Having been given the secret on how to the enter the Hufflepuff Common Room, Xerxes entered the warmly lit room. He took note of the curved arches, comfy-looking plush arm chairs, and a notice board against one wall. He also saw a large portrait of a wise old witch, Helga Hufflepuff perhaps.

We walked over to one of the plush armchairs and took a seat in front of the fire. While he was excited to go up and see his dormitory, he decided to stay here in the Common Room for a bit and socialize.

Much time has passed since the plants had been brought to the Indoor Garden. In that time, the vines had grown considerably sturdier and longer.

Almost lazily, a few of those vines were now unfurling and extending in various directions across the Common Room. This might seem puzzling and even entertaining to a few Hufflepuffs. The vines seemed harmless as they brushed innocently against students’ ankles.

But then...

GRAB!

A few ankles were taken a hold of.

CHOMP!

One vine wrapped itself around a wooden chair to crush it into pieces, fitting enough to be used as firewood.

What could have caused such frightening behaviour?

Sitting in the badger common room with her dark Rose head buried over a large number of started but yet unfinished homework assignments Ariadnes attention wasn't exactly on her immediate surroundings. When something grabbed a hold of her ankles she yelped and screamed out in sudden pain and a realization of what was going on around her. "Ouieeeee! That hurts. Let go!"

Kicking at the vine that now was wrapped around her ankles Ariadne watched as another vine crushed a chair into pieces. "Help! Someome please these vines are scary!" One badger girl against angry attacking vines was probably not going to end very wellpapp. Swallowing down a sudden lump in her throat Ariadne reached for her wand. Haden't Professor Cole said that vines didn't like fire?

The rogue vines continued their rampage, even if this rampage isn’t as chaotic as it could be just yet. They reached for everything and anything in sight. OOOOOHHH! Were those Cauldron Cakes? Don’t mind if a few vines indulged themselves. After all they did not have to worry about adding weight to the wrong places. Nibbling ensued on the sweet treats.

Speaking of nibbling. The one wrapped around (Ariadne’s) took a little bite at her feet each. It paid no heed to her pleas to be released. It simply curled its strong tendrils tighter. The nibbling continued.

How ever will you escape this situation?

Seated at one of the desks, Apollo was focused on finishing some homework, his quill steadily writing out the words for the assigned essay. He was nearly done, he thought, just a couple more sentences to conclude it, and so his attention was entirely taken up by that - until he felt something grip his ankles.

And then a girl screamed.

And a chair was smashed. Merlin's socks, what- why were these vines so...?!

Instinctively, Apollo flicked his wrist and his wand was in his head. Thank Merlin the vines hadn't restricted his hands.

"Incendio!" He aimed for the vines grabbing the girl (Ariadne), aiming for a section just below her feet, so that hopefully the spell wouldn't envelop her feet if it succeeded.

Maybe now after that check-up Paul could get to relaxing and read up on the latest book regarding transformations and safety measures. Well... maybe not. Paul debated on the way to the common room on relaxing in his bed or one of the study desks, and the study desks won... his attention.

"What the.." Paul cursed after the sight of Ariadne being tangled by the vines and Apollo trying his best to save her. Was this an Herbology experiment gone wrong? He dropped his bag before running over. "Hang on, you two." No, he didn't think he was going to be some hero, but he wasn't heartless enough to just leave his classmates alone with this dangerous plant.

"Impedimenta!" Paul drew a straight line over the vines. At least attempting to slow it down could give Apollo more time to cut the vines.

One of her darling Hufflepuffs had run all the way to the Astronomy Tower to summon her. The poor first year was quite winded but reassured Marion that he would be fine and to go without him. How the Head of House wished she could do more but with nothing to offer but comforting words, she sped along to find studmuffin Professor Feirgrund. After relating about the first year in the Tower and indicating her wish that he check on him, Marion floated with urgent purpose to the Burrow.

She shot through a wall, shouts of panic wafting through her ears. The sight was a horrible one. It took her back to that terrible time in her life. “Oh no. Not this again,’’ she whimpered in emotional turmoil. The reality of what she was seeing and recalling her memories were merging. It was like Marion was reliving this nightmare.

But this wasn't about her. Goodness! She must pull herself together! How could she help her Hufflepuffs? She didn’t possess a wand. She had no magical capabilities. Her ghostly form could do nothing substantial. The reality of this added to her already turbulent emotions.

“My deaaaars!” Marion fought the urge to lose her head completely. “Aim your wands carefully! We don’t want a stray spell hitting a Housemate.” Any damages to the Common Room could easily be fixed though Marion already knew it couldn’t be by her, unfortunately. “Shoo, you plant bully! Shoo!’’ She made hand gestures to match her words though she knew it was all futile.

"Any student unable to assist should depart the Common Room immediately." There was no shame in it. This was more of a strategy to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Fire! The plant’s greatest enemy. The vines recoiled immediately from (Ariadne’s) ankles upon feeling the heat from somebody’s wand. They lashed out toward the boy (Apollo) that had hit it with that spell. How inconsiderate of him! All the vines wanted to do was to nibble. Did they not deserve to eat too?

Mid-lash, its movements slowed. Everyone should appreciate (Paul’s) handiwork because the vine had been inches away from slapping the wand from (Apollo). Or doing worse. Were you fixated on just these few vines? Look out! A couple more were coming your way! They moved quickly and menacingly, reaching to grab you by the ankles so that you could be hoisted by your ankles.

Did the ghost really think she was helping? What possibly could chasing it without any magic do? If the vine could laugh it would do so raucously.

Ariadne luckily didn't end her thought of nobody coming to her rescue when Apollo thank the merlins showed up and casted a fire spell at the vines grabbing at her legs. Unfortunatley the vines didn't release their grip on her ankles before they had taken two good tastes of her feet that struck through skin and stroke blood. Feeling the sudden searing pain Ariadne blinked through tears and casted with a cry "Incendio!" At the vines closest to her feet and then she yelled to her housemate "Apollo look out!" These vines weren't giving up that easily.

Next minute Paul arrived shooting a slowing spell and their head of house wasn't far behind either. Ariadne managed to think that Professor Burbage will know how to handle this before she felt how the vines encircled her ankles again. Casting another "Incendio!" she yelled "We need help from Professors Khanna or Cole or both. These vines are not acting normally." Could Professor Burbage fetch them instead of yelling at the vines?

Apollo was pleased that his fire spell had hit its target and freed Ariadne, though it did leave him open to attack in that moment. It was fortunate that Paul had shown up when he did, slowing down the vines. Apollo gave his housemate a brief nod in thanks before casting "Incendio!" at the affected vines.

Professor Burbage appeared to give directions and- oh, right, ghosts couldn't use wands. That was unfortunate, but maybe there were other ways she could help, such as what Ariadne said, or-

More vines had lashed themselves tightly around his ankles before he could react.

Ow. Amazingly strong and fast, these vines. Merlin.

He attempted another cast of "Incendio," this time at the ones around his feet.

The badger burrow and the quidditch pitch were two places that gave Emma great comfort. Well and she reckoned curling up against Justus was quickly becoming top tier as well. What the sweaty sixth year did not expect to find however, was her common room in disarray when she returned from a training session.

She really wished she had the green thumb of her peers, although from hearing Ariadne when she walked in, she doubted it would have helped. She might not have excelled in Herbology, but she did alright in Defense which was where her knowledge base would be utilized for these vines. Gazing toward the window, she caught glimpse of the rainbow of colors in the sky and that's when an idea crossed her mind. Not wanting to risk stepping further into the room and get caught by the vines, she summoned for a prism, and carefully aimed it to shine the light from the window in defense against the vines, not sure if it was like devil's snare or not that would wither from the light.

Xerxes strolled into the Hufflepuff Common Room, laughing and chatting animatedly with his classmates after a particularly difficult Arithmancy Class. The sight that met his eyes was chaotic and horrifying.

The weird plants from the Indoor Garden had finally overgrown enough to break out of that room and were now reeking havoc in the Common Room.

Xerxes had warned Nyle repeatedly about this very thing. He was skeptical (to the say the least) when Nyle had assured him that there was nothing to fear from these plants. In fact, when Xerxes had first come running to get him in alarm a few weeks ago, Nyle had dismissed his panic and had actually gone so far as to make him feel childish for running to get him so urgently. But now the manic plant had finally proven him right. Not that he felt any satisfaction at being correct, but nonetheless Xerxes couldn't help but feel validated and little exasperated.

However, now was NOT the time for these thoughts. More important work was at hand. He quickly whipped out his wand and began to help his classmates deal with the attacking vines.

"Diffindo!" he yelled, pointed the wand tip and a vine advancing on his new friend Apollo. Xerxes then aimed at another tendril that was sneaking its way toward an older student he had met on his first night at Hogwarts. "Incendio!" he cried, sending a fireball hurtling at the plant.

Xerxes stepped back quickly, avoiding one of the plants snaking vines that he shot at him. 'This wasn't working' he thought. 'We aren't really dealing with the true cause of all this. Just the symptoms.'

"EVERYONE!" Xerxes shouted at the room at large. "These plant things are growing out of the Indoor Garden. If we have any chance of stopping them, we need to head over in that direction. Let's go!" he yelled, leading the charge.

My, oh my! Weren’t her students wonderful and courageous? Despite their heroics, Marion was still grappling with reliving this trauma. Time did not usually heal all wounds, this was something she could strongly attest to. In her current emotional state, she doubted that she would even feel hurt if Ariadne voiced her thoughts about Marion being more helpful in the way of summoning Professors Khanna and Cole.

“FIRE!” Marion shouted suddenly. “That’s the solution, my dears!” The Head of House glided upward to better get the attention of everyone. “It seems terrified of fire.” She was not sure how many of them had reasoned this based on observation throughout this chaos. “Incendio! Prisms! Whatever works! Just be mindful of your Housemates!” Apollo, Emma and Xerxes were all doing well, depicting their clear thinking in the face of danger. Marion curled her fingers into her palms worriedly. No Hufflepuff must die today.

The vines were losing their momentum. In their bid to destroy and to snag the humans, they now had to deal with a barrage of spells. The most terrifying being the Fire Making Spell. Those from (Ariadne, Apollo and Xerxes) hit their marks to an extent. (Ariadne’s) first spell to the vines close to her feet caught a great portion. They burnt to black and shrivelled then sat there on the floor dead as ever. The vines around (Apollo’s) feet crumbled to ash, so strong was the spell.

While (Xerxes’s) Diffindo spell found its mark as well, the vine that was severed from the rest of the plant simply fell away and a new piece began regenerating. It seemed like cutting and severing was not the best choice. His next spell, unfortunately for him, was not strong enough. The vine was merely singed and smoked. In retaliation, both the regenerating and singed vine decided to target the first year. They both grabbed him around the middle to hoist him into the air as he tried to escape.

The sudden appearance of light shining on some of the vines, while distracting, did not physically harm them. That was because the vines did not linger long enough in the light’s path to erupt in flames. Instead those same vines shot in the light’s direction where it sensed the prism. The object was smacked out of the Hufflepuff’s hands. Only then did it lunge for the girl’s ankles and with a firm wrap around them, dangled her upside down.

It was crystal that their Head of House was no help. What a nuisance she was indeed. A vine swatted at her though that was quite useless as it went right through her. All it felt was a wave of coldness as it did so.

The House in general needed to rethink their strategy if they wanted to end this battle.

Xerxes drifted helplessly in the air as the vines suspended him above the squishy armchairs in the Common Room. He desperately tapped his wand against the vines. A few sparks flew from the tip. But he didn't dare attempt to use fire on them. He might burn himself in the process.

Xerxes was looking around the room, frantically trying to think of something else to do when his wand was knocked out his hand. It fell toward the floor with a dull clatter of wood on wood, hitting the wooden table before rolling off.

He was starting to get dizzy from being shaken and swayed back and forth by the plant.

"You guys need to go into the Indoor Garden and attack the plant at its roots. Otherwise it will keep regenerating. Quick, someone go into the Indoor Garden before its too late." he screamed, his voice distorted in pitch because of his unsteady motion.

If one saw a threat approaching them at full speed, one would try their best to be out of its path. Alas, Marion had been too focused on offering suggestions and on the general safety of her beloved Hufflepuffs that the vine went right through her. Even though no harm came to her, she still did not care for being swatted at.

Despite the headway made in burning away some of the vines, Marion dearly wanted to clutch at her face as she was forced to helplessly watch as the vines continued to menacingly advance on the students. “Mr. Cadwallader is right! We need to attack at the source. Quickly, a few students to the Garden, while the rest of you help free students that are caught or being attacked.”

It was a relief to see that the Fire-Making Spell continued to hit its target and destroyed it, but it was only a small amount of relief since none of it fully stopped the vines. What would it take to actually defeat this foe?

Attacking the source of it in the Indoor Garden, yes, that was logical. Xerxes had the right idea.

Apollo aimed another "Incendio," toward the base of the vines swinging Xerxes in the air, and a second fire spell in the direction of the vines grabbing at Emma. Hopefully those spells hit their marks too, but he didn't let himself linger to watch while he tried his best to dodge out of the way of other vines. Perhaps some instincts from Dueling Club were finally clicking for him, because soon he was following Professor Burbage into the garden area.

Paul uttered a thanks to Xerxes who narrowing saved his ankles from being apart of the vines. To think he just wanted to relax in his common room, but now the adrenaline kicked in. "Diffindo!" He then uttered to slice some of the vines after Apollo sent some more fire. Yep, too many of them. One good thing with the first year, Paul would silently admit that he had spunk. But this was Paul, he wasn't dishing out compliments especially in the middle of 'battle'.

It was a shame Professor Burbage could only cheer them on. "I'll head on over then." Paul said, rushing over to the Indoor Garden. "Maybe someone could get another Professor?" No offense, Professor Burbage, but Paul would like to have another adult help too. Without another word, Paul rushed towards the Indoor Garden.

Xerxes fell from midair as the vine holding him aloft shriveled and blackened to dust. Luckily for him, he happened to be directly above an overstuffed, plush armchair which broke his fall. He rolled off the chair onto the floor and immediately began scouring the ground, looking for his wand. After one frantic minute (that felt like 10), he spotted the long narrow strip of wood under a wooden coffee table of sorts. He stretched out his arm and grabbed the wand.

Straightening up, Xerxes sent one more Fire-Making Charm at the attacking vines; all while running toward the Indoor Garden to help his classmates locate the source of the troubling vines.

Okay soooo the prism hadn't been the wisest of ideas, even though her head of house of seemed to be cheering any and all reactions on. But the plants ignored the cheering of the transparent ghost who other than motivation was being utterly useless. Xerxes was being more useful as a first year.

And Emma suddenly found herself dangled upside down, flustered, she was doing her best to keep her skirt tugged against her thighs to not expose her knickers. What bad luck. Which really should have been the least of her worries. Fortunately it didn't seem long before Apollo and Paul sent a couple spells at the vines that were holding her by the feet.

Straightening up, and allowing the blood to circulate back down a moment, wand out this time. "Maybeee yes... another professor... I think Professor Khanna or Professor Cole... I'll head out that way to see who i can find?" Since it was herbology related, but maybe some defense might might be helpful.

Ariadne gave a small sigh of relief when the vines at her feet crumpled to ashes but her feet were still dripping blood. She should probably feel bad for thinking that their head of house wasn't helping and saying so aloud, too but they needed professorly help. A ghost couldn't wield a wand, but the vines couldn't hurt her. Shaking her head Ariadne looked on as Emma arrived and added a prism to the mix of spells from her, Paul and Apollo.

Then Xeres came in shouting that they needed to head to the indoor garden to attack the source of the vine problem. Paul and Apollo along with Professor Burbage followed him out and Emma headed to find either Professor Cole or Khanna or both. Ariadne was left wondering what to do. Observing the scene around her she supposed it was up to her to hold the fort so to speak before reinforcements arrived or she got news that the vines problem was sorted in the garden. "Incendio!" she casted at the last vines still grabbing for ankles.

The last thing Marcus expected to have happen as he walked along the ground floor corridor from the greenhouses in search of some fresh tea from the kitchens was a student approaching him in haste speaking a monsterous plant with vines attacking the Hufflepuff Common Room and its inhabitants. But there he was hearing the tale anyway, and the concern in the young woman was enough to confirm it wasn’t any sort of prank. Almost unconsciously the herbology professor vanished his mug back to his office and hurried on in the direction he had been heading albeit past the warm, inviting domain of the house elves and into whatever truly awaited them. With access granted him as professor and the sixth year girl moving with him the barrels opened up to a scene that brought him up short once inside.

What in Merlin’s beard?

Wand in hand and ready to defend albeit not too high to appear as a threat, Professor Cole surveyed the scene moving carefully and taking in carnage already present, the severed limbs and scorch marks alluding to what the students had already tried against the moving limbs. Fire and cutting. And apparently regenerating limbs as none of the vines he was seeing remained cut so the fire seemed like the best bet. “Where did this come from?” he asked the students. His mind was already trying to dig through the knowledge that made up his field to try and pick out what they were dealing with and how to handle the situation. Wasn’t a mass of tentacles trying to squeeze you to death like Devil’s Snare…or spiked with students the worse for wear like it was Venoumous Tentacula.

Ariadne was trying to remember if there was a spell to create plasters or better bandages wasn't it called something on F like fishula? No Ferula right? Unsure her gazed whipped up as Professor Cole arrived with Emma. Gesturing around to the vines Ariadne shook her shoulders in answer to the professor question. "I don't know exactly where these attacking vines came from or what species of plant they are but I think they spread out here from the Indoor Garden if what Xeres said was true. He went there a few minutes ago with Paul, Apollo and Professor Burbage to investigate more." After a quick glance down at her feet she asked "Professor Cole, one of the vines chomped on my legs, and drew blood can I get poisoned?"

Ean was about to head out to the Grounds for a stroll when a passing student spoke of the commotion going on in the common room. After seeing Marcus rush in with another student (it was hard to judge from the distance in the hall when he spotted them). He then entered the common room a moment later, just in time to see... well, the room spoke for itself, given its state, when Miss Rose described what had transpired.

"Have a seat, Miss Rose. I'll tend to your injury here." Monsieur Feirgrund brandished a pillow as well for her to lay her leg on. "Is there anyone else injured?" If not physically, he was sure several would need some calming draughts, luckily, he carried a few after some other incidents in the past.


Paul walked in, his uniform dishelved and hair matted from the heat in the Indoor Garden. "Oh.." He was not expecting to see two Professors arrive now after everything. "Erm... the Garden is safe now, I think. We burned the roots." Which likely would've made the Professor wince at such a thought of plants being ended in such a fashion. "It was horrible.. but we're okay, if you wanted to double check the Indoor Garden, Professor Cole. " His eyes averted from the Healer because he really didn't feel like getting a examination. But he stayed because... well, it was awkward now and didn't know if Apollo or Xerxes would want to share everything that happened in there.