The rest of the Slytherin's climbed into the common-room, but something caught Amber's eye.
It seemed to be a seperate passage, secret maybe.
It intrigued Amber, so she decided to step through.
The passage was rather long, she wasn't sure whether to go throug its depths.
Amber looked back, and decided to go through here another day with Acalia.

"Aaargh!" Annabell screamed. "That's too scary!"

She half ran, half stumbled away from the creepy passage. Eek!

Varius tiptoed to the secret passage off the dungeon corridor. It was awesome being a Hufflepuff because you were on ground level anyway, so if you needed to sneak out past curfew (like Varius was tonight) you had this lovely passage or the entire, not very well lit, dungeons. Not to mention if you go UPstairs, it's much easier to run away going down the stairs in a bid to escape than to be hill climbing.

BUT ANYWAY. Varius wasn't really one to break rules and he probably wouldn't be out of bed, out of hours if he hadn't owled Professor Bunbury and asked her to meet him here. He was certainly surprised when she obliged, but he had said the situation was life or death in the owl... it wasn't entirely true, but this was what he was preventing! Right?

He paced the the passage, nervous, jumping at every little sound, scared it was another Professor or a prefect who was going to catch him out, deduct a million points and send him off to his bed - not only would this whole venture be pointless, but he would have lost precious beauty sleep in the process!!!

Where was she? He asked himself impatiently, staring down at his watch. 30 seconds late! For Merlin's sake! Did this woman have no shameeeee?

Varius Tipps was a shifty little boy, between biting Bunbury's hand one day and owling her with an urgent matter the next. Needless to say, however, Bunz could not ignore such an owl. It was a matter of life and death, after all! Life. And. DEATH. And he'd chosen to owl her of all people!

Shifffffftyyyyy.

It was thus with a cautious gait that the redhead entered this.... odd little dungeon passage to meet with Tipps. How come she had never noticed it before? Not that Annie really had any reason to go lurking around the dungeons... and it had been kind of wet down here last year...

"Tipps!" Bunbury whisssspered as she looked around a corner carefully. "Where are you, boy?"

It was kind of dark down here.

Walking down to the dungeons, JD knows the potions classroom is down here somewhere. I'm gonna be late! seeing a passage go off into the dark, he wonders if maybe it's done there.

Taking out his wand, he wishes he knew what it was that made it light up. He'd seen older students do it, but he had no idea. Walking into the dark, he shakes his wand "Light up!" he says furiously.

He heard someone moving out in the corridor. He didn't want to stick his head out in case it was someone other than the red-headed Professor he had invited here, so stayed still. Varius had made sure to give her clear, accurate instructions on how to gain access to this particular part of the castle, so if it really was her she shouldn't have too much trouble.

Watching the entrance closely, he noted a glimmer of red hair revealed by some escaped light and then the whisssperrrrr.

It was her alright.

"BOO!" He jumped out from the very back of the passage where he had been concealing himself, right in front of the Professor - trying not to laugh too hard. He couldn't tell whether or not he had given the woman a fright, but it was still fun.

"Professor Bunbury," he said reaching up to rub her head, but in the darkness that consumed them, this proved difficult. He had went a journey over the woman's face. Her mouth (don't wanna get too close to that in case she decided to get her own back), her nose (rather big wasn't it? Opps, did he just go up her nostril?), eyeball (SQUISHYYYYY). AHH! HAIR! *PETPETPETRUBRUBRUB*

"Thanks for coming to meet me. I know your also breaking rules for condoning this, but I do appreciate it," he said with the utmost sincerity. Varius was a very honest young chap afterall, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leeness

He heard someone moving out in the corridor. He didn't want to stick his head out in case it was someone other than the red-headed Professor he had invited here, so stayed still. Varius had made sure to give her clear, accurate instructions on how to gain access to this particular part of the castle, so if it really was her she shouldn't have too much trouble.

Watching the entrance closely, he noted a glimmer of red hair revealed by some escaped light and then the whisssperrrrr.

It was her alright.

"BOO!" He jumped out from the very back of the passage where he had been concealing himself, right in front of the Professor - trying not to laugh too hard. He couldn't tell whether or not he had given the woman a fright, but it was still fun.

"Professor Bunbury," he said reaching up to rub her head, but in the darkness that consumed them, this proved difficult. He had went a journey over the woman's face. Her mouth (don't wanna get too close to that in case she decided to get her own back), her nose (rather big wasn't it? Opps, did he just go up her nostril?), eyeball (SQUISHYYYYY). AHH! HAIR! *PETPETPETRUBRUBRUB*

"Thanks for coming to meet me. I know your also breaking rules for condoning this, but I do appreciate it," he said with the utmost sincerity. Varius was a very honest young chap afterall, right?

"EEEEETIPPS!" Bunz squeaked, all-a-flutter at the sight of the Hufflepuff popping out. With his white-blond hair and SHIFTY-ness, MERLIN! He could have been a ghost!

She clutched her jacket tighter to herself and then tried not to move as the oddball child proceeded to approach her and... and what was this?? A full-body cavity search of her FACE?????!!?! How outrageous! Awkward! WRONG!

"That was my NOSE you insufferable little.... just.... let me return the greeting..." She tried not to scream at the fact that a child had just germ-ified her sparkling hair and instead reached a pointy polished hand out toward the kid.

RuffleruffleTUGTUGyankruffle. There. Bunbury had sufficiently yanked out a few roots here and there in greeting Varius' head. "Had to make sure it was you," she told him sweetly, taking a step back from the Puff and smoothing out her jacket. At least he seemed to use conditioner.

"So what's the life-and-death matter we're here about, hmm?" Please, something not involving more hair-ruffling face-grabbing.

Hearing two other people in the passage with him, he gasps, and slinks up against the wall. Edging down the passage, hoping to find the door, hopefully to the potions classroom, JD tries not to make any noise.

Varius didn't seem to take any notice of Bunbury's disapproval of his greeting and was more than happy to accept a retaliation head rub (because who wouldn't be, right?). However, it was not enjoyable at all! It was mean, hard, TUGGY. Was that air circling in his head?! Did he have a bald patch now? Had this woman bared his scalp?! His eyes watered slightly from the tug, but he tried to man it off - she couldn't see him in this darkness, right? And he couldn't go off on her for her harshness, not if he wanted her co-operation.

OH RIGHT! The reason why they were here in the first place.

He made way to go talk to her when he heard a rustling down the other end of the passage. He didn't dare share his plans when potential eavesdroppers were about. What on Earth were they doing out at Midnight? Maybe they knew what he was up to and was following him about. EEEEEKKK. GOAWAYCREEP!

"Professor," he whispered as quietly as he could, "I think we have company."

Bunbury heard a slight scuffling and then... was that.... someone was BREATHING on HER?!!

Never mind, it was just Tipps. Trying not to cling to the Hufflepuff too too much, Bunz peeled her eyes and looked for an intruder to their TOP SECRET MIDNIGHT MEETING.

"Who else would DARE to be out after curfew this time of night?" she stated loudly and bluntly. "I mean, ONLY YOU, Vairus Tipps, have permission from ME, your esteemed Herbology professor, to BE OUT OF BED past CURFEW."

She cleared her throat loudly and glanced around the secret passage, trying to see the 'company' Varius mentioned. Not noticing anyone right away, Bunbury continued with her effort to scare the alleged eavesdropper away.

"If I DID happen to find someone - other than you, of course - LURKING in this dungeon passage PAST CURFEW," hemhem, "then WHOEVER IT IS would SURELY get a YEAAAAAAR'S WORTH OF DETENTIONS from ME."

There. That should scare him/her/it/the eavesdropper off, now that Bunbury's voice was scratchy and all from yodeling like Berty the Borr. "Do you really think someone's here spying on us?" she whispered much more quietly to Varius. "Should we go somewhere else? Is it that important?"

Isn'ttt she loveeeelyyyyyyyyy, isn't she Bunzerrrrrfulllll. Varius liked a woman in authority, and she handled the situation wonderfully. Surely, someone SANE wouldn't stick around after being given such a free pass? He also kind of liked the fact that he had permission to break the rules. Kinda. Sorta. *BEAM*

Varius considered her question for a moment, "No we shouldn't need to move." He removed his wand and pointed it at the other end of the passage. "Muffliato," there, no one down that end would be able to work out what they were discussing.

Right, ermmmm, how to ask what he was going to ask. "So, I may have over-exaggerated the seriousness of this meeting, but it is still important. Still, very important," he tried to assure her, not wanting her to think he was wasting her time.

He took a letter from his robes and handed it over to Bunz. "This letter is from my Mother. She has reservations about two werewolves being staffed at the school, and as a result she keeps owling me advice. Survival 'Tipps', if you will."

"As you can read, she wants me to set up a group... to help people... like me. Who, you know, aren't comfortable with werewolves teaching... Just a group where people can meet up, express their concerns privately and confidentially... But, I don't want Lupa or the Headmaster to know about it... and, I need headquarters... a place to host the club and since it's obvious you and Professor Lupa don't see eye to eye, I thought you would be most receptive of the idea."

He took his moment of silence, staring into the dark to where he believed the Professor's eyes would be. This could turn out really good, or it could turn out really bad. This would be the second Professor who would now know his beliefs on the matter - but he had to fess up in order to get things done! He needed to make Mama Tipps proud!

Ah, muffliato. That would take care of things. Bunbury nodded approval of Varius' spell casting, even though students really weren't supposed to use magic outside of classrooms....ah.... never mind. He couldn't see her nod in the dark anyway.

Raising a brow as she heard some parchment ruffle and then found herself holding a letter, Bunz lit the tip of her wand to read. "Survival Tipps... hmm...." she mused, scanning through the letter quickly. Her brow furrowed the more she read, though this Serena Vlax certainly had some good points.

"A group to help people," Anastasia stated at last, looking up. "And you are thinking.... that the greenhouses could work as a place for such a group? A place for students to share their concerns about not feeling safe around werewolves?"

Dangerous, filthy, LOVER wolves. Hmm. It wasn't that Bunz was ever afraid of the creatures, it was more the fact that she couldn't directly control them herself. She couldn't compete with a werewolf. She was no animagus or dark creature hunter, unfortunately.

The redhead's eyes were cool and calculating for a moment as she pondered what Varius was asking. It was true that she hardly saw eye-to-eye with that mongrel of a woman, but sponsoring such a club or whatever could cost Annie her job. And she kind of had a reason to remain at Hogwarts.

"Would this group be something... educational? What would you DO in these meetings or whatever, Tipps?" Because Bunz was not gonna host weretherapy sessions in her greenhouses.

When Professor Bunbury was going through the letter from his Mum, Varius was rocking back and forth on his heels. It was a looooonggg letter, so would take a couple of minutes to get through and Varius was just an impatient sort of guy. It didn't help that long silences and moments of doing NOTHING, seemed to be a green light to his body to all of a sudden fill his bladder up to the brim, in turn making him desperate for the loo.

He held back, not wanting to abandon this little shindig until he got what he came here for, so settled for crossing his legs and praying to Merlin he could hold it in. OHLOOK! She was done. THANKKKKKKKKKKKKKGAWDDD.

It didn't relieve the sensation of full-bladder syndrome, but it helped move things along. However, whilst he couldn't see Bunbury's face, he could tell she wasn't all that convinced and it seemed he would have to pitch the idea in an even bigger light - make her believe this truly was the best solution to all problems on Earth... like lack of available toilets in secret dungeon passageways during illegal midnight meetings with ones Herbology Professor... just putting that out there...

"Well, yeh. You have plenty of greenhouses available, it would be your territory and you would have the magical ability, at least, to determine who gains access. I can't use an abandoned classroom in fear of getting caught and I am afraid the room of requirement has become far more popular than one would like when trying to instigate something such as this."

That seemed reasonable? Professional? Business-like?

Was that dripping water? Drip, drip, drip.

OHHHMANNNN, he needed to peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Her last statement grabbed his attention away from his pounding bladder, though. There was something about the way that she asked if it would be educational or not that seemed as if she were hinting to him it ought to be... it was maybe that Varius was just imagining the whole thing because his bladder had probably swollen so much it was now invading his brain, but he could have swornnnn it was a hint of sorts... maybe... probably... maybe not.

Drip, drip, drip.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

"Well, it could be educational. Learn what werewolves were, how they work, what is... best... used... for against them. Defense. Distraction. Their favourite... foods perhaps..." his pulsating bladder was making it difficult to talk. Why oh why did Bunbury have to take so long when reading that letter, he was going to pee his pants Clifford Carden style for sure if he didn't get to a toilet soon! He began hopping on the spot, his legs remaining crossed to see if that helped any. It didn't, but shhhh.

Hmmmmm.

The greenhouses WERE Bunbury's territory. She COULD determine who would and wouldn't be allowed access — certainly no filthly little CATNAPPERS would be allowed in. Good points, Tipps.

Nodding once again to show her agreement and forgetting that it was still dark, Bunbury was suddenly hit by the blanket of quiet surrounding the place.... except for that dripdripdrip sound... and Tipps' explanation.

"All right, Varius, you may use a greenhouse for your little educational group." Emphasis on educational. "Greenhouse Three should work, as long as no one touches the plants. And I'll man the door to see who gets in and out."

So they had an accord. GOOD. Now Bunz could get the heck out of this creepy corridor. "Oh, Tipps, when are you planning on holding the first meeting? And how will you let... interested pupils... know about the meetings if we're keeping it quiet?"

He could have jumped for joy when she agreed to let him have a greenhouse, but stayed as still as possible in fear of self-imploding with the pressure STILL coming from his bladder. But the meeting hadn't stopped there like he had assumed, since Professor Bunbury was asking questions - questions he hadn't even properly thought about!

"I think the first meeting will be in a couple of weeks... i'll tell interested people where to go and have a method of communication settled by then so that people are aware of future W.O.L.F meetings."

W.O.L.F - he had just thought it up there and then. And what it stood for was rather quite appropriate.

"I will make sure to owl you a final date tomorrow so that you know when to prepare for - I need to check my shedule, you see. I still haven't memorised my timetable and we're a month in," he shook his head at himself in disbelief.

"Oh, Professor. Whilst you on bodyguard is very relieving," unfortunately not in the bladder sense, "Do you know of any magic that would be able to determine who was there to scope us out? Traitors? Is there an enchantment or something that would prevent them access... I don't want either of our reputations to plummet due to some nosey, ill-mannered snitches and the more security, the better."

More plans tomorrow and a meeting next week. All right. Bunbury could live with this. "Don't disappoint me, Tipps," she acquiesced one more time.

"And yes," DUHHHHH, "I have fantastic plans for charms, plants, plots... mmhmm, I'll have my ways of protecting the secrecy of this educational group." Anastasia chuckled in a soft, dark tone. "You do your part and I'll do mine. Is that all?"

She had beauty sleep to get, hello.

"I... I... won't," he managed to stutter, either because of his need to pee or because the statement sounded somewhat threat-like - whether or not that was the woman's intentions was a completely different matter, but still... "Don't disappoint me Tipps - or i'll personally set Lupa on you myself!'

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPP

He nodded hysterically, "Of course you do. Of course you have plans. Sorry, i'm just nervous... i've never done anything like this before," he stifled a short, nervous laugh. "Oh yes, of course. Sorry to have kept you so long - i'll head straight back to my Common Room."

Heading down the passageway, he stopped a moment forgetting his body insisting he continue to the nearest toilet. "Thanks Professor," he didn't even turn round because she probably couldn't see him anywayz, but he thought the woman deserved that at the very least for all she was doing. He was going to get her a bouquet, too, but his bladder couldn't wait long enough for that so he practically rannnnnn to the boys toilets in his common room.

ZZZOOooooOOoooOOOmmm..............

Nodding curtly once more, not that Tipps could see that again, Bunbury waited for the sound of Varius' footsteps to fade away before heading out of the corridor after him. She paused and checked around each corner, just being sneakeh you know, and then double-checked to make sure no one was in the general vicinity to see that she had been meeting with the boy.

Once the coast was clear, you can betcha bottom galleon Bunny hightailed it out of there and back to the warmth and comfort of her office.

Kyle walked into this secret Passage...
away from everyone else...
Away from ever getting hurt from people ever again...
Since he got to Hogwarts everyone
has made fun of him...
He felt alone as ever...
when he tried to help people...
or do any good...
They just Leave him in the Dust....
His terrible beauty
of his gray eyes...
filled up with tears...
He hit his back against the wall...
and fell down to his knees....
and started to cry....
Cry as he never cried before...
He wanted someone...
anyone...
to just..take him away....
Take him...
"Why Does this World have to be...
so cruel to me..."
He said...
"WHY????!??!?!?!?!"
He yelled...
He wanted to be heard.
He didnt care if anyone heard him...
He was lost...
he wanted to be found....
And be found by someone who Actually
cares for him.....
But through the The blackened outline
of his Gray eyes...
He knew...
something...
He knew something...
dark about Hogwarts....
That was going to do terrible things...
It will soon...
Be The Matter of time...

Walking seemingly with a purpose through the pointless secret passage, Jake waved his wand above his head and cast a shimmery haze around almost the entirety of the place. "Homenum revelio," he uttered, waving his wand in the direction of the other end of this little tunnel, and smirking when he found just one person down here: Excellent.

Stepping boldly onwards, twirling his wand around his fingers, Jake awaited LouAnn's presence, knowing that she would be the ONLY one coming through now. It wasn't possible for anyone else to get through. Only he and LouAnn could breach that spell. ONLY. His charm prevented anyone from approaching this part of the passage, or seeing into it.

Perfect.

Stepping ahead of the blubbering older boy, Jake stared down in silence, a stony look on his face.

A few minutes later, LouAnn Purple appeared in the same corridor Jake Upstead and Kyle Blaise stood in. There were others down here, of course, but she could tell that Jake had already thought far ahead and cast a spell to cover up the evil act they were about to commit. "Excellent wand work," she said, stepping through the area marked off by the spell and smiling sweetly---for a split second---at the boy who held the sisters to her own runes.

Her eyes traveled from Jake to Kyle, and her sweet smile changed right back into one of evil. On the outside, the girl staring at Kyle looked blank and expressionless, like a vessel someone else was currently using. Her eyes never once blinked, and the arm not carrying her wand dangled limply by her side. "Why?" she asked, repeating the question Kyle had just asked. "Why, you ask?" She laughed, an evil sound escaping her throat. "...because."

As the Upstead boy waved his wand, a spell well beyond his casting ability made its way around the area he'd need to commit the evil crime. A few seconds later, the girl carrying the sister stones stepped through, and everything previously planned began to fall into place.

"Did anyone see you?" Jake asked the girl, seeming disinterested as he twirled his wand again and again. Oh, how brilliant. This very wand would soon be committing an act of great evil.

Staring back down at the much older boy, Jake nudged him slightly with his foot, taking advantage of his hopelessness that was surely stopping him from retaliating. "Awwwww, poor wittle sap..." Jake taunted, squatting down so he was level with the boy's face. "Shall we make it aaaaaaall beddur for ya?" he asked in a mocking way. "Hmmm?"

Jake stood back again and turned his nose up in disgust. "Oh, to do this to some others," he sneered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black stone, which he chucked into the air and caught again, before leaning up against the wall.

"Have you little faith in me?" she asked Jake, a slight look of annoyance on her face. Of course that didn't last for long, though, for the look was soon replaced with another sweet smile from her. "No, no one saw me, of course. We're in the clear. Besides, your wand work is, of course, at its best. Would you or I expect any less?" As she spoke, she twirled her wand in the air like a baton, an act she normally wouldn't have been able to do. She wasn't a clumsy person by any means, but she never could have turned and tossed it like so any other time.

LouAnn laughed quite evilly once again, finding it hilarious how Jake was taunting the other Hufflepuff boy like so. She jabbed Kyle in the side with her wand, then laughed again as her foot stamped down on his. "You know, Kyle. Bad people do good things, and good people do bad things, and sometimes that makes it hard to tell who is bad and who is good," she said, stopping in front of him for just a moment to allow that thought to sink in. "We promise this won't hurt. As a matter of fact, you won't feel much...for long."