Polished stone steps and ornate railings, pieces of the castle constantly buzzing with life as students frequently traversed them on their way to and from lessons or common rooms. It was not uncommon for the staircases to get a bit mucked up every now and then, but this was a curious scene indeed.

Upon the steps and landings, bleached out footprints sprawled in every direction, each step seemed to weave a story of its own and yet the sheer volume of prints made it impossible to discern their origin. Along the bannisters, a chaotic tapestry of handprints in shades of gray added to the monochromatic conundrum, the impressions layered one atop another, creating a ghostly trail.

It was as if a gathering of shadows had danced through the castle and held a soirée upon the staircases and none had bothered to cleanup after.