Anna dashed from the Arithmancy classroom and out into the second floor corridor. It didn't take long for her eyes to grow wide as quaffles and for her to feel panic status quickly coming on. "Holy Merlin with a trident!" she called out, noticing that there were quite a few merpeople swimming throughout the corridor. More than just a few, actually...more like a small army. Anna drew her wand and positioned it towards a few of the merpeople and the...grindylows were here, too?!?!

"Oh, heck no! This is so not happening right now! Are you freaking serious? Are. you. freaking. serious?" she called out to them. Not like they could necessarily understand her or anything, though. It just made her feel loads better to yell at them for all the chaos they'd caused.

Finally being free from these THINGS, Jule made her way to the gargoyle entrance without looking back and dragging Thomas with her. Not what she excepted for her first year here.

Cordova turned around and stared wide eyed at another first year Ravenclaw, who came tumbling down the stairs. These kids these days are so tough, he thought to himself frowning at so many people who wanted to help fight but knew so little. "May I just say," he shouted," if you don't know how to deal with Grindylows, you probably should report to your common room!" He was frustrated now and it was on his face. He was not a prefect or head student, but at least felt he had the right to boss around the first years a little. Especially if it's a life or death situation!

He shot another spell at the Grindylow that was just about to latch himself onto another younger student. "I assure you that tickling," he enunciated adding mockery towards his tone," will not stop a Gindylow from attacking you!"

Oh REEEEEALLY?

Merpeople are faster faster!!

The Merwomen shrieked with annoyance at the presence of all these ADULTS, and sped away, brandishing their tridents malevolently.

William ran down to the bottom floor, and could already see and hear students shouting, spells being cast everywhere. Quickly casting a bubblehead charm on himself in case he got completely submerged he rushed over to the action, spells already going through his head.

Wait, there were grindylows? "So we meet again you ugly little creatures. You're not going to get me this time." he said in a calm voice as he made his way over to stand beside Anna.

Trying his hardest not to ... well, not to DROWN, Clifford watched as the merpeople sped away. "I - I think they're VERY serious," the seventh year said, making his way for Greingoth who seemed to be screeching louder than the merpeople.

He didn't care that she was a bossy boots Gryffindor right now, Clifford CLUNG to her robes for dear life.

Dani walked over to the boy. "You don't know what we know, and you don't know our experiences, so bug off." She was not in the mood to deal with attitude. She had been through worse, and now some punk was tryin to tell her what to do. Nu uh. That was not how it went. She pointed her wand at him. "If you presume to boss me around again, I'm sure I can think of how to shut you up for a while."

She turned at the sound of a splash. "Stupefy!" She shot at the grindylows. "Stupefy!" These Grindylows were pesky.

Reese accidentally got left behind when everyone left the Arithmancy class, because her textbook had fallen out of her bag and she had to stop and pick it up. She was now carrying a wet textbook with her as she ran down the corridor and she stopped right next to Anna when she saw the Grindylows AND merpeople. Oh, no! HECK NO! She dropped her stuff and quickly pulled out her wand and pointed it to one of the merpeople, just like Anna was doing. "Oh....no..." That was all that came out Reese's mouth.

Thomas struggled to make them let go put ten of those creatures started biting him. He started to lose air and he couldn't cast any spells.

So...things weren't exactly great now. Gryndilows were invading the second floor as well. A nice way to make Em scared, yes. But not a reason to be a coward and not fight for his school. He wanted it back to normal. So, he rushed down from the DADA classroom and braved himself, totally putting in his mind that goal to not get himself eaten by those creatures.

EEp...eaten? Yes...that was the risk to protect Hogwarts.

"I assure YOU that if we weren't in the middle of a Crisis right now, you'd be losing points and serving a detention for your behaviour, so I suggest you watch your mouth, and pay attention before you're Merperson fodder or you drown" Caroline snapped from behind the nasty child.

She didn't want to be here and her temper was short.

Twice she had turned back to go... anywhere else.

She took a deep breath and tried not to think about...

Anything.

A grindylow! Holy Merlin, a grindylow had her by the robes! She flailed about for a moment, then flicked her wand towards the creature. "Re---Clifford! Oh, Clifford, I thought you were a...a...one of them!" she called out, her panic causing her to be at a loss of words.

Clifford couldn't swim, though, could he? That much she remembered from the day the dungeons flooded. He'd get killed if he stayed here much longer, though! She gently grabbed him by the arm and tossed him across her back. Because they were in water, their usual weight didn't count for too much. Thank Merlin, because little miss 5'2" would have never been able to toss Carden onto her back otherwise. "Paddle for us, Clifford! Kick your arms and legs!" she called out.

..and just in that manner, the Head Girl, with the Head Boy tossed across her back, made way for the Gargoyle Entrance.

Great. He was still stuck. Turnig away from the bossy boy she ran over there and kick a few of them while still randomly casting spells. She grabbed the boys hand and tried to pull him up. She wasn't very strong. She kicked a few more of them and sent another spell. She yanked on his arm again.

Where was Reese? She wasn't with him now and he was getting worried. She was supposed to be with him. After the flooding in the Arithmancy class, he was getting overly cautious. The flooding was getting worse and Reese might have been left behind and in danger now.

Then he saw her. And Merpeople and Grindylows. "What the bloody hell is going on here?" he asked as he reached her.

And there was Bunbury. If anything happened to her or Reese, he was going to lose it. He gripped his wand in his hand tightly.

Cyrus was further investing those suits of armor he had investigated with Varius way earlier in the year. That was when he heard splashes, yells, and odd voices. His brown eyes widening, he whipped out that Kelpie cored wand and sprinted in the direction of the disturbance.

There was Anna, and Reese. The Head Boy was even there too, obviously, this was the place to be. Especially since Cy was in attendance as well.

“SHRIVILUPPPP-OHHH!!! The first year yelled as he brandished his wand, at the merpeople. His wand simply banged unpleasantly in his face, and started smoking at the end.

"You really think this is the time to yell at one another? Grindylows flying from left to right, attacking us, and you'd rather have a quarrel with me," his voice was calm although his face bore a twisted expression. "You've got guts kid! First of all, once upon a time I was a first year. So let me correct you," he glared, "yes I do know what you've gone through. Secondly," he took a step closer towards her," don't make haste out of your wand when you don't even know how to use it properly. I mean really it hasn't even been a full year yet."

He raised his eyebrow and smirked at the little one with her wand raised as if she was some threat. He huffed brushing off his school robes and lifting them so didn't get wet anymore.

Quote:

"I assure YOU that if we weren't in the middle of a Crisis right now, you'd be losing points and serving a detention for your behaviour, so I suggest you watch your mouth, and pay attention before you're Merperson fodder or you drown" Caroline snapped from behind the nasty child.

She didn't want to be here and her temper was short.

Twice she had turned back to go... anywhere else.

She took a deep breath and tried not to think about...

Anything.

"Sure Madam," he barked back now realizing who had just spoke and with the turn of his head towards her, his expression remained the same. It was apparent that every one was flustered including himself and although the worst of the worst seemed to be over, his mood remained the safe. He shuffled through the puddles and away from the incident before he could do anything else wrong.

The water was scary. Really scary. If it got any stronger or deeper, Clifford Carden was officially a GONER. Oh, but Mss Caroline was over there! She wouldn't let him die --

"Wooaaaah!" Clifford's eyes almost popped out of his skull at Greingoth's actions. He was ... on her back. On her back and currently clinging on for dear life. ick his arms and legs!? That would require letting go, and that was a big NO NO!

"Go after them! Faaaster!" The seventh year squealed - a MANLY squeal - and urged Anna faster along the corridor, bravely letting of the deathly grip he'd had around her neck to flail a little.

She was like his horsey.

Reese was panicking. Oh, yes. Panicking! She was thinking of all the worst things that could happen right at this very moment. She kept her wand pointed at the merpeople and grindylows. Seeing Anna and Clifford head off towards the Gargoyle's, she quickly picked her bag up. She turned around and started towards them, not even mindng that she was leaving her Arithmancy book.

Then, Torin and Cy appeared. "Come on guys," she called out. She pointed towards Anna and Clifford. "I'm following them," she stated. With that, she took off after the two Prefects.

Daniel was following the older students to the second floor. He was fourth year alright, but he knows in his heart, he is able to fight.

When he reached the site, flashes were everywhere. And wetness. Then he heard Professor Lawson said to pull back towards the Gargoyle entrance of the Headmaster's Office.

He then followed that order and waited for further orders.

Dani followed. She had a feeling he'd need more help. She kicked grindylows away as she chased after him. Why were tall guys so fast? She looked back, that bossy boy was giving Miss Avalon a nasty look. Not very smart of him. But she had other things to think about.

Feeling confused as to what was going on with all the commotion, he decided that it was best to just listen to Reese and follow her, Anna and Clifford.

"Right behind you," he called out as he ran off after her and the others. He was glad that he was in pretty good shape.

Anna winced as she pushed her way through the water. Lugging Carden along, especially on her back, was proving to be quite the challenge. Was he paddling, though...or kicking? If he was, she couldn't feel any obvious difference in the speed they were traveling.

...and he wanted to go faster? "Paddle, Clifford! Kick for us!" she called out, a bit of the water going into her mouth. Eww. She coughed it out, then pushed throughout the water a little more. She saw Cy just up ahead. Reese and Torin were nearby, too. At least everyone seemed to be headed in the direction Professor Lawson had sent them in.

"Draw your wand, Clifford! If a merperson or grindylow attacks, you'll have to defend us! I'm a bit...tied up at the moment," she said, wincing again at how hard it was for her to drag him throughout the water while attempting to stay away from tridents and spears and grindylows, oh my! Anna pushed on until she left the second floor corridor and entered the gargoyle entrance area.

Thomas felt better after a minute so he again started walking towards the gargoyle's entrance. When he got to the entrance he opened the door and he took a deep breath.

There were some adults here, and some older children who seemed to be in charge of the others and knew what they were doing. The merman didn't like that. He liked a lot of chaos and confusion like there had been before. He shook his trident in frustration as he swam through the shallow waters of the second floor corridor.

As Arethusa said, the water was drained out, the injuries healed, and everything was restored to normal.