With curiosity (and more than a little dash of recklessness) leading the way, Bria and Avalon have hopped the fence and are on the cusp of venturing into the Shrieking Shack. Determined (and maybe a little delusional) to uncover its secrets and, more importantly, spot some nests and make friends with the feathered locals. But will they find roosting crows and cozy hideaways, or something far more unsettling lurking in the creaking shadows? One thing’s for sure: the shack isn’t as empty as it seems…

Text Cut: the story thus far, a Hogsmeade weekend in the 2115-2116 school term

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSnapesGirl

There were many things on Avalon's list of things she wanted to do at Hogwarts, and exploring the Shrieking Shack was DEFINITELY high up on that list.

It had been difficult to find time for all the things she wanted to do between all the lessons and homework and other boring school stuff. Oh, and drama club! That, at least, was a fun way to spend her time. Plus there were some things that she figured might be better left for some time in the future, when she knew more spells and potions and other stuff that might help her accomplish what she wanted.

BUT she still wanted to do SOMETHING cool and awesome for her first year at Hogwarts. So she had settled on the Shrieking Shack.

The Gryffindor scrambled up the pathway to the shack, stopping only once she reached the fence. It sure looked all sad and decrepit and maybe a little creepy, but it didn't look THAT scary or haunted. Aside from the darkness lingering behind the boarded up windows and the whistling of the wind whipping through the boards and the...creaking sound that seemed to be coming from inside...

It was fine. She wasn't even a LITTLE bit scared. Yes, she was.

Avalon brushed her hair out of her face, ignoring any instinct telling her to run in the opposite direction, and then jumped up, attempting to climb over the fence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Bria had always been curious about the Shrieking Shack, but more in the way she was curious about an abandoned nest - intriguing, but best left undisturbed. Still, when Avalon mentioned wanting to check it out, Bria hadn’t hesitated to tag along. She might not have shared the same reckless sense of adventure, but she wasn’t about to let her dormmate wander into a supposedly haunted building alone. Besides, what if there were bats in there? Or owls? Or, even better, crows? She LOVED crows.

The wind howled as they approached, sending a shiver down Bria’s spine. Not from fear. obviously, but because it really was chilly out here and her scarf had come loose around her neck. The Shrieking Shack loomed ahead, crooked and weather-worn, its boarded-up windows casting deep, hollow shadows that certainly gave off the impression that the place was abandoned, but also… not. Like a place that remembered things.

As Avalon reached the fence and sized up her climb, Bria hung back for a moment, hugging her arms around herself. "I dunno, Avalon," she murmured, eyeing the house with a mixture of caution and intrigue. "It's got a real badger’s den when the mum’s still inside kind of vibe, ya know?" But Avalon was already hauling herself up, brushing her hair back like she wasn't about to enter a possibly cursed, definitely off-limits ruin herself.

Because...like...there were probably loads of nests inside the building...and maybe some crows roosting as well...

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSnapesGirl

"But that's what makes it interesting!" insisted Avalon, just as she hauled herself up with a huff, swinging a leg over. She balanced on the fence for a few moments, her breaths appearing in the cold air like little ghosts. "'Cause if it was just an empty den, then there'd be nothing worth checking out."

And with that, she swung her other leg over and slid to the ground. It wasn't that far of a fall, but a slick, icy spot on the ground caused her to stumble. Her arms flailed for a few seconds before she regained her balance - at which time, she threw her hands in the air like a gymnast who had successfully completed a trick.

She turned back to look at Bria with a grin. "C'mon! Bet there's gotta be a cool bird or something in-"

A twig snapped nearby, somewhere around the shack. Avalon froze, glancing back at it. That was...probably the very bird or some other creature that she was talking about, right? Probably something cool and...and not at all scary...

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Bria sighed, shifting her weight. Because... like... there were probably loads of nests inside the building... and maybe some crows roosting as well... or perhaps a whole parliament of owls on break from delivering the post.

She had been just about to roll her eyes fondly at Avalon's theatrics when the sharp snap of a twig cut through the crisp air. Bria's head snapped toward the shack, her grip tightening on the fence. "That... was probably a bird," she offered, though the way her voice tilted at the end made it clear she wasn't entirely convinced. Wishful thinking was still perfectly practical thinking, however! Her breath curled in front of her as she hesitated, peering toward the shadows. "Or, you know, something not a bird."

Bria swallowed, forcing a nervous grin as she glanced at her friend. "W-well... guess there's only one way to find out!" she chirped, voice light but not quite steady. She exhaled sharply - more for her own sake than anything else - before swinging her leg over the fence - though not with nearly as much the same pizzaz as her friend - and dropping down beside Avalon. Her boots crunched against the frost-bitten ground, and she shot Avalon a look that was half determination, half please let this not be something horrible, half positively enthralled with the sense of adventure being nurtured between them - which was too many halves but who was actually counting?

"Lead the way," she said, tugging her scarf a little tighter around her neck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSnapesGirl

There was a touch of relief when Bria voiced the thought that Avalon was trying and failing to convince herself was true. She let out a slow breath, trying to force her shoulders to relax. "Yeah," she agreed, "like maybe a...fox or something." In relation to if it wasn't a bird. Perfectly normal and not scary if it was a cute little fox and not...y'know something ACTUALLY scary like a banshee.

It did help her relax just a bit more once her friend was on the same side of the fence as she was. For the first time, she was super, super grateful that Bria had decided to join her. Avalon had originally assumed she would be doing this alone, and she had originally thought she'd be perfectly fine with it. But now, facing the creepy old shack in person, she knew in the back of her mind that she probably would've backed out by now if she were alone. She'd certainly still say she'd done it, but she'd feel lousy about herself on the inside and no one would ever know.

There was no backing out now though - even if, deep down, she was sure Bria wouldn't think less of her if she did. But Avalon was a Gryffindor, and her Hufflepuff brother Tal had gone into the Forbidden Forest of all places and lived to tell the tale, and if he could do that, then she HAD to do this.

It was gonna be fine! Hopefully.

And so lead the way she did, her eyes focusing straight ahead in an effort to keep herself moving. If she looked around, she might see something that would make her pause, and she couldn't afford any more hesitation. She marched right up to the boarded up door, cupping her hands around her eyes to peer through a crack between boards.

"Can't see much in there," she commented, before pulling back. "Let's see if we can pull these off?" She grabbed the edge of one of the boards and gave it a tug. The shack creaked - the sound seeming amplified in the crisp, quiet air - but otherwise the wooden board remained unmoved.

characters
Avalon Danes : AlwaysSnapesGirl
Briallen Ashburry-Hawthorne : sweetpinkpixie