperate to get to that surface NOW. Despite the want to breathe, to inhale, he knew he couldn't. It would be fruitless to do so and so he could only float there, holding his breath and waiting for someone, anyone, to notice him. Water would fill his lungs, making him heavier and heavier...the terror was setting in, seizing his chest, and despite himself one Must get to the surface...must...must... .............mommy....... |
Nettie just clutched her knees closer to her chest as the screaming continued. She couldn't completely place that shrill screaming (Nina), but there was someone else here beside Eiji and the professor. And someone else was shouting out protection spells. She was pretty sure it wasn't the same person who was screaming, so that put the count at...five including her? Six? Four? She couldn't do MATH right now! It was too late for those protection spells. They were all dead meat, she was sure of it. They were all goners. Moments passed, which felt like an eternity, but after a few seconds of pure panic...she hadn't been engulfed in a swarm. A tiny, optimistic voice in her head reminded her that sitting here WAITING for them to get her was not going to solve anything. It was just going to make things easier for them! Biting her lip and hiccuping slightly due to the constant sobbing, she leaned forward and on all fours, started to...slowly crawl forward. Something kept telling her she was alone, and her motions were futile. Eiji wasn't there. O'Hara wasn't there. Whoever else was talking wasn't really there. She'd been abandoned. She was alone, forever, just like she always was. No one cares about you. No, no, that voice just didn't feel right. She felt like that was a lie. She'd HEARD Eiji, she'd HEARD O'Hara, she knew they had to really be there. Crawling along slowly, still panicking about the impending doom coming for her...she approached the edge of the water. She could hear splashing around, but couldn't see anything. She could barely see the water in front of her. The screaming had gotten louder, though. Someone else was in the water with Eiji. Ignoring the nagging voice that told her that this was all still a trick of the imagination, she bite her lip and swung her legs over the edge, dropping in to the cold lake a second later. "Eiji?! EIJI!" she called out. If she knew it was Nina flailing around as well, she would have called out for her too. Thankfully, Nettie was able to swim decently well, despite the fact that she couldn't touch the bottom with her small size. Don't even bother, they abandoned you, remember? You're all alone... She shook her head, determined to not listen to the voice that was nagging and NAGGING her to give up and just sink to the bottom. She held her arms out in front of her, spinning around in the water and hoping she made contact with anything... And hopefully she'd be safe in the water from the creepy crawlies, but the voice was telling her THAT was also a stupid, naive thought... |
Alice felt Eni's back pressed up against hers, even while her hand tightly clutched the Hufflepuff's hand. She heard the girl shout about needing to get out of there and that the professor needed her wand. But how could they when they were surrounded - and even more humiliating, her wand wasn't with her. Being a history of magic professor who was notoriously bad at magic, she rarely felt the need to carry her wand around with her while exercising. But before she could even begin to formulate a reply, the things with the wands started chanting. It was a countdown. Only one thing could possibly happen at the end of the countdown. She knew in her heart that of everyone at the docks (or in the water), she alone was their victim. She alone would be inflated with air and sent bobbing into the sky like a balloon. "ENI!!!" she shrieked, turning to the girl with a delirious look in her eyes. "I am losing my mind! You have to get the others and get out of here!" The countdown continued. Now it was joined by clapping and hollering. Everyone was here. Everyone was watching her. They were all laughing and pointing at her. They were all going to watch her disappear into the sky. And everyone was the wrong age. This couldn't be real. She was going crazy, probably because of that oar. But then - Eni summoned a wall of stones. Just like that, the crowd couldn't see her anymore. Alice let go of Eni's hand and placed both her shaky hands on her shoulders. She tried to clear her mind. "CAN YOU SUMMON YOUR BROOM?" It was the first clear thought she had had since being hit with the oar. |
”AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!” But no, Eiji. Despite how shrill her shrieking sounded, she wasn’t being eaten alive by something… YET. But ‘yet’ was the keyword. Because the more and more they circled her, the more hungry they LOOKED. And Nina’s concerns were wildly shifting from her running mascara to becoming someone’s LUNCH. Or about ten someones. The Slytherin had lost count in all the panic, but there were enough to be circling around her with a rather wide diameter. Though it wouldn’t be long before they drew closer. They were probably plotting on the best mode of attack. Would they eat her arms first? Or her legs? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. After the initial, horrifying fear, Nina finally stopped screaming. She needed to THINK. There had to be a way out. She— ”EIJI!!!!!” Okay, so. She was screaming again. But at least this time it was a name? She couldn’t SEE him, but she could hear the sputtering. He sounded like… He was drowning? And… He sounded CLOSE. He was being circled too!!!!!!! BREATHE. THINK. BREATHE. CASTILLO. Again her heart was beating incredibly fast, she felt like vomiting right then and there. But instead, she stepped around within the circle, her arms reached out in front of her. She needed to find Eiji. There’d be strength in numbers… Just as she was starting to give up, she felt someone’s (Eij’s) arm… Or at least she HOPED it was Eiji’s arm. ”Eiji!?!??” Ahem. In case. Never mind the fact that she knew they were still being CIRCLED, but Nina’s attention had momentarily shifted to something even WEIRDER. ”Are you crying?” Also, never mind the fact that she, too, had been crying. He couldn’t see her face, right? Because she still couldn’t see his. But she did HEAR the whimpering, that sense was not impaired. THEN THERE WAS SPLASHING (Nettie was getting closer, but Nina was about 8021% convinced that the splashing wasn’t due to a PERSON). They were coming. They were coming to eat her AND Eiji. And then it struck her. They were BOTH going to die here. ”AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” |
SPOILER!!: Eiji and Nettie Even with the wall up Eniola could still hear the screams, could still see the shadows of the figures from the water playing on repeat in her mind. She was going crazy. She wanted to curl over, hands over her ears. She couldn't take it. What do we do? What do we do? What do we do? SPOILER!!: O'Hara "Professor! Professor! What are you seeing? What's happening?" Eni felt so helpless seeing her Professor this way. Eniola was so shaken with everything she barely registered the professor grabbing her shoulders and yelling in her face. A broom? What? Why do we need a broom? In this fog? "Professor, trying to fly in this fog - I'd just as soon hit the wall of the castle as I would the middle of the Lake." Regardless, she summoned her broom and hoped the professor had a plan. Eni certainly didn't. "Accio broom!" |
While he was waiting for darkness to take him, his lungs literally did begin to burn and because he was doing so voluntarily (though his mind thought it was necessary) his self preservation instincts kicked in and he gasps for air suddenly...which took him entirely by surprise because there was no gasping or breathing under water. So how had he just now... ...hallucinating. That much be it. His mind was trying to give him peace before the water took him... ....and then his eyes opened slightly, nothing more than slits, when he heard his name being called. Numerous times. What? What was going o---- An arm (one of Trinetta's haphazardly spinning ones) smacked him right in the face, again, and he angrily grunted. At least it managed to half dodge his broken nose and his cheek and opened EYE took the bulk of the impact. And in the next instant someone (Nina) was grabbing on to his arm). "....h-huh?" he murmured, confused and feeling limp as he bobbed helplessly in the water where he stood. Eyes open, he was confused once again when all he could see was a thick silvery gray and not dark murky green. ...........was he already dead? That SCREAM told him otherwise. But how could someone scream like that under water? Maybe he WAS already dead. "N-Nina?" murmurs pathetically, because her voice was the one dominating his eardrums at the moment. |
gonna headcanon something here otherwise I could see us flailing for a while XD Nettie's burst of courageous energy was almost spent. She could feel algae at her ankles as she bobbed up and down in the water, but her brain was telling her that she was wrong. She was being attacked again, tons of little legs running up HER legs and engulfing her in a swarm that would eventually drag her under... WHACK! Nettie felt her hand connect with something - or someONE more accurately - and she let out a gasp of surprise and relief. She'd thought for sure the voices had been right and she had been abandoned - unless this was all just a rouse. A hallucination. No...she tapped his face roughly a few times, just to make sure he was real. Yes, he was real! There was no way he wasn't. She was close enough now that she could see him somewhat clearly in the mist - enough to know she'd tracked Eiji down finally. Except...there was something ELSE grabbing him. OH NOOOO, they'd found her, they found him, they were going to take him away from her... "Nina?!" she let out a confused cry when she recognized the voice calling out for Eiji. There was lots of splashing and flailing nearby, and through the mist she could JUST make out a mop of dark hair attached to the figure that was currently grabbing on to Eiji for dear life. In the back of Nettie's fogged brain, she knew she couldn't carry both of them through the water to safety. She wasn't strong enough Especially not when Nina was freaking out like that. She had to think of something else. If she didn't, the swarm was going to get her and find them, and then they'd truly be goners. WAIT! An idea popped in to her head during a fleeting moment of clarity, and it was worth a shot. She reached in to her pocket with her free hand and pulled her wand out of the water, raising it in to the air. She remembered that there was a life preserver on the wall, probably hanging there to fulfill some kind of school safety protocol, even though she'd never seen it in use. "ACCIO LIFE PRESERVER!" she exclaimed, hoping it was still hanging on the side of the wall where it had been ever since she started coming to this place for some alone time. She held her hand above her head for a few moments, a sinking feeling hitting her stomach as time ticked on...it hadn't worked, they were all going to drown and leave her here alone... And then it was there, flying through the air in to her outstretched hand. She caught it and immediately brought it down to the water in front of her with a splash. "EIJI! NINA! Grab on!" she barked at them. "And try to stay calm!" she added, mostly directing that one at Nina. The more she flailed around like that, the more she'd get water in her mouth and continue to panic. She was a bit concerned that Eiji was just floating there like a limp noodle. She wasn't sure which was worse - Nina screaming, or Eiji looking like he'd resigned himself to his fate. Using her arm that was still holding on to him, she tried to pull him on to the preserver - which didn't do much but would hopefully get him moving in the right direction (she wasn't Superwoman after all). As long as she could muster enough strength to keep his head above water, that was all that mattered. You were NOT dying on Trinetta Gladin's watch, Eiji Rasting! She HAD to push through the nagging thoughts in her mind that kept reminding her that they were coming, they were going to get her, they were going to eat her alive with their tiny little pincers...no, she had to keep going. She had to save them! Now...which way was the dock?! |
Moving swiftly like a coursing river over the grounds, hesitating not as his hooves struck mist covered ground, Thereos managed to follow the screams to the boathouse just as the haze thickened like sap and slowed his movements. Heavy hooves tromped upon the wooden dock as his strong arms batted futilely at the mist in attempt to clear the path. A great unrest settled into his chest and all too easily his carnal fight or flight urges were engaged. "WHERE ARE YOU, YOUNGLING?!" he voice bellowed as he moved forward cautiously. Until he came upon the forms of Professor O'Hara and a youngling. "Was it your screams I heard?" he questioned hastily, his dark penetrating eyes looking the professor up and down disapprovingly. Had she no dignity? |
It took Alice several moments (during which time the terrifying countdown continued) for her to realize what Eni had said. "You wouldn't crash into walls if you only flew up," she explained hastily, trying not to show any signs of panic in her voice. It bubbled over all the same. "We need to help the others! We can fly over this cursed mist. Get on-" Before she could finish her sentence, what seemed like a miracle happened. A competent grown up appeared. One of her colleagues. His earlier shout had been ignored by Alice, who assumed it was part of her madness. But now he was standing right in front of them m. It was impossible to deny he was real. Alice hastily straightened herself, trying to ignore both the countdown and her headache. She allowed herself to be comforted with the realization that the crowds of chanting people had to be fake, or else Thereos would have acknowledged them. "THEREOS!" she exclaimed, wincing in discomfort at her throbbing head. "Thank Merlin you're here! I think there are students in the water! I tried to help them, but someone attacked me. I am hallucinating, Thereos, and I think Miss Abara is, too." And his judgmental look was the least of her concerns. He could judge her after they helped the students. |
”Eiji!” Nina was flooded with absolute relief, though being with Eiji didn’t really help their current situation as they were still SURROUNDED. Dying together was better than dying alone right? Oh no no no no no no. She was NOT dying today. There was so much she had left to do!! "…..TRINETTA?” The Slytherin looked around at the sound of the other familiar voice (a futile attempt at finding the Ravenclaw, as she still couldn’t bloody see anything through the fog). ….You know? Out of every scenario Nina Castillo could have thought up, being saved by Trinetta Gladin had not been one of them. But the Slytherin DID grab on to the life preserver, which was admittedly a quite clever idea. Though that still didn’t help with the SITUATION. They were still surrounded. They were ALL going to die???? What was Trinetta’s brilliant idea? To SWIM to them? That was even worse than staying put in the middle of their circle. No. Nina was NOT going to give up like that. And so she did what any reasonable person would do. Because she had heard a voice. An adult voice. One that wasn’t crying. "WE’RE HERE, IN THE WATER, THERE ARE THREE OF US!!!!!" Or at least she hoped, there wasn't anyone else, right? "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!! !!!” And also, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” For good measure. |
Everything was in such a contradictory state right now and - perhaps to absolutely no one's surprise - Eiji was irritated by it all. There was no screaming or other loud noises when you were under water...so why was he hearing all of this NOISE right now? Of all the thoughts and sounds he imagined himself hallucinating on the brink of death...Trinetta screaming his name was not one of them. His eyes, resigned and vacant, looked up into the grey haze and could just barely make out the blurry faces of his friends as his body was guided through the water a little more by urgent hands and arms. Grab on? Grab on to what? At least he had the calm thing under control. Acting like a gangly rag doll in Trinetta's arms, it was Nina's next series of screams that did him in and he lifted his head with an exhausted groan. "Will you knock it OFF," he whimpered. "If I have to drown here I would like to do in peace without your screaming." He was unaware that Thereos had arrived and he was equally ignorant of the fact that he had just talked - something that shouldn't be possible. |
The judgmental look only tightened as the woman spoke and it was a pleasant blessing he had not heard the absurdity about flying in the mist or his face would have twisted all the more. Even the birds had fled the grounds and Thereos knew it was only a matter of time before the owls of Hogwarts wised up and fled as well. It truly was no wonder that some of his kind still questioned how natural selection had not weeded out the stick wielding magicians. Hooves in constant motion, legs unable to remain stationary under these circumstances, Thereos continued to wave his hands to push the air unnecessarily aside. "I will deliver those in the water," he declared boldly. "Your...wand knows the spell of Polaris. Make haste in its use and follow back to the castle." He could easily hear the thrashing of the younglings in the water and his hooves were swift to approach the edge of the dock and grabbed a bit of rope used to tie the boats to the dock. The youngling's screen proving to be just what the centaur needed to know where to throw it. "Take hold of the rope," he instructed as he released the rope and heard it splash gently in the water. "I will pull you to safety and carry you back to the castle on my back." And as he waited on baited breath, Thereos heard another set of footsteps approaching and all the hairs on his arms and back of the neck stood. |
Under normal circumstances (when her head didn't feel like it would crumple to pieces and she wasn't hearing voices), the increasingly judgmental look would have greatly annoyed her. But these were not normal circumstances - and the only emotions she could feel were relief and gratitude. She wasn't going to be turned into a balloon, after all. That relief and gratitude temporarily turned to anxiety as soon as he told her to use her wand. How could she explain that she didn't have it with her? That would have made her seem like a fool - never mind that she that she rarely used magic and that she was jogging and a wand would have been inconvenient. "Understood," she said instead, and then anxiously turned to Eni to whisper - hopefully out of earshot from the centaur. "You've been very brave during this whole encounter. Ten points to Hufflepuff. I'm proud of you. Now...could you please cast Polaris? I seem to have misplaced my wand." |
If Nettie had been at all in the right mindset, she probably would have raised an eyebrow and asked where her points were - she was LITERALLY saving lives here It was a good thing the centaur came when he did. The panic and fear was starting to set in again - despite the fact that Eiji and Nina were both safely on the life preserver. The thoughts were creeping in to her brain again, and she was starting to feel like THINGS were crawling on her. That couldn't be possible, she was in the water! They couldn't swim! Or...COULD they?? She could hear Thereos' BOOMING voice calling out to them, and then a rope had materialized in front of her. Finally! A chance at salvation! A wave of relief washed over her as she also realized she wouldn't have to drag Eiji AND Nina to the dock, which would surely tire her out. Nettie felt her heart swell with hope and she tugged on Eiji a little harder. "Here! Grab the rope!" she yelled at both of them, grabbing on to the end herself and moving her hands so there was plenty of space for the Slytherins to grab on as well. Hurry, before they get us and I'm all alone again... |
…. Leave it to Eiji Rasting to be a jerk even as they were all on the brink of death. Nina gave him a VERY pointed look (one which was probably wasted as the dUMB mist was still blocking everything out). But his commentary had done the job in getting her to shut up. Because while she was still absolutely terrIFIED. She was also highly offended! It wasn’t like he was doing much better! He was just dangling there like a limp noodle, as if BECKONING them to attack. At least the screaming had kept them away… For now. The next succession of events would have been incredibly irritating if Nina had actually heard them. Because, for the record, she would have been vERY upset to know that the Hufflepuff girl had received fifty points for doing absolutely nothing. Letting them all DIE in the water. That and there was no spell called ‘Polaris’??? So perhaps it was a good thing that Nina had not been paying attention to the commotion above water. Her preoccupation with those who were circling her came first and foremost. But she would absolutely be irritated upon reaching safety (which they hopefully would, as she did NOT want to die here). She did, however, listen VERY carefully to the only sensible adult present. Don’t get it wrong, Nina was still VERY unsure about having a centaur as a Professor (as she was still incredibly terrified of him), but he was trying to help and that was more than she could say about O’Hara. And so, even if it would be just this once, Nina trusted him. It was a good thing that Trinetta found the rope because Nina was still very much struggling to see anything. She only knew where to find it because of the Ravenclaws instructions. The Slytherin took hold, looking around FRANTICALLY. Had she promised to stop screaming? No? GOOD. Because they were swimming towards her now and Nina Castillo was going to be eaten alive. ”AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Yes, she was holding onto the rope. But she was also kicking her legs and moving around a whole LOT. They were all going to die here. THEY HAD TO GET OUT OF THE WATER ASAP!!!! |
A limp noodle was the perfect way to describe one Eiji Rasting right now. He even had the gangly form to fit the bill. As reserved as he was to the fact that he was drowning, the more noise there was the more irritated he became and the more irritated he became the more his brain began working. If this was the afterlife already...then surely he was in hell. A professor awarding points to someone who hadn't even acknowledged him in the water, DYING. Nor Trinetta or Nina. Then again, he supposed it was rather on brand. Awarding a student who only took an interest in the professor's well being and maybe he WASN'T in hell. But being ignored WAS absolute TORTURE to the Slytherin. It was why he had lashed out at Missa. ...............Missa. ...he was never going to see her again. Never affectionately trace her earlobes and caress his thumb over "....take care of Rebecca..." he muttered into the air. Those tears were back. Just a bit. And he was moving in the water again, drifting, and with Trinetta's arms tightly around him while Nina insisted on being insufferable and screaming again. Arms out to either side, Eiji willed his brain to shut up - it wasn't supposed to invoke PAIN and SUFFERING like this while on the verge of death, was it? - and allowed his arms to just float out to either side. Was any of this over yet? What ever happened to resting in peace? |
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Wand? My wand! Where's my wand? She thought to herself in a panic. It was in her hand. She wanted to smack herself, she felt so stupid. She didn't even register the points she just wanted to get back into her dorm room and under the blankets and never surface again. "Okay Professor, polaris!" She called out and waited for the directions to pop up. Grabbing Professor O'Hara's hand she began to make her way back to the castle, grateful for Thereos taking care of the others. She wasn't sure how he saw anything in this fog, she certainly wasn't having the easiest time with it. |
The spell cast by the young Hufflepuff woman did nothing and her wand as there was no incantation in the wizarding world by that name. A case of mistaken identity and confusion, surely, as the mist continued to drift and ghost, glide and dangle; enrobing everything it could within the boathouse including all those still trapped within. |
The approaching footsteps continued, but Thereos focus remained steadily on the task at hand. Unfortunately for the woman, despite that very centaur's senses being on edge and heightened from what he had been performing prior to his kin's call, he could not hear what she had just said to the youngling. Though it did not take much for him to piece together what had been said as the youngling made an attempt at casting a spell. Why was the youngling making an attempt at casting and not the professor herself? Questions the centaur would demand answers for at a later time. His priorities lay elsewhere presently. "Polaris is the name of our Heavenly Northern Guide," he hissed towards the dim witted two legged one. How was it that humans struggled so with his instruction? Perhaps the headmaster had done all a great disservice at the start of term feast in instructing his subjects to merely smile and nod whenever the centaur spoke? Soon he felt the rope he had cast into the water grow taut as the younglings in the water took hold and he pressed his strong centaur hooves against the dock as he pulled them in. Three younglings if the shadows he made out in the haze were correct, though the looks of one were grave and it both brought upon immense sorrow and deep rage to witness. "Reach out and grasp your salvation," he instructed while his body lowered to kneel and his arm muscles rippled. "Has the sun set upon one of you? Give them to me so that I may pull them forth from your watery tortures...the remaining two of you climb out then climb on to my back." He would carry the wilted youngling in his arms to be received by his kinsmen back at the castle and laid to rest accordingly. "I trust one of you has a wand and knows which words to speak to invoke the spell of Polaris?" The footsteps grew louder and then ceased, drawing Thereos' attention away from the three younglings in the water to glance over his shoulder. His expression paled, fight or flight charged forth into overdrive, and he froze. "....no....no...it cannot be...it cannot..." |
"Professor Thereos! I have no intentions to be rude but can you stop with the vagueness! I want to get out of here and I'm not sure why you're telling me about a star that I can't even see through this fog!" Eniola was so incredibly frustrated. She couldn't believe she just yelled at a teacher! When her head was on right she'd have plenty of time to regret it and apologize, but right now? Right now she needed to get inside. Far, far away from this mist. She didn't have time to solve the mystery of Thereos right now. What do we do? What do we do? What do we do? She couldn't think straight. She needed to focus. Focus. Focus. Focus! She felt like her head weighed twenty pounds and she could hear hissing. It felt like there was a snake right at her ear. It was freaky. She could practically feel it's tongue rattling beside her ear. Why? Why? Why? WHY!? |
Trinetta was HEARING the words Thereos was saying, but not really registering them much as she felt herself being pulled out of the water. As soon as she was safely out of the water, she felt all her anxiety release. She immediately began to bawl, her arms feeling like jelly from the exhaustion of waving oars, pulling deadweight Eiji to the rope, and then holding on to said rope as she was being rescued. To make matters worse, she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, and heard the scuttling of the teeny tiny legs on the dock once again. Oh no, they were back! THEY WERE BACK! Tears continued to roll down her eyes, and like a zombie, she climbed on to the centaurs back as he instructed. At least this way they'd have to go through a whole man-horse before they got to her. He said something odd, though, that turned her attention back to him. Had the sun set on one of them? What on Earth did that mean? It sounded like he was saying one of them had died. Nina certainly wasn't dead - the screaming made that much obvious. Did he mean...Eiji? Oh no, noooooo no no no no nooooooo. He left. He LEFT! He left her all alone... No, that couldn't be right. It just didn't...feel right. There were many reasons that Nettie was certain, 100%, that Eiji Rasting was not REALLY dead. He'd been basically useless, floating there like a log, but no, she just couldn't bring herself to believe it. Also, he was way too stubborn to just...drown like that. Clutching the centaur, she shook her head. "He's not dead, Professor..." she said softly. She'd heard him mutter something about Rebecca just a moment ago... Polaris...Polaris...she had no idea WHAT the centaur was talking about and she was so tired and scared and alone... Why was he talking about the North Star at a time like this? She heard Eni yelling about stars and not being able to see, and she was inclined to agree with the girl. It made no sense, what he was asking...the spell of Polaris? Ugh, she felt like she was going to be sick, and her head might burst open from all the emotions she was feeling. They had to go soon though, they were basically open targets out here in the open!! Wait...WAIT...somewhere in Nettie's brain, that same energy that had helped her think of the life preserver was kicking in to gear again. She had no idea why she made the connection - stars were certainly not her area of expertise - but it just clicked like a lightbulb. UGH. Why hadn't he just ASKED for that specific spell? Centaurs. She pulled her wand out of her pocket, hand shaking as she held it in front of her in her open palm, trying to remain balanced and not drop it in to the inevitable swarm forming around them. "POINT ME!" she exclaimed. |
Nina continued to scream the whole time as they were pulled out of the water. Because they were being chased and those things could swim a lot faster than Theros could pull. Somehow, in a way that didn't entirely make sense, they had managed to reached the ledge before they were eaten. But Nina was far too disturbed by it all to reason through the logic. Instead, she used all of her might to pull herself back onto the dock. Her whole body was dripping, weighing her down as she lifted herself out of the water. She was safe. But they were still there. Her entire body was shaking. She wasn't bawling anymore, not like Trinetta anyway, but she was quivering. Half because she was freezing cold (the temperature outside and the fact that she was still drenched did not make this at all an enjoyable experience) and half because she was still terrified out of her mind. She wanted to go home now more than ever. This would never happen at Beauxbatons. They were as good as dead. She couldn't believe that they had made it out of the water unscathed. It didn't make sense. But then again, nothing made sense. She was far too cold and far too scared to think straight. The only good thing about this state of mind, was that it had inhibited her ability to speak. Or scream, for that matter. Because now that they were on land, Nina had officially shut down. She helpless climbed onto the centaur's back without a single word. It seemed that Trinetta was quite fine with doing the talking anyway. And she was right, Eiji wasn't dead. He was just a limp noodle full of eternal sass. But Nina stayed quiet, clutching onto their Professor for dear life. She wanted to go home. |
At first the centaur wondered if he had somehow lost track of his own limbs and was gazing upon his reflection in the waters. A human form, horrifying to behold, stared back at him with the most twisted and unpleasant varieties of smirks imaginable. As the figure opened it's mouth to speak, another voice cut through the fray in Thereos' heart.... ........the audacity. Thereos, already unimpressed by Miss Abara's performance, became even more so at her attempt to scold him despite he being as clear as the summer sun on a cloudless day. "Do not shift the blame to me, youngling, for your lack of fundamental knowledge," he snapped coldly. Perhaps a lesson to be learned here that revision was necessary for those wizarding exams students were constantly stressing about unnecessarily. He was even less certain what to make of this woman. A conversation to be had with the headmaster once he escorted these younglings back to the castle. "Now is not the time for such human pettiness." Seeing as everyone wished to leave this haze and the feeling of dread from being enveloped in its vapors. But he would deal with this disrespect at another time. His priorities remained elsewhere still. His strong trunk-like arms reached down and grasped the robes of the fallen, pulling the soggy young man forth from the water and cradled him in his arms like a stack of hay while the other two climbed on to his back. "I see he breathes still," the centaur nodded as he rest one of his palms over the boy's chest and felt the steady rise and fall of each breath along with a heartbeat. The figure, seemingly content with hovering nearby as it spat its hateful and condescending agenda, began to wear heavily on the centaur's spirit and threatened to throw him into despair. It was only the trembling grip of those two younglings on his back and the weight in his arms that pulled him from that pit. "Well done, Miss Gladin," his voice rasped, a throat as dry as a desert, as he pushed his hooves against the dock and rose. "Tell me which way your wand dictates. And you two, Miss Abara and Professor O'Hara, my clutch my tail to follow." Less they become lost even further. Slowly, least his knees buckle as they trembled, Thereos pressed forward slowly so as not to lose any of the five humans depending on him. "Your words h-have no impact on me," he proclaimed to the figure who then antagonized the centaur further by pulling up its trouser leg to make sure that the centaur could see just how mutilated his once perfect figure had become. "N-N-None!" |
So Polaris wasn't a spell. She had just told Eni to cast it anyway. CURSES! Why did Thereos have to be so symbolic? Well, now the history of magic professor was relieved that she hadn't brought her wand with her. Otherwise, she'd have been the one trying to cast a non-existent spell! But at least the students were safe and they about to head back now. A sharp stabbing pain in her head made her very briefly consider asking who had dared hit her in the head. Right now her head hurt so much that she wanted very much to subtract 1,000 points from whichever cursed house was unlucky enough to spawn that student. Thankfully, she said nothing. The fog had altered all of their behaviors, and she knew that the attack on her poor head was an accident. Come to think of it, her rewarding fifty points to Eni might also have been a result of distorted thinking. "Your tail?!" Unfortunately, the professor was unable to hide her disgust at the notion of holding unto her colleagues tail. "Fine. Just get us out of here." And she grabbed the tail, reluctantly but tightly. What was he saying about words having no impact on him? The fog must finally be getting to him. That wasn't good. "Just breathe slowly," she advised. "Those voices aren't real." It seemed both of them were hearing voices, though no doubt the voices spoke different things. |
His body with the physical integrity of a wet noddle, Eiji truly was worthless and bringing nothing to the table. Save for quiet which was something that could not be said about others. His eyes were still closed and surrendered to his fate...............when suddenly he felt himself being lifted out of the water and a very unpleasant chill cause his body to shiver rather violently. ..........was he ascending? Peeking his eyes open, lake water dripping from his robes and hair, the fourth year had not expected to see the centaur professor's face and the fourth year couldn't help but groan. This was, by far, the worst near death experience of his life. At least now, out of the water, the chill in the air was sobering him up a fair bit...along with making his skin goosebump terribly, teeth chatter, and limbs dangle pitifully over the centaur's arms. |
Who was Thereos talking to? Was it...was it possible?? Had the swarm caught up to them? How had they been able to swim that fast? Clinging to the back of the centaur like a vice, she heard him call out to her to let her know what direction the wand was pointing. "Forward, go forward!" she exclaimed as soon as the wand started moving. Lucky they were already facing the direction they had to go to get out of here. She had no idea who it was talking to, but she kept reminding herself that it couldn't be them. They didn't talk. They had no voices, and he could easily stomp them with his hooves and would have no reason to be scared. Everyone is here. No one has left you. No one left you alone. Eiji is still here, he said he was breathing...Nina is here...O'Hara is here... She shut her eyes, squeezing the last of her tears out of her eyes and down her cheeks, hoping this nightmare would be over soon. |
SPOILER!!: Thereos Eniola had half a mind to cast the spell as Gladin had and make her own way back but she wasn't even sure if she could keep her mind straight for that long. Already the creatures in the water were starting to make their way back up to the dock. Crawling, growling. Snakes hissing in her ear. She didn't want to do this anymore, she couldn't do this anymore. Trying not to have any more of an attitude than she had with Thereos - no matter how much angrier his reply made her - she grabbed his tail as O'Hara had with the little dignity she had left fading away. She couldn't wait to be done. SPOILER!!: O'Hara Eni would have to talk to the Headmaster about everything. She knew Thereos wasn't happy with her, but she wasn't happy with either Professor. This entire situation was a mess and not a fun one at that. Not fun at all. |
Nina held on for dear life. Her whole body shook just as she began hearing noises again. Knowing that they were almost out helped a little bit, but she was still terrified out of her mind. Silently, she began crying. In attempt to block out the images before her, she closed her eyes. She didn't care to listen to the argument between Thereos and the Hufflepuff girl who was prepared to let them all die in the water. She didn't care about Profesor O'Hara's confusion. She cared about making it out alive and untouched. Those were her only concerns. Her body was probably full of bruises and her heart rate had not slowed since the moment this whole mess began. She was cold. She was scared. And she wanted her father!!! As she silently wept, she held even tighter around the centaur's body. As if silently begging, take us back to the castle, please. She wouldn't be sleeping in her own bed tonight, perhaps she would speak with Calloway. |
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