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Mackled Malaclaw
Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Hazbin Hotel
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Hogwarts RPG Name: Norman A. Carton Graduated Hogwarts RPG Name: Sydney M. L. Masters Slytherin Third Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Maddox B. Buchanan Gryffindor Fourth Year Diagon Alley Proprietor:
Caledon Roth The Leaky Cauldron | *rearranges to make more sense* Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ Dark Brooding Girl ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll Gaston shot Kalen an extremely grateful look when he said he would stay and help. For a moment, he half expected his colleague to rush out the doors to try to find Tristan, and he wouldn't have blamed him at all if he did. If he thought Rose was there, he would've done the same thing himself! He shook his head as once again, his thoughts turned to his beloved wife, and he silently thanked the powers that be that she was no longer teaching at Hogwarts. Otherwise, she'd be right in the thick of it with him, and... Oh, good Godric Gryffindor! He couldn't think about that! He smiled sadly at Kalen as he took the little black book. At least if he died here, Desiree would one day read his songs and know how much her father loved her. He nodded, giving the other professor a look that said, I hope you're right.
He turned to Dorian with a small smile. "Good," he said. "Just stick close to me or Professor Kennedy, and if you see any Inferi, try to aim 'Incendio' at them." Blue eyes blinked in shock at what the Ravenclaw said next. The Squid, really?! "I doubt any of the students or staff are behind this." This was advanced dark magic, beyond the skills of even most seventh years, and he'd worked with the other professors long enough to know none of them would ever do anything like this of their own accord. "And Bartholomew Henry doesn't have the ability to use this type of magic."
Poor Chloe! Gaston wished there was more he could do to ease her fears. His heart leaped as she held on to his arm; having this small child cling to him strangely reminded him of Desiree. Well, if he never saw his own daughter again. at least he could keep this girl safe! He shook his head at her words, his eyes burning with fierce determination. "Never," he assured her, gripping his wand tighter. The only way the Inferi were getting to her was if they killed him first! His heart sank at that very real possibility, but he willed himself not to let any doubt show on his face. If only she knew how close he was to panicking himself! The instinct to protect his students was the only thing giving him some semblance of control over his emotions.
Permission to go back to the Ravenclaw common room only seemed to make Chloe panic more; Gaston inwardly berated himself for making her feel worse. "Okay, you don't have to go if you don't want to," he said, giving her a hug the best he could with her holding on to his arm. "You're not alone..." His expression changed at the question. He had no idea where her brother was, but he hadn't seen him at the lake. He assumed he was hiding out in the Slytherin common room. "He wasn't at the lake, so he must be in the castle somewhere. He'll be okay." He hoped... He gave Daisy and Maddie each an appreciative beam when they offered to protect Chloe. He was going to ask him if she wanted to stay with him or go with the girls, but her grip on him was the only answer he needed. Now he had to find a way to get her up. He couldn't fight the Inferi from this corner! "Chloe, look at me..." he said, softly but firmly. "You can hold on to me as long as you need..." And by that he meant until he needed his other arm to fight. "... but we have to move. Can you stand? Here, I've got you..." He tried to help her get to her feet.
As he turned to face the rest of the group, Gaston noticed that at some point Alastar and Nathan joined them. He smiled, giving the boys a nod of acknowledgement. "Glad to have you with us, gentlemen," he said. His eyes darted from the small group to the doors then back again, his mind formulating a plan. "We can't block the doors!" he addressed the group. It would take too much time to make a path through the fire lassos for anyone retreating from the lake! "It would cost any-" He almost said survivors but stopped himself just in time; he didn't want to cause panic! "-any people fleeing the lake time that they don't have. We may not be able to stop the Inferi from coming, but we can try to contain them here." He moved toward the middle of the room, closer to the stairs than the door. "Form a line beside me, fire lassos out. Stick close to the stairs! Keep them from getting to the other floors of the castle!"
He gave Chloe a reassuring look as he brandished his wand. "I'm going to cast a fire lasso around us; it's not going to hurt you." HIs bright blue eyes glanced into the darkness outside. Now all they could do was wait.
__________________ Old voices I had thought long since dead whisper of another life I might have led If I could take that second chance, If I could make my life anew, If only dreams came true... |