Grounds: The Pathways

[Wilber Winterbottom]

A set of paths, some stone, most dirt, link the wooden bridge to almost every other area of the Hogwarts grounds. You will more than likely use these pathways at some point to reach your grounds-based classes, to visit other outdoor locations, or simply to take a walk and clear your head. This is a quiet area of the grounds with the soft sound of leaves rustling in the wind or lightly crunching below your feet. Doesn't the air just seem fresher around here somehow?

Walk with a friend, sit and relax on one of the many benches placed in intervals along the numerous pathway routes, climb a nearby tree, take a moment to appreciate the great outdoors in this breathtaking part of the country. Just be careful not to trip on loose stones or roots as you go. The groundskeeper does what he can to keep the pathways maintained, but he can only do so much.

[The Narrator]

The pathways were looking a little drab. The once rich brown dirt paths have turned a gloomy gray. The vibrant green grass surrounding the paths is now a dull charcoal. Even the towering trees have turned monochrome, their leaves muted to gray.

Not even the tiniest root or loose stone has been spared. Everything has turned gray, as far as the eye can see throughout the grounds.

[Nordic Witch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Narrator

The pathways were looking a little drab. The once rich brown dirt paths have turned a gloomy gray. The vibrant green grass surrounding the paths is now a dull charcoal. Even the towering trees have turned monochrome, their leaves muted to gray.

Not even the tiniest root or loose stone has been spared. Everything has turned gray, as far as the eye can see throughout the grounds.

Rose ran blindly out on the grounds after seeing herself in the mirror just a few minutes ago in the lions den, and getting a huge shock. She looked all GRAY, and not in a good way. Everything from her hair to her skin to her clothes had taken on the tone of old grandma monochrome gray, and she was just 14 years old. Rose felt her tears start to stream down her face in distress as she slided into the pathways.

Stopping to sit down on the dirt path, and weep she noted that everything around her from the tress to the grass looked as dismal as she herself felt. "What is happening to me?" She called out, looking pleadingly up at the sky for answers. "Someone please help me?" Rose begged out to whomever was out there.

[Holmesian Feline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordic Witch

Rose ran blindly out on the grounds after seeing herself in the mirror just a few minutes ago in the lions den, and getting a huge shock. She looked all GRAY, and not in a good way. Everything from her hair to her skin to her clothes had taken on the tone of old grandma monochrome gray, and she was just 14 years old. Rose felt her tears start to stream down her face in distress as she slided into the pathways.

Stopping to sit down on the dirt path, and weep she noted that everything around her from the tress to the grass looked as dismal as she herself felt. "What is happening to me?" She called out, looking pleadingly up at the sky for answers. "Someone please help me?" Rose begged out to whomever was out there.

They had been busy.

Once Ean and he and finished brainstorming just what ideas they could come up with for their solution to the current lack of color, there had been much activity in making said mixtures, bottling them up into various sprayable containers after collecting every conceivable option around. Now was just the matter of spreading everything and everyone affected. They were going to be getting a little creative in hopes to improve everyone’s mood while they improved their bleached out situation. Outdoors for the time being in case they needed to work out more kinks.

Carrying a box of sprayers out to the grounds by way of the pathways to set plans in motion, Marcus came across a fourth year Gryffindor girl who DEFINITELY was one of his target audience. And in time to hear her askance for help. “Well Ms. Snakebark…” he began to make his presence known as he approached, not wanting to scare her further. Especially since while he had tested some of their solution on areas of himself as a test and managed to at least halt the spread, he still showed some affect of the discoloration as a control. “We’re still not sure what’s causing things…but we’ve come up with a solution to help.”

[Charely Potter]

Ean came with Marcus and an army of sorts. The house-elf kind, who have been feeling overly responsible for the issue, which wasn't their fault. It seemed right to have them help with resolving the problem. Ean however, may have taken this into a sort of delight as he came donning a bandana around his head.

"Professor Cole is right, Miss Snakebark. There's no need to worry any longer, a cure has been found. " As he took out a supply of super-soakers from his and Professor Leroy's Muggle supplies. They filled up the solution in water-guns. "The cure has been diluted into a water-base solution, that works by being sprayed by it. No touching required. Allow us to demonstrate." He said, taking one of them aiming at the nearest tree that was gray. "Annnd.. fire!" Letting the solution shoot out in watery form the tree looked as if it was being painted, but in fact the colour was returning!

"If you don't mind getting your hair wet today, then we'll be happy to spray the solution over you next." One of the side effects of the cure, you'll need to dry off after... eventually. "Once your colour is back, you can join us in restoring everyone and everywhere else!" Because who wouldn't want to shoot water around? It was all for a good time.

[FearlessLeader19]

Word travelled quickly at Hogwarts, or at least this was Dhruv’s opinion. This sort of news could not have been a better one given the current state of the castle and its occupants. They arrived at the Pathways to join the small group gathered there at the moment Ean mentioned joining in helping to restore everyone. Which meant… indeed the cure had worked. “Hope I’m not too late to join the chaos and fun,’’ they said by way of announcing themself.


”Me either!’’ a voice piped up after Professor Khanna’s. This voice belonged to Ary who was picking his way towards his professors and friend. Oh yeah, Bry was right there beside him, the girlfriend being one of his shadows. The Slytherin was super curious because what was this about ‘fun’ he had seen on his House’s noticeboard? He eyed the water guns, which were clearly a feature of said fun. “I don’t look forward to catching a cold though,’’ he continued, eyes on Professor Feirgrund.

[Nordic Witch]

Sitting on the ground in the dreadful looking pathways Rose was thinking sad, distressed thoughts, tears still kept running down her face as she heard a professor's voice. Spooked Rose tumbled backwards with fear shooting through her body until the herbology professor came into view. Trying to get her heart rate and pulse to slow with deep breaths she nodded at him. "I see, Professor Cole," Rose manged to get out between breath's as she held her gaze on her weirdly coloured herbology professor. "I'm infected too." It was probably plainly obvious considering her appearance but right now she wasn't able to manage any other word's.

Moment's later Professor Feirgrund, and an army of elves arrived to the clearing with what appeared to be water guns? Confused she watched silently as she her charms professor and healer shot the water cure right at one of the dismal looking trees, soaking it. In seconds it's colour began to come back. Feeling hope rise in her chest Rose nodded to Professor Feirgrund, rising up on her wobbly feet. "Yes, please soak me from head to toe in the cure Professor Feirgrund. I wan't to feel like myself again, and I want to help." Rose could help with restoring the forest, and everyone else when she felt like normal again.

Within minutes their little group grew bigger as Professor Khanna joined them aong with her friends; Ary and Bry. To her friends Rose shot tear streaked smiles their ways "I'm sorry for not joining you guys at study sessions and hogsmeade outings...I didn't want to spook you guys with my fading appearance....I thought it best to be alone..."

[Holmesian Feline]

Marcus swallowed as the girl started at his words and appearance, obviously having been lost in her emotions and surprised. “Sorry…” he got out as she recovered herself before Ean added his own assurances on their cure. Complete with a demonstration on the effects of their work which certainly seemed to brighten Miss Snakebark’s expression even before she eagerly agreed to be helped and assist in return. Since she gave Ean permission, he left his collegue to it, resting the overflowing box in his grasp on the ground for easy grabbing only to turn back when more arrivals joined the fray.

“Of course not…” Marcus remarked to Dhruv with a smile. “Right on time for everything.” And look…more students had taken notice of his…well notice. “The more the merrier, Mr. Atryeu Rehman.” The professor chuckled softly at the mention of colds. “Don’t worry…we won’t drown anyone and the sun is cooperating to dry everything and everyone out.” It wouldn’t do to cure them of one situation and have them all in the hospital wing with the sniffles afterwards.

“May I?” he questioned, grabbing a spray of his own and waiting for permission rather than startling the boy if he wasn’t ready.

[Charely Potter]

Jan was here too! Having been gray for the longest time, he was there to see his godfather test the solution out on himself, Professor Cole, and the younger Ravenclaw student before he got it too. "It's true, it really works. Look at me!" He could just about dance in happiness, though the wet solution messed up his hairstyle, but it was a small price to pay. It could be styled back to normal later anyway. "Wait, allow me, Professors!" Smiling at the chance to help his friends. "Get ready!" Taking the supersoaker, he pumped up the solution before aiming right at Rose, which may have sprinkled off onto Ary and Bry too. Woopsie. This thing sure was powerful.


Ean was feeling quite pleased with all the arrivals, as he smiled in the direction of the students with Dhruv. Before he could obliged with Ms. Snakebark's request, one of his kiddos decided to step in. "Don't get too carried away with it, Master Grunt!" He warned. The water blast could knock smaller ones off their feet. But like Professor Cole said, the sun would keep them warm enough to enjoy the treatment. "As soon as your colour has returned, you can come over and grab a Supersoaker and spray to your hearts content. Let's bring Hogwarts back to life!" Especially their common room area, it was missing that fiery warmth from the desaturated look.

[PhoenixRising]

Emma was feeling defeated. The fifteen year old lived in a world of colour, so these past few months where everything seemed so drab had been especially challenging for the blonde. Particularly when it came to quidditch and potion brewing. The latter especially difficult to know if she was brewing things correctly. At least with quidditch, although not able to see a giant red ball when playing quidditch, she knew enough of the sport that she was still able to fair somewhat decently. Even when she had to fill in as seeker for Charles, she was pleasantly surprised to find how effortless it'd been.

But she was over the dullness. At least she had an imagination which she'd been using to the fullest extent to shade in the black-and-white.

Hearing the commotion out on the grounds was enough to lift Emma's spirits as she found some friends and professors out there. With what seemed to be supersoakers?

"Wait. What? In my head everything is still colour, but I'd like for my actual vision to match my imagination... so uh, someone please spray me" She wasn't concerned with the safety so much, she doubted professors would be condoning an unsafe antidote to the dullness. Right?

[FearlessLeader19]

Poor Rose. Ary reached out to pat her on a shoulder. “It’s okay. But you didn’t really have to worry since we were all off colour.” Not to mention the Castle and its inanimate objects within. Still patting Rose’s shoulder, he laughed quietly. “I’m not worried, Professor.” Not with Jan’s God dad right there if Ary should catch a cold, anyway. Speaking of one third of his trio of besties… there was Jan all restored albeit the weird ‘hairstyle’. Being in close proximity to Rose, when the other guy took aim at her, some of the solution hit him too, catching him on his exposed skin and bits of his clothing. “I think Jan’s got me covered, Professor Cole.” Sure enough, colour began appearing, spreading over him rapidly. The Slytherin was delighted. “Finally!’’ he exclaimed with glee, and held up a hand to high five Jan.

Ary, following Professor Feirgrund’s instructions, grabbed a Supersoaker. He was one hundred percent ready to bring Hogwarts back to life! “So, do we split up to cover more ground?” Did the students get to go by themselves or did they have to have a professor with them?


“Excellent! I wouldn’t want to miss it,” Dhruv replied to Marcus, grinning a bit. Not when things were finally going to be restored to normal, just in time for them all to go home to an exciting summer. They studied Rose who was obviously distraught about the situation but at least she had a friend comforting her. They caught Ean’s smile and returned one before watching the actions unfolding before them. Dhruv felt exactly as Aryan felt; all that dull appearance was being done away with. Not intending on being left out of the excitement, they too grabbed one of the Supersoakers. They didn’t have to go far to find their first ‘victim’. “Brace yourself, Ms. Montmorency!” Dhruv sent some of the solution her way. Colour should be going her way very soon.

[Kolyander]

Where was Bryony Paton during all of this? Standing right near Aryan of course. Just slightly behind him and to his left. So everything that was being said about their color returning from whatever was in those supersoakers, hadn't gone unheard. They would be themselves once more! She wouldn't have to be confused about the clothing she was wearing and whether or not it all matched. Look at everyone getting their color back! Bry gently gave Ary's arm an excited shake. "This is great!"

The Slytherin would happily wait for her turn to be sprayed with water or whatever that was. A potion of some sorts maybe? Either way, she was ready! And she didn't have to wait long. Jan sure had great aim, didn't he? When he sprayed Rose, he not only got her but also Ary and Bry. Some of the water got her directly in the face! "Heeeeey!" she giggled, wiping the water from her face with her sleeve.

Her normal color very slowly began to return revealing bright red overalls and a pink shirt. Not exactly perfect.. but it had been close. "I'm ready to help now too!" Right? She was good to help now that she was herself again.

[The Narrator]

The drab look of the grounds seemed to be fading, thanks to the efforts of everyone spraying. Droplets of the solution dripped down from everyone to the soil where it began to spread from the grounds towards the castle itself. Let there be colour!

[Holmesian Feline]

Well before got a chance for an answer from the Slytherin, his fellow 4th year snake managed to get him with his other target. Marcus truly couldn’t help chuckle at the enthusiasm, which certainly an improvement of moods to go with the color saturation. Besides, Ean was already covering the warning to not go too overboard. Hopefully they wouldn’t let the water fight get too out of control.

Now at Aryan’s question the herbology professor briefly looked to his collegues as he thought how best to go about things, Dhruv taking care of their latest arrival. “How about in pairs at least…” he answered finally, hoping they would help keep an eye on each other. “And be sure to avoid spraying anything that would be adversely affected by getting wet such as food, parchment and books.” He was still working on a solution for those areas specifically in case the magic didn’t spread to it all naturally.

“As such, the library is off limits" he added. Surely they would understand his protectiveness and sense of duty over the area of his responsibility. “Grab extras to share with others you pass or send them our way if you run out.”