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(Mark) Not Easily Distracted
Author: Isolde
Date: 04-14-09 07:45
"Checkmate."
First year Donald Li looked proudly across the chessboard at Mark, who hardly seemed to notice, so far away were his thoughts. He had agreed to the chess game, and the three before it, because after two weeks of being forcibly cooped up with many, if not all privileges taken away, everyone was scrambling to find a means for entertainment and distraction.
Unfortunately, few seemed able to concentrate on anything these days. Mark couldn't wrap his mind around what the Minister of Magic planned to do at Hogwarts. He guessed that he'd never pictured himself becoming the hostage of somebody who had championed for the rights of purebloods like him and swept all lesser wizards under the rug. Now it seemed she'd turned her back on everyone, if only to save her own skin.
That didn't sit well with Mark at all.
"Want to play again?" Donald asked, happy about his winning streak.
Mark waved his hand in a gesture of submission without really paying the younger boy any attention.
It was while Donald began setting up the chessboard again that Mark's uncle, Rivalen, came into the common room.
"Greetings, students!"
There were murmurs of "hello" and "good morning" but most lacked enthusiasm.
"Ah, Mark! Just the lad I wanted to see. Mind moving along, Ronald?"
"Donald, and we were just about to start a game."
"Excellent. I'll take over from here." Rivalen shooed the first year away, who didn't look very happy anymore and sulked away to find another seat in the common room.
Rivalen sat down and studied the untouched board. "I'm white, so I get to go first. Pawn to B3."
While his white pawn moved forward, he fixed Mark with a grin. Mark had finally shown an interest in something and looked at his uncle.
"Tell me, what's happening out there?"
He didn't say the question very loudly, but enough in the room overheard it and lowered their voices or stopped speaking altogether so that they could hear what Professor Farnon had to say.
Rivalen, often oblivious to so many things, shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know that some of the professors were in on something that could very well change what had been going on at Hogwarts the past two weeks. He didn't lack their trust per se... they just worried he'd accidentally botch their plans.
"Well, the Minister of Magic and her retinue are still here. I did have an audience with her just yesterday, you know. Fascinating woman. Quite the cougar, I dare say..."
"Uncle Rivalen," Mark cut in, trying hard to keep the exasperation out of his voice but knowing very well that he was failing in that respect. "I mean, is there any sign at all that she'll leave Hogwarts and give us our freedom back?"
It was a rarity for Rivalen to show genuine seriousness about anything, but perhaps he sensed the gravity in Mark's questioning tone. The smile that almost always seemed to be on his face gradually faded and he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mark. I don't think she plans on leaving." He studied his nephew for a long moment and then said, "Your move."
Final Moments Of Waiting
Author: Saffron
Date: 04-14-09 09:25
When AJ had let some of the other staff know that of the impending assault on Hogwarts, Saffron knew what she need to do. There'd just been the waiting for word. If her divination gift weren't so glitchy, she would probably have known things were a go for today without AJ telling her.
Standing now near the door leading into one of the Hogwarts hallways, Saffron watches as one person after another exits the tunnel and finds a spot to sit or stand in the large space. So many people! Saffron supposes she shouldn't be surprised at the number but she is.
With Aaron's hand in hers there's so much Saffron wants and needs to ask of him and to say to him. Now, though, is hardly the time. When one of the Weasley twins asks, "How did you know about the tunnel between the Hog's Head and here?" Saffron is happy to have something to talk about to fill the time.
A sideways glance at Aaron as she leaves a few details out, Saffron explains, "I'd heard things here and there about the Room of Requirement but never gave it too much thought. One day when I was pacing back and forth along a hall thinking about how much I needed some privacy and a way to get to out of Hogwarts undetected for just a little while, the door appeared and when I came in the doorway to the tunnel was there. I decided to see where it led. I gave Aberforth quite a start when I showed up in his sister's portrait."
"Sister?" Ginny Weasley interjects. "Ariana is their sister?"
"Yes, but that's all I know of her. Aberforth seems to have been extremely fond of her. Anyhow, I've used the tunnel a number of times now, even after my restrictions were eased."
Someone Saffron doesn't know asks, "What restrictions?"
"When students who were Nons were still at Hogwarts, Aaron here was arrested for helping students escape. With a number of other family who fit the category of those deemed risks, I was put under restriction for a long time."
"Why didn't you just leave?"
"I couldn't abandon my students. I also was never sure of whether I could get out my brother and Aaron's and my adopted son at the same time. I was not going to leave either of them."
A loud noise that sends chills down spines rents the air, coming from everywhere at once. One of the Weasley twins, Fred?, jumps up on a chair and loudly says, "Unless I'm mistaken, that's the signal the Caterwauling Charm's been broken. You all have your assignments. Oh, and I'm George for those in my group. Fred's there," he says pointing.
Clasping Aaron's hand tighter as the final moments of waiting count down, Saffron fiercely whispers in her husband's ear, "You have some explaining to do about why I didn't know you were safe."
"That's top of the list after we retake Hogwarts," Aaron says, freeing his hand to slip his arm around her in a hug.
"I'm holding you to that," Saffron replies before joining the queue of people now moving out of the Room of Requirement into the rest of Hogwarts castle.
Caterwauling
Author: Sage Porter
Date: 04-14-09 13:29
Staff such as AJ Hodfuffer were not the only ones who received visits from Coco Nutt. One day Sage and Jared had walked into their room to find a small, Ravenclaw blue bird sitting on the sill. No sooner had Sage shut the door than the bird transformed into Coco.
Without preamble Coco had said, "When the time comes, we'll be needin' the Ca'erwaulin' Charm broken."
"When and does it matter where?" Jared immediately asked.
"When his still under debate. Oi'll be lettin yer know. Where don't much matter."
"We'll do it," Sage told, knowing without having to ask if Jared was going to agree.
Coco had gone on to explain that a decision had been made to come to some of the seventh years rather than ask any of the staff on their side to do it. As students, they were less likely to be killed on the spot if caught and as seventh years, they're legally adults who are better able to take the burden of making the decision to take part or not.
There'd been great debate about this part of the plan but everyone involved in putting the plan together agreed that having someone on the inside appear to set the Caterwauling Charm off would be an excellent distraction to allow groups to gain entrance to the grounds and castle without being detected.
Coco had let them know earlier today that things were taking place this very Saturday and at what time to set off the charm. When the time drew near, the two friends had gone to a ground floor room where they could easily go out a window. Their thinking was that going out at that level would mean they'd have time to put more distance between the castle and the section of wall that was their goal.
As Sage then Jared make the short drop from the window to the ground, at first nothing happens. Then a loud grating shriek filled the air.
"One down," Sage had unhumorously grinned at Jared as they set off in a dead run across the grounds towards the wall.
They're both shocked when they've actually reached the wall without being intercepted or had spells thrown at them. Sage boosts Jared up, the action of Jared getting to the top of the wall setting off another Caterwauling Charm, then Sage reaches a hand up for Jared to help him make it to the top. He's halfway up when a spell hits the wall near their outstretched arms, sending pebblesized chunks of stone spraying outward.
Their grip losens but they don't loose it altogether. Jared keeps pulling with Sage reaching with his other hand to claw upward and planting his feet in natural indentations in the stone to gain purchase to push up against.
"Next one will either take you square in the back, Porter, or you in the head, Wynbourne!" Amycus Carrow screams at them.
"I think I'd rather have Yaxley," Sage says only loudly enough for Jared to hear.
"Me too," Jared says, easing Sage back to the ground before lowering himself back down as well.
"Consider yourselves lucky that I recognized from a distance. You'd both already be dead otherwise," Carrow snits at them. "Explain yourselves."
The two young men exchange glances then Sage, taking a deep breath, plunges into the story they'd cooked up. "Two Saturdays ago when I was in Hogsmeade, I met a girl who goes to another school who was in Britain to look at St. Emrys. She'd come to Hogsmeade for part of the day before returning home. She was going to be in Hogsmeade again today and we'd arranged to meet. I haven't had a way to let her know I couldn't make it. Jared was just helping me get over the wall. He wasn't trying to sneak out too."
"So you thought you'd sneak out. Ah, young love," Carrow sneers. "Crucio!"
Sage tries to brace himself for the pain but it still has him on his knees panting when it's ended. Carrow snottily remarks, "Love hurts, Porter. Get him on his feet, Wynbourne. Back to the castle, both of you."
The cat in pain screaming of the Caterwauling Curse continues filling the air until they're nearly back to the school. When it stops it's so abrupt that things seem eerily silent for a moment. Carrow snaps, "Thank Merlin! Took them bloody long enough to reset it!"
Jared and Sage exchange another glance, each hoping that whomever was coming into the grounds during the period the charm's alarm was sounding made it through all right.
Slightly Demented
Author: Plum
Date: 04-15-09 09:28
Plum had jumped at the chance to help take Hogwarts back from the Minister of Magic Euphemia Smythe-Jones. Make that former Minister of Magic. Only that woman and her most fervent supporters would still be calling her by that title. What Plum hadn't expected was just how large the operation would be. In her group alone there are twenty. Then again, precious minutes were lost between the time Smythe-Jones escaped the Ministry and her location was found to be at Hogwarts. Who knows how many of her followers are in there with her, especially when most of the people at that day two weeks ago weren't diehard supporters.
Plum does understand that some are more of a distraction, some will do little more than remove an obstacle or threat. That's what Plum's group is doing. She's terrified and isn't too proud to admit it. There are some Dementors who've been patrolling one section of wall along which it would be easy for someone to gain access to the grounds and approach the castle without too much fear of being noticed.
There are enough in each of the groups taking on Dementors that overcoming the Dementors shouldn't be a problem. Shouldn't being the operative term. Even people who've faced Dementors before aren't necessarily going to be able to stand their ground again. The thought of having a Dementor getting close enough to administer the Kiss is enough to send some folks fleeing.
A fingernails on chalkboard shrieking fills the air. That's their signal to move forward and breach the walls. A hole large enough for three or four people to move through abreast appears in the wall right in front of Plum's group. They surge forward, all gripping wands tightly, ready to yell, "Expecto Patronum!" at the first sight of a Dementor.
Adrenaline pumping, Plum briskly moves, eyes scanning for any sight of the awful creatures.
"To the left!" someone shouts.
Plum is on the lefthand side of the cluster of people. She spins, wand pointed. She clearly and forcefully shouts, "Expecto Patronum!" with much more confidence than she really feels. She also tries to ignore the way her legs are trembling.
Around her, as others say the charm, Patronus swirl. Some are fully formed with solid shape. Some are wispy and tenuous. With the combined effect of so many though, the first Dementor is easily fought off. With one success under their belts the people in Plum's group tighten up their ranks and with more confidence face down a second Dementor as it swoops in overhead from the right.
A third is spotted and gone after by half the group, Plum one of them. When they return to rejoin the others, about five minutes have passed. Plum doesn't know of other groups like hers came across any Dementors and if so, how many. When ten more minutes have passed without any sign of another Dementor, the group leader organizes them to quickly patch the wall back so anyone trying to escape Hogwarts on foot will have one less exit to consider. Then they fan out in clusters of twos and threes, taking up defensive stances, keeping wary eyes alerted for more Dementors, other creatures working for Smythe-Jones, and any of her human supporters.
Water Wands Aren't Just For Water
Author: Christopher Chant
Date: 04-15-09 11:58
Bored of the shared third and fourth year common room, in what used to be Gryffindor House, Christopher had been one of the ones who'd gone with Deak Bennett and Timothy Gabble to make use of one of the Defense Against the Dark Arts obstacle courses. They'd taken a few minutes to decide how to actually use the course seeing as how they weren't allowed to use their wands.
It had been Cat Amherst who'd suggested, "Water wands."
A popular joke item, nearly everyone has a water wand even if they've not used them in awhile. The water wands - similar in function to Muggle water pistols - have wells to be filled but no matter the model of water wand the holds massive amounts of water. More advanced wands actually make use of the knowledge of the Aguamenti charm. For most of the students participating the basic wands are what they had because few are old enough to know how to do an Aguamenti charm.
A simple spoken spell once with water wand is filled allows the water color to be changed. After going to root around in their rooms for their water wands and changing into clothes that they don't mind getting stained with colored water, the students had returned to the obstacle course. Teams were chosen and a rousing and very diverting game was under way when Professor Snider decided she didn't care for the way they were getting all worked up.
Their game coming to an early end, some of the students went to the common commons rather than returning to their rooms. Christopher and Cat had been two of the ones who'd decided to go to the general common area instead of sulking around in their rooms. Though hardly as fun as the game they'd been forced to stop, Cat and Cat along with three others got a board game going. Around them, other students were playing quieter games as well or simply talking.
Things got more subdued to the point that some students got up and left when two of Minister Smythe-Jones's friends entered the room. They took a table near one of the windows, occassionally turning their hard glares upon the students or ordering a House Elf to refill their drinks but for the most party they ignored everyone else in the room.
When Cat Amherst whispered over to him, "Cat, do you know who they are? After two weeks I've never heard their names."
"No, not those two. Never liked the look of them though."
"Bloody creepy," Alexa Wenlock stated.
"Understatement," Etta Wynbourned and Hunter Rabnott had said at the exact same time.
All conversation ceased when a repititious shriek startled them all. The two men jumped up and ran to look out the windows, moving from one to the next. Over the cacaphony one could be heard yelling at the other, "Caterwauling's been broken!"
Deak Bennett, who'd been playing a game of chess at the table next to Christopher, had grinned and said, "I bet we're being rescued."
One of the men, hearing Deak's words had whirled around to point his wand at Deak. He snarled, "We'll see about that."
The other one turned as well, waving his wand at the students, "In that corner the lot of you."
A House Elf popped into the room right then, startling both men. The one closest has scowled and reached out to cuff the House Elf. Daniel Gelson, who'd been standing behind the bar, suddenly gave a yell and pointed his water wand at the man who'd just hit the House Elf. Liquid fired from the wand, hitting the man in the eyes.
The man gave a yell then screeched, clawing at his eyes. Daniel gleefully cried, "Hot pepper sauce!"
Christopher thought it excellent thinking on Daniel's part to have thought to switch the water in his wand for the pepper sauce behind the bar. Before Daniel can shoot the other man in the eyes that man cried, "Expelliarmus," disarming Daniel.
The man Daniel had shot with the pepper sauce starts firing off his own wand, blindly waving it around as he did. The other man had grabbed his friend with one hand and was pointing his wand at the students, warning them off.
The House Elf vanished with a loud POP. The one with the burning eyes blindly pointed his wand in the direction of the sound while the other simply glanced that way without moving his wand. Still, it was enough of a distraction. The few students in the common commons rushed the two men.
Not expecting to be rushed like that, the man with good vision was only able to get off a couple of shots before being tackled by angry kids. The other one had continued firing blindly but was easily overtaken. One of the good vision guy's stunners had hit Timothy Gabble but the other had missed the quickly moving targets the kids made.
Once the men were down, Isabel Parker pulled out her wand. "Hang the rule," she said just before rendering each man unconscious with a point blank, "Stupify!"
The kids then tightly bound the men and put each in a different corner. The men's wands on the bar, Christpher had been the one to ask, "Now what?"
"We could go take down a few more," Alexa suggested.
"I'd really like to do that but we should probably stay here," older and wiser Isabel had stated.
"Yes, much as I'd like to get out there and join the fight - the way those two reacted, that's got to be what's going on - but we should probably stay here."
"Better close the doors then," Cat said, already walking over to do that. Christopher went to help her figure out how to lock them from the inside.
The House Elf who'd done the distracting solved that problem for them by using a little House Elf magic to seal the doors. Deak then said, "We need to watch the windows, should still watch the doors, and keep an eye on those two."
Moving tables and chairs to offer a semblance of protection, the students also filled water wands with whatever else they could behind the bar that would hurt, then with their real wands out, took up defensive positions behind their makeshift barricades.
Chaos
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 04-15-09 16:55
Just for something different to do, instead of studying in the library or their room like they might usually, Anne and Zabrynna are sitting in the Great Hall. Perhaps it's overly optimistic of them to think that OWLs will take place as scheduled but as Anne had said, "If we don't have them, then great. If we do, then despite this bloody mess, we'll still be prepared. Besides, it's something to fill the time."
In between studying they'd talked, or rather Anne had talked, of Indigo McFusty and her plan for the summer to convince him to go on a date with her. It was during once such break from their studies that Euphemia Smythe-Jones had entered the Great Hall with two of her supporters and the two students currently pulling the "personal hostage" duty. Neither Victoria nor Philippa look especially honored to have the duty.
Zabrynna couldn't blame them for feeling that way. Since the Minister had shown up two Saturdays ago, soon followed by some of her most faithful disciples, every student at Hogwarts has had to serve the "personal hostage" duty. Anyone ill these last two weeks hasn't been considered an excuse for missing class or a head count. Only "personal hostage" duty has been considered a valid reason for missing either.
Cutting her eyes to look sidelong at Victoria and Philippa, Anne remarks in a near whisper, "I never thought I'd be friends with those two but now that I am, I really hate having to see them in that position."
"I don't like it either. Why didn't you think you'd be friends with Pippa or Vicky?"
"I've never mentioned it? That just shows you have different my thinking's become over the last year or two. I'm Gryffindor, or was. They were Slytherin. Gryffindor-Slytherin is the biggest rivalry in the school."
This being her first year at Hogwarts, Zabrynna had missed out on those dynamics though she has seen it on a much smaller scale with some of the students. There'd also been cliques at Durmstrang so the concept is not something foreign to Zabrynna. Nevertheless she asks, "Was it strictly a house thing or did you not think you'd like their personalities?"
"Both really. See, I had thought that if someone was sorted into Slytherin then personality-wise they'd not be someone I, as someone sorted into Gryffindor, would ever like and as a Gryffindor, the thought of mixing with anyone from Slytherin was a totally foreign concept for me. I could never understand how some managed it, oh, like those girls Etta Wynbourne and Alexa Wenlock. Last year there was another girl in their group, Olive I think her name is - or was - who was also Slytherin. A fourth girl was in Gryffindor and another was in either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. I'm not really sure which. Anyway, the point is, I would see them together and it would bother me that people from my house were mixing with dirty, nasty Slytherins."
"But now you know not all are dirty or nasty."
"Yeah," Anne smiles ruefully.
A horrible noise fills the room. "What the hell?" Zabrynna says at the same time Anne says, "Sounds like something being tortured."
Across the room, the Minister is saying something to her two lackeys though Zabrynna can't tell what she's said. Deputy Headmaster Yaxley comes rushing into the Great Hall yelling, "Security breech! Carrow's on it!"
The Minister screeches at Vicky and Pippa, "Through there! Move!" She's pointing to a side door that Zabrynna knows leads to a smaller chamber. She's not sure, however, if there's another way out from there or a Floo, or anything like that.
The two lackeys run over to converse with Professor Yaxley, eyes constantly darting to the door, hands twitchy around their wands. There's movement at the main doors but with that shrieking noises still blaring, if there's any sound to go with that movement Zabrynna can't tell.
She's about to yell at Anne that they should do what the few other students who'd been in the Great Hall are doing: get under the table. She's about to but her attention's drawn to that movement at the door again, Declan Douglass skidding in sideways through the doorway as one of the lackey's is closing them with a wand flick.
Declan's talking loudly enough that Zabrynna can hear him saying to Yaxley, "Going to take the students to a safe spot."
They argue back and forth, the lackeys siding with Yaxley that the students are perfectly safe right where they are. This seems to be supported by the appearance of Professor Carrow with Sage Porter and Jared Wynbourne, Sage with that pale look about him that often seems to go hand-in-hand with a student being the target of a Cruiatus Curse.
The blaring shriek finally stops, Declan still arguing with Yaxley, Carrow shoving Jared and Sage over to a nearby bench, the lackeys still looking nervous with wands tightly clenched, and students slowly coming up from under the tables sort of like burrowing mammals poking heads out of the ground.
The Minister has Pippa poking her head out of the door from that side chamber, calling one of the lackeys over. The other one moves to the once again opened Great Hall doors, one hand reaching out almost spasmodically as if to close them again but unable to make up his mind.
Declan can now be clearly heard to say, "I don't care what you say, I'm moving these kids out of here. Something's going on."
Carrow snarls, "Just these two bloody idiots. Porter's hot for some girl and can't keep it in his pants."
"I prefer to err on the side of caution," Declan persists.
"I agree with Declan," Professor Isuki says, entering the Great Hall with a look of disdain at the lackey at the doors.
"Something you two know that we don't?" Yaxley inquires.
"Just being cautious, Ryland, just as Declan said," Professor Isuki says calmly.
If they'd been even half a minute sooner, the students in the Great Hall might have at least been gathered into a group. As it is, when all hell breaks loose, they're still scattered at various tables.
The lackey must has seen something because he swore violently and hurried to get the doors shut again, yelling at Yaxley and Carrow as he did. Jared, Sage, Declan, and Professor Isuki are also yelling but to the students, directing them to a far corner.
The doors of the Great Hall literally blast open, knocking the lackey there off his feet. Carrow reacts by grabbing the nearest student, Jared Wynbourne, thrusting his wand under Jared's chin and moving to put his back to a wall.
Sage starts forward but is stopped by Declan. "Make sure the others are out of the way."
Sage looks like he's going to argue but ends up nodding. Anne has gotten up from the table and is already moving to the indicated corner as are other students. Zabrynna's eyes are riveted on Declan so she's slower to move. Professor Isuki is saying that calm tone, "That's right, to the corner."
From the smoking doors there seems to be more movement plus the lackey on the floor is crawling towards Carrow. Zabrynna's been too busy watching Declan and what's going on in front of him to bother noticing if the Minister or the lackey that joined her in the chamber have peeked out again.
Delcan's now saying, "Amycus, let the boy go."
"You're a daft bastard if you think I'm letting my shield go," Carrow snots back.
Declan takes a cautious step forward. Carrow does take his wand away from Jared's throat for a split second, hitting Declan square in the chest. Zabrynna hears herself scream at seeing him falling and next thing she knows she's vaulted the table and is skidding along the floor to Declan's side.
Zabrynna's barely had time to ascertain if he's breathing, which she thinks he is, when she's jerked up by her hair. One arm is grabbed and painfully twisted, a wand now at her throat as well. Professor Isuki's hands are up in a surrender gesture and still in that calm voice says, "Ryland, let Zabrynna go. If you want a hostage, take me."
Zabrynna's pulls her eyes off Declan's still form to look first at Professor Isuki and then to rove around the room. There are adults there, Witches and Wizards, all with wands. When did they come in? Was that the movement through the smoke?
Yaxley steps back, taking Zabrynna with him, to move closer to Carrow, his wand painfully pressing into her throat making it harder to breath and her arm feeling like it's going to be dislocated at the shoulder if he twists it much more.
Carrow and Yaxley obviously are outnumbered so Zabrynna fervently hopes that for once the two will see reason and give up. Knowing how they both are, she decides she's not going to hold her breath waiting.