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DaniDiNardo · #1 (**permalink**) 12-04-2018, 12:21 PM

The walls in the first-floor corridor are covered in tapestries and, hung over them, are portraits of numerous wizards and wizards. Whether you are trying to get to class or are just browsing around, the portraits here will try to start up a conversation with you. If you manage to get on their good side, they'll be willing to reveal secret passageways, share the latest school gossip, and more.

If you have time to spare, definitely go on a brief tangent from whatever it is you are doing. Google Stump is your man to go to if you're looking for answers about the mysteries of the castle; Beaumont Marjoribanks can tell you everything there is to know about gillyweed; and Elizabeth Burke ... well, it would be best to just avoid her for reasons that will be obvious should you strike up a discussion with her about magical blood status. There are other portraits here as well, each with their own unique personalities, and figures from other portraits happen to invade their frames from time to time.

OOC: Please do not role-play for the Portraits.

BanaBatGirl · 01-23-2021, 03:46 AM

Bernie paced back and forth in front of the portraits, in front of a certain portrait, actually, that she had been talking to for a little while. She was just waiting, now, today, for it to pop back up in its (currently empty) frame. Waiting... waiting... trying not to look too anxious as she waited.

**Portraits** · 01-23-2021, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BanaBatGirl

Bernie paced back and forth in front of the portraits, in front of a certain portrait, actually, that she had been talking to for a little while. She was just waiting, now, today, for it to pop back up in its (currently empty) frame. Waiting... waiting... trying not to look too anxious as she waited.

Winifred was on her way back from a visit with a friend in the adjacent corridor. The lighting was much better over here; perhaps next time she would encourage Mildred to come this way instead.

It was then, upon her return, that she had noticed the familiar visitor. "Good day to you, Ms. Grantham! You are looking unwell, my dear."

kayquilz · 01-23-2021, 09:00 PM

Aboli had not noticed the pacing Bernie. She was simply walking by, making her way to the library, when she heard the portrait. She was willing to wave in passing at Bernie, but the portrait mentioned Bernie looked bad, and so...Aboli noticed it, too.

So she stopped.

"Yeah, Bernie, you okay?" she asked, pressing a hand on Bernie's shoulder. She donned her silver silky gloves today. They were thin and went well with the Slytherin green.

Felixir · 01-24-2021, 01:03 AM

Conversely, heading back from the library, another Slytherin. The absolute delight. That one.

Nemesis.

Schoolbag (for book transportation) slung over their shoulder, hands in pockets, Nem headed down the corridor. From one end they had spotted Grantham pacing, all but wringing her hands, and while it had briefly crossed their mind to stop and linger behind the corner, they quickly dismissed the idea. Skulking was not on the agenda for today.

They did slow when they reached what was now the two girls, though. And then stopped entirely, when they noticed a nearby portrait's attention on Grantham, as well as Song's. "Hey..." Nem greeted them all, looking from face to face to canvas. "Impromptu therapy session?"

Cassirin · 01-24-2021, 01:38 AM

Phoebe had a date with Bernie and Winifred, but when she showed up, she was surprised to find stick-in-the-mud Aboli and intense-eyes Nemesis. What if they ruined EVERYTHING?

"Uh. WOW WHAT AN IMMENSE SURPRISE TO FIND THIS FINE COLLECTION OF HUMANS OUT AND ABOUT TODAY." Phoebe gave Bernie a bit of a wild eyed look, basically just needing permission to distract and obfuscate. Or maybe Bernie had a better plan, because Merlin knew that Phoebe didn't have any ideas at all.

BanaBatGirl · 01-24-2021, 02:16 AM

Could Winifred just NOT be a kind Healer for a moment?!

Bernie pressed her palm to her forehead and winced at the group.... of people, suddenly gathered there, all of whom she GENUINELY LIKED and yet did not want to speak to at this time.

Except her roommate/wife Phoebe James. She could stay. And Winifred, obviously, NEEDED to STAY in her DARN PORTRAIT for more than five minutes at a time. If she could just do that... great. Then the plan could continue.

"I'm FINE," the Lion declared loudly, first to Aboli, then to Winifred, and then also to Nem. Nem got an extra-long glance, for REASONS, before she turned back to her partner-in-crime. "HELLO, PHOEBE, WHAT A COINCIDENCE TO SEE YOU TOO. NO THERAPY NEEDED, OF COURSE. THINGS ARE SWELL AS EVER HERE AT HOGWARTS." Bernie's blue eyes were ALSO wide, and kept flicking to their Slytherin friends so Pheebs would, indeed, distract and obfuscate them.

Bernie didn't know how long she could continue shouting, because it was making her throat hurt and, as mentioned, she really did not wish to scare Winifred away. She turned instead to the portrait to just carry on business as usual, though her voice was low and urgent and already a bit hoarse. "I'm fine, Winnie, I promise. I was wondering if you'd had a chance to speak with anyone else besides me lately?"

kayquilz · 01-24-2021, 02:34 AM

Aboli heard Nem's voice. They had seemed to sneak up on the scene almost like a snake. Aboli turned her head in their direction, eyebrow raised. Since when did they care enough to stop and chat???? She was unaware of any friendship between Bernie and Nem.

WHY could Gryffindors do nothing silently? She winced at the sound of Phoebe James' voice and turned to face her as well, wringing her hands nervously. The silver silkiness of her gloves felt converting on her skin. "You two possess the subtlety of an angry Whomping Willow," she said through gritted teeth. "I didn't mean to crash anything - just worried, Bern," she said softly, her eyes glancing amongst the small crew, and then turning back to the portrait person. Winifred was the name?

She didn't like being near Nemesis. Not after hearing a lot of their rhetoric in their answers in class. She was also not a HUGE fan of James, either.

Waddles · 01-24-2021, 02:43 AM

Mamie was wandering again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately, not wanting to be in the common room like a sitting duck, but also not particularly having anywhere to be. Well, she should have been doing homework probably, but...she did not like doing homework in the common room. She might have been on her way to find an empty classroom to practice some spells in, if she was asked for an excuse for being out and about...she did have her schoolbag with one single book, to back up the excuse.

She stopped short when she turned the corner and saw...a gathering. Aboli, and some other ~~old~~ advanced students. Should she keep going? Should she turn around? Mamie was indecisive, so she just stood there, a few meters down the corridor, staring at them all.

What was happening?

Felixir · 01-24-2021, 03:19 AM

Time and time again, these Gryffindors really did just prove that stereotype of being obnoxiously loud and obnoxiously obvious. And obviously obnoxious. Very difficult for someone who was ~~not remotely~~ trying hard ~~at all~~ not to make generalisations about people.

And all these lingering looks. Way to make a guy feel super welcome in their own school. It did serve as a reminder, however, that James and Song were both students Nem could to with talking to, one to one, you know? Just to... gauge the atmosphere. They had to admit they were a little curious about Song's wandering eyebrow, in spite of themselves.

But anyway.

"Well. I don't think I've ever been more convinced of anything in my life," they said, more dry than overtly sarcastic. Sharing the joke rather than directing it.

In any case, it was clear Grantham and James wanted to be left in peace, which was more than enough reason for Nem to decide to stick around and see what they were up to. They shot a sceptical look at James, then at Grantham... where the look lingered, broken only briefly by a glance up towards a new source of movement. The Turov kid, down the end of the corridor. Nem kept their eyes on her for a just a bit longer, then turned their attention back to Grantham and her not at all suspicious murmurings.

**Portraits** · 01-24-2021, 04:13 AM

If students continued to frequent in numbers such as these, then perhaps old Winifred would have a reason to stay in her portrait for more than five minutes at a time after all, Bernadette.

Amused by the antics, Winnie was. She made herself comfortable in her frame, listening to the children squabble and conspire, before turning her attention to the whispering Gryffindor once more. "Oh, I was just having a nice chat with Mildred. She's not doing very well, I'm afraid. Her colours are fading and the new portrait they've set beside her has terrible table manners. If you happen to be making your way down the corridor, be sure to stop by. Tell her Winnie sent you. She never receives visitors, it would do her some good."

Poor Mildred, it was really no wonder that Winifred could only bear to hang there for a few minutes at a time.

*Nordic Witch* · 01-24-2021, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Portraits

If students continued to frequent in numbers such as these, then perhaps old Winifred would have a reason to stay in her portrait for more than five minutes at a time after all, Bernadette.

Amused by the antics, Winnie was. She made herself comfortable in her frame, listening to the children squabble and conspire, before turning her attention to the whispering Gryffindor once more. "Oh, I was just having a nice chat with Mildred. She's not doing very well, I'm afraid. Her colours are fading and the new portrait they've set beside her has terrible table manners. If you happen to be making your way down the corridor, be sure to stop by. Tell her Winnie sent you. She never receives visitors, it would do her some good."

Poor Mildred, it was really no wonder that Winifred could only bear to hang there for a few minutes at a time.

Bella was out and about in the castle, wandring around with no clear aim of where she wanted to go or who she wanted to speak to. She knew her way around after a few months, but the Hogwarts castle was huge so it was easy to still get a little lost. Coming down the staircase from the top floor she was intrigued by the gathering of students up ahead. Bernadette, Pheobe, Aboli, Nem and was that the badger girl who was called Mamie? Unsure Bella hang back a little, watching until the portrait spoke. Magical portraits were fantastic.

Without much thought Bella quicked her steps so that she neared the group from behind, in front of the portrait asking nobody in particular, but loud enough to be heard by everyone present. "Who is Mildred and why does she have terrible table manners?" Nevermind that she had probably missunderstood everything.

pundantic · 01-24-2021, 02:57 PM

Kale didn’t know what was going on. Lolz. So Kale, amiright? But there were lots of people he liked congregating and so, yes, he absolutely diiiiiiid slide over with a whoop and a hello. “What’s going on??” It mostly looked like everyone was standing around, but surely there was some kind of shindig about to happen. He could sense it.

And Kale Trent was a pretty decent dancer. He had the moves. So could he shindig, too? Please please pleeeeeeaase??

Cassirin · 01-24-2021, 03:27 PM

KALE. Oh, thank MERLIN, it was Kale. There was no one better for helping to distract and obfuscate than Kaley Trent. Phoebe threw herself at him and gave him a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek before dragging him forward to where Aboli and Nem and Mamie and Bella were now gathering. And Bernie was attempting a rather unsuccessful conversation with a portrait.

"This is perfect, actually, because we now have enough for a spontaneous dance party. I was just telling someone the other day that we never seem to have enough people showing up anywhere for a spontaneous dance party, and now here we are. Kale, you provide the music. Nem, can you boogie? Drop it like it's hot? You can be my partner."

BanaBatGirl · 01-24-2021, 04:59 PM

There were..... more. MORE people arriving every moment. Mamie. That first-year Slytherin. Kale Trent. Bernadette stared, open-mouthed, wondering how the heck she (and Phoebe) had timed this so wrong. Was this a class change time? Everyone in the world (except Ravenclaw's) free period?! What?!

She snorted and decided to ignore them. She'd ignore them all. Only, well, Aboli had spoken directly to her, so she anxiously had to respond to her. "I-- it's alright, Aboli," she nodded to the older Slytherin, feeling deflated by the girl's genuine concern. "It's just... it might be better for you for now if you left." No offense or anything, but everyone knew how the Inquisitorial Squad was. The same went for Nem, who Bernie stared right back at. "Glad you're convinced," she stated calmly. "There's nothing to see here anyway. I'm not making any waves," she stated levelly at him.

Back to the portrait. Bernie and Phoebe were now somewhat separated by a sea of people, so she'd carry on addressing it and it only. "Mildred," she huffed gently, again whispering urgently and not as quietly since she had to talk over all these onlookers now. "Is not who I meant. Winifred, you said you were going to speak to someone important, remember? At your OTHER location? You said you could get the attention of an adult at St. Mungo's and would send HELP to Hogwarts!"

Remember? Why couldn't these bloody portraits be counted on to help Bernadette O. Grantham with her most Grantham idea yet?

kayquilz · 01-24-2021, 06:49 PM

Why was this suddenly a frickin' party?! Why was Mami here? And Kale? And BELLA? A little in her OWN house. She looked nervous, her eyes darting around the corridor to make sure they weren't about to have a rude awakening by any hooded figures. She knew there was nothing sinister going on here besides your average Gryffindor stupidity, but that was only until she leaned in to make sure Bernie was REALLY okay and heard her tiny tiny tiny whisper to the portrait.

Uh.

"THAT'S IT!" she said LOUDLY, turning to face the lot of them. "As a former prefect, this is NOT SANCTIONED. This is NOT A DANCE PARTY DON'T YOU DARE START DANCING, TRENT," she waggled a finger at him. "NO ONE is partying here in front of this portrait and NO ONE is doing anything that could get ANY OF US in trouble!" she stared POINTEDLY at Bernie. Her heart was beating so rapidly. If the Neo Alliance had any idea what Bernie had planned or was planning, she was fearful what they would do! Bernie was a muggle-born! And with NEM RIGHT THERE. Nem, who she did not trust with an INCH of her life.

Breathe, Aboli. "If anyone starts dancing I swear to Merlin I will hex you," she muttered through MORE gritted teeth. Did people just WANT TO DIE THIS TERM?

ArianaBlack · 01-24-2021, 07:13 PM

Y'know what this spontaneous dance party did not have enough of? Cutest second years, that's what! Good thing Kinsay James was passing through, right? Right. "Why aren't we allowed to dance?" Kinsay stopped by the group with a big ol' FROWN. Aboli wasn't a prefect anymore so she wasn't allowed to make rules. And maybe these were just Kinsay's thoughts on the matter, but she was usually right about these things.

Also.

Hi Pheeeeebs. She got the biggest of smiles before Kiz had to go back to frowning about this no good, no dancing rule.

Felixir · 01-24-2021, 07:25 PM

On second thought... no. This was enough to be getting on with.

Oh look, Trentula the Second. Actually, that worked out nicely. Nothing like having Vegetable Trent in the house when you needed to do some good old fashioned heartstring-tugging.

"No thanks, Phoebs," Nem mumbled, ducking out of her path. "I don't dance. And I know when I'm not wanted." The angst. The drama. The woe. "Kale can dance with you."

Weaving around people, Nem passed close to Not-Making-Waves-Grantham, listening hard and taking a close look at the portrait's subject, but didn't stop. Not even when they passed by Song, and laugh-coughed in response to her attempt at controlling the... situation. Imposing her utter lack of authority. Kid stuff.

"I think I've heard enough. Peace." They set off down the corridor, the same way they'd been heading before the momentary diversion.

AlwaysSnapesGirl · 01-24-2021, 07:37 PM

Ivy had been looking for some place new to do a bit of homework, somewhere besides the typical places like the library and the common room, but that mission was pushed aside the moment she noticed an odd group of students hanging out by the portraits on the first floor. Walking towards them, she just caught wind of Aboli wanting to hex anyone who started dancing, and Kinsay asking why they couldn't.

This group was...about dancing???

"Why are we dancing at all?" she asked. Ordinarily she wouldn't think anything of it, but considering...well, everything about this term, was it smart to dance in the middle of the corridor? Not that anyone appeared to actually be dancing right now, so...maybe this was all theoretical?

And now Nemesis was leaving, which...made sense, if people were gathered here to dance. This didn't seem like something he would be a part of, but she also didn't know the Slytherin well enough to know for certain, so maybe it could be, for all she knew.

pundantic · 01-24-2021, 07:55 PM

Kale was receiving a loT of mixed signals. To dance or not to dance? And Aboli was coming in here like flipping Footloose! HE HAD THE RIGHT TO THROW IT BACK, MMK? It was his dance-given right.

And he said as much. Or well. Something less articulate. “I thought this was a party! Let’s DANCE!!!” Like Kevin Bacon.

He turned to pull Nem into the revelry but they was gone. rip Nem and their gentle feelings. Things that were not cool: putting Nem in a corner. NOBODY PUTS NEM IN A CORNER.

That was a dancin’ movie, too.

The elder Trent shook his hair out and started to d a n C e. He cast a spell that started to produce some wicked tunes, bro. And his lil bottom shimmy shimmy shook.

Waddles · 01-24-2021, 09:08 PM

Mamie was still not quite sure what was going on. She inched closer, trying to listen to see. They were talking to portraits? Mamie had never really stopped to talk to the portraits before. Still inching and still too far away to hear Bernie's whisperings, she was alarmed by Aboli's seemingly out-of-the-blue announcement about not doing things that would get them in trouble. Like, wasn't that a given?

Then Kinsay and Ivy showed up, and that Slytherin left, and Mamie had finally moved close enough to hear the rest of the dancing conversation. She stopped inching when she was next to Aboli. The older girl looked very concerned, which had Mamie feeling concerned, too, though she didn't know about what.

It did seem odd to dance in the corridor? Maybe Aboli didn't want them to block any people trying to get by? She gave the dancing Kale a bewildered look, then returned her attention back to Aboli. "What's going on?" she finally asked the group. "Why is there dancing? Or no dancing?"

Just please don't make her dance.

**Portraits** · 01-25-2021, 05:08 AM

Oh, the more the merrier! Winnie couldn't recall the last time she had so many visitors. "Mildred is in the adjacent corridor, my dear," she said addressing the young Slytherin (Nordic Witch). "No, no, Mildred is not the one with the abhorrent table manners." Winifred paused for a moment in thought. "I have never seen her eat, but it would be in poor taste to assume otherwise."

Once again her attention was drawn to Bernadette (BanaBatGirl). "Oh, yes!" She exclaimed as if just remembering. "I did pop by with your message, but they have me in the stuffiest wing! Terrible, terrible! I gave them my best fifty-seven years in that hospital and what do they do to show me their thanks? They hang me up where no one ever comes to see me!"

It is true what they say, St. Mungo's was a place of bureaucracy. For shame!

"Now, what is this about a dance party?"

*Nordic Witch* · 01-25-2021, 04:31 PM

Dance party?

Queue confusion.. Weren't they all here to talk to the lovely portrait ladies? Bella looked from Aboli to Bernie and the others which she truthfully didn't know the names of trying to understand what was going on. Bernie seemed to be up to something like usual and that got Aboli riled up and then that boy started dancing which was just weird. Bella worriedly looked up and down the corridor, when would the hooded dudes show up and cause a scene, stating that dancing wasn't allowed?

Turning her attention to the portrait which seemed safest Bella turned her attention to Winnie again asking with furrowed brows. "Who are you then? And I don't want to sound rude, but can you eat real food like we students do?

**Inquisitorial Squad** · 01-25-2021, 04:32 PM

If they children thought they would get away with anything around here they were mistaken. Two hooded figures were near and stepped out of the shadows. One with his wand pointed towards the portrait which soon had a rip through it. There would be no one stepping out of line, not even portraits around here. This portrait would need to be dealt with just as students and staff had been.

"You lot have stepped out of line and it will cost you." His wand faced them and soon the one closest to the portrait (Bernie) would find that her jaw was locked so she couldn't speak. The other hooded figure took some notes and looked around the familiar faces of children they had to deal with in a few other classes.

"All of you will be going around to each portrait and pulling down any that are not purebloods. These portraits can be tossed in the empty classroom until they can be destroyed. There will be no more talking and your wands can be placed on the floor until you are done."

Waddles · 01-25-2021, 10:04 PM

Mamie remained confused. Why were they all in trouble? Kale had been the only one dancing. Was it because Bernie and that little first year were talking to the portrait? She did not understand what was wrong with that. They were probably gossiping about other portraits or something. The only thing she could possibly pinpoint as the reason the Hooded Figures were upset was that...they were gathered? She glanced around. There were an awful lot of them...maybe the Alliance folks had felt threatened by a bunch of kids. ~~How embarrassing for them if that were true.~~

She deeply regretted stopping to see what was going on...she wished she had kept walking, like that Slytherin had.

Despite not thinking they deserved any punishment, Mamie thought taking down portraits wasn’t too terrible. At least they weren’t being tortured like had happened in some of their classes. She just had two questions… Why couldn’t they use magic? It would be more efficient. Plus, Mamie was worried if she gave up her wand, they’d take it and never give it back.

And also…

“Erm, so-sorry, eh-excuse me, s-sir?” Mamie wasn’t sure she had ever talked so quietly. “H-h-h…how do we tell which portraits are purebloods or not?” Oh boy oh boy she did not want to be questioning them, but...she was willing to comply, she just needed better instructions. She was no portrait expert. Unless...maybe they wanted them to take down all the portraits. In a gesture to show she was not being purposefully defiant, she shakily drew her wand and deposited it on the ground.

See? She could ~~half~~ follow directions. No need for magical enforcement with this kid.

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