Yes. He would have agreed whole-heartedly and with a big grin to the wondrous stability beneath their feet as they reached the landing. In fact, he was about to and would have with enthusiasm, had not his body been so used to the side to side, constant movement of the stairs he had been standing on for a good portion of time. It was like when you rode an elevator and traveled from the ground to top floor; you still could feel the rise and fall of the movement despite being on solid ground. Well, this was no exception, save that his clumsiness tried to overcompensate for the disruption to balance and sent him tripping over his own feet, through the doorway and down a short set of stairs on the other side. Thank goodness Merlin had long ago conquered the 'bail' maneuver.

"So" Evie said looking around "where to next" she smiled hoping he knew where to go now.

Rolling over from his rather unceremonious accident, Sabel sat up, looking first left, then right. A grin split his face as he looked up at Evie. "Looks like two wanders can find the right path." He spread out his arms to either side of himself, looking much like someone making a proclimation to the sky only sitting down. "Welcome to the seventh floor dear Evie."

Ohhhhhhh. Neptune stopped them for a moment and moved just in front of Raiden. She reached her grabby little fingers up and draped the collar of his shirt over his nose, then the did same for herself.

"Hospitals carry the worst sort of germs." See? Neptune could take care of Raiden TOO. They were SO going to work out.

Well... for now. Her sneaky grin appeared as she thought back to Garret.... Wonder where he lived in this castle? Did they have suites? Had her parents gotten her one?

... Where was XELLY?

Oh no matter, really. She had Raiden who was on about something another she'd long since gotten over. "These staircases move. Hm. Hmmmmm. Bizarre, really. Inconvenient. Don't you find?" Indeed.

Chaucer did not have a map, but even still he felt that being on such a high level when one wanted to get to the ground floor was unforgiveably stupid. He saw the huge stairwell ahead and his stomach gave a little lurch - most unbecoming to a fancy sir such as he was. Taking out a perfumed hankerchief from his sleeve, he put it to his face in an attempt to ease the vertigo he felt at the mere thought of those moving stairs.
"If Dante had been a little wiser, surely these contraptions would have been a fitting way for the dead to descend." Chaucer gave a little sniffle. For some reason, no matter which floor one was on, the stairwell always seemed to go down eternally, like some great worm had bore into the earth and never stopped. He shuddered: "If I should be found dead on the first floor, it will with certainty be a case of succumbing to the dizzying heights and plummeting to my demise!" He could imagine being found on the stone floor, tresses framing his head like a work of art. The students would mourn the loss of such a beautiful young man who had not yet reached his full potential.

Why was the world so tragic?

And where on earth was the Greenhouse?

There was a moment in there, where Raiden had the inexplicable urge to take a few steps back away from Neptune... But he wasn't sure which moment it was exactly. Probably the one where she started pulling on his clothes. But he managed to not, and the smile brough to his face by what she said was hidden by his shirt.

"Neptune, you don't have to do that. Our hospital wing is full of injured people, more than sick people. Apparently we fall down a lot. Or people fall on us, last term Cela got her arm broken by Professor Borr falling on it..." He made a face, which clearly indicated his opinion on that person. "Besides, I've been in hospitals a lot and I've never gotten sick past what I was there for."

...yes. Yes they moved. Raiden eyed one as it slowly turned itself above them. This was where Cela and Daphne and Garret had come careening down, with Jillian, who he hadn't seen since. Had her parents withdrawn her? Sad.

Staaare.

"It can be irksome when they move while you're on them. Just be careful, and if you get stuck on one, hold onto the railing and wait until it's done."

Was she scared of them? Raiden glanced at her, wondering. It was the easiest way to the top floor though, she'd have to get used to it... or take some ridiculously long way around.

"If you're scared, you can hold my hand," he offered unthinkingly. "Though as long as you're paying attention, you're really in no danger of walking off of one."

Kellen followed Chaucer down the stairs, his stomach flipping over and his throat locking each time he saw a staircase move. Or their staircase moved. If there was one thing he was thankful for, it was that the Ravenclaw common room was on the seventh floor. It would force him to get used to these stairs, and the sooner the better.

He ignored Chaucer's monologue to himself, as he usually did, and instead focused on not looking over the railing. Which, being naturally curious, was about as easy as performing a root canal on a Hungarian Horntail.

"Just think, Chaucer," he finally said, surprised at how steady his voice sounded, "of all the students who read books while walking and don't realize the stairs are moving. Or the ones too busy talking to their friends to pay attention. And what if they don't fall straight to the ground, but bounce off a few lower staircases on the way..."

Okay, he hadn't meant to sound teasing, but his imagination was getting away from him and she shuddered.

Chaucer looked over at Kellen, grey eyes at their peak circumference, as he pondered this possibility. Holding fast to the railings, he looked back and forth between his cousin and the other Slytherin boy with the shiny brooch. It was quite a nice brooch... he'd have to ask him about it later and compare notes.
"Glory, I couldn't imagine such gore! I always wanted to see a dead body, but not from a fall such as this -oh no, that would be a mess! And you're right, dear dear dear, with all those other rotating stairs one is bound to dislocate a few limbs! By the end of it all one would be an abstract sculpture - how dreadful." Chaucer had always thought that the most romantic way to go would be to drink poison, notably Hemlock or Arsenic. The lad would also put a cast on a paper-cut however, so there was no danger in him even considering to attempt such a crime.
He looked back again. "I feel as though we should have asked my comrade where to go. I mean, what a silly waste of resources. Isn't it? You know what else is a waste of resources? These stairs - some of which lead to nowhere!"

"I'll agree with you there," on what, Kellen didn't bother replying. "But we're headed in the right direction. Ground floor and out, right?" Right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ameh

There was a moment in there, where Raiden had the inexplicable urge to take a few steps back away from Neptune... But he wasn't sure which moment it was exactly. Probably the one where she started pulling on his clothes. But he managed to not, and the smile brough to his face by what she said was hidden by his shirt.

"Neptune, you don't have to do that. Our hospital wing is full of injured people, more than sick people. Apparently we fall down a lot. Or people fall on us, last term Cela got her arm broken by Professor Borr falling on it..." He made a face, which clearly indicated his opinion on that person. "Besides, I've been in hospitals a lot and I've never gotten sick past what I was there for."

...yes. Yes they moved. Raiden eyed one as it slowly turned itself above them. This was where Cela and Daphne and Garret had come careening down, with Jillian, who he hadn't seen since. Had her parents withdrawn her? Sad.

Staaare.

"It can be irksome when they move while you're on them. Just be careful, and if you get stuck on one, hold onto the railing and wait until it's done."

Was she scared of them? Raiden glanced at her, wondering. It was the easiest way to the top floor though, she'd have to get used to it... or take some ridiculously long way around.

"If you're scared, you can hold my hand," he offered unthinkingly. "Though as long as you're paying attention, you're really in no danger of walking off of one."

"Better safe than sorry, you know. Besides," Neptune leaned into Raiden and SNIFFED him good. "Your shirt smells so nice. I'd keep my nose in my shirt if I smelled as good and handsome as youuuuu, Raiden." She SO fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Neptune didn't MIND the stairs, nor was she particularly worried about them. Just they didn't make much SENSE. "What exactly is the purpose of them other than to delay and provide dangerous walkways for adolescents - who are already gawky and awkward as they grow into their bodies?"

Really. It made no sense.

"I'll hold your hand, Raiden. You are such a sweet boy, really." REALLY. She wiggled her fingers at him. "Minimal hand sweat too!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Eye Touz

"Better safe than sorry, you know. Besides," Neptune leaned into Raiden and SNIFFED him good. "Your shirt smells so nice. I'd keep my nose in my shirt if I smelled as good and handsome as youuuuu, Raiden." She SO fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Neptune didn't MIND the stairs, nor was she particularly worried about them. Just they didn't make much SENSE. "What exactly is the purpose of them other than to delay and provide dangerous walkways for adolescents - who are already gawky and awkward as they grow into their bodies?"

Really. It made no sense.

"I'll hold your hand, Raiden. You are such a sweet boy, really." REALLY. She wiggled her fingers at him. "Minimal hand sweat too!"

Raiden didn't know why his shirt would smell good. He'd only washed it in laundry detergent. Apparently Neptune liked laundry detergent smells? That was good to know.

He sniffed her shoulder.

"You smell very nice too, Neptune." Yes, that didn't feel awkward at all. He stood back up, cleared his throat, and took her wiggly fingers. So they would stop wiggling at him. "They move so you can get to other places. See that one that's moving now? If it didn't, you'd have to take the long way up to the sixth floor. It's dangerous, but it's time-saving as long as you're careful and stuff."

Yeah. Minimal hand sweat. That was sheer luck for her, however. She didn't make him nervous; she made him twitchy. Kinda different.

"Come on. If we don't hurry, that one will move and we'll have to wait on it."

Neptune gave Raiden a little patpatpat. He was apparently fond of these staircases and was going to vigilantly defend their honor. How very noble and such...? Maybe a little annoying that he didn't see her logic - since she was 1. Neptune Bott and 2. apparently in the house of SMARTS.

But whatever, he was cute and smell nice and bought her gifts. Clearly one must prioritize.

She was NOT afraid, so she dropped his hand and despite his earlier warnings, RAN up the stairs to catch the one taking off. Neptune's SQUEEEALS could probably be heard on... all levels. If not them, then certainly her GIGGLES.

...And she was off. He sighed and hurried up the stairs after her as quickly as he could, taking them two at a time. She was RUNNING AGAIN. He'd told her not to.

"Neptune!" And she was being LOUD. LOOOOUD. "Neptune, shhhh. The professors will yell at you!"

The staircase above him switched before he could get to it, and started moving around... Sigh. He paused on the landing between it and the previous one, tapping his foot impatiently. Would she be able to find the common room by herself, if he couldn't catch her? Hopefully.

"Ohh!" Neptune peered over the top of her set of stairs, down to Raiden. She WAAAAVED at him excitedly. "FAREWELL, Raiden! I'll missssssss you!"


She blew him kiss after kiss until her staircase was secure to the next landing up! GOOOOOING UP! And giggling the entire way!


Neptune paused only a second more to pull a lily-white handkerchief from her robes. In a dramatic wavey motion, she dropped it over the side of the banister to Raiden. "Remember me fondly!"

AND SHE RAN ON! RAAAAAAAN!

...she was so going to get lost. Raiden sighed and jumped the small space left between the staircase and the landing, hurrying up to the next before it could turn or something, and make him lose her even more.

"Neptune, you don't know where you're going!" he called after her, his fingers drumming on the rail as he waited for the next staircase up to swing around. There were two or three between them now; only one was turning, so he would be able to catch up with her if he hurried... and if she... "Stop RUNNING Neptune, you're going to trip and get hurt."

...Why was she dropping handkerchiefs over the edge of the stairs?! Raiden stared at it as it floated down, only barely sticking his hand out in time to catch it. He was going to just... let it float by... Sigh.

"Neptune, you're going to get lost."

Which... would not be Raiden's problem, really, but she'd very possibly blame it on him. Stare.

Raven decided to adventure around the school for a change of just sitting and moping which didn't make her feel much better, she kept walking until she realized that she was on the Moving Staircase. Now this definitely was going to be interesting, she walked down on of the flights of stairs and it began moving so she stood still until it stopped at the next landing; she removed the mp3 player from her pocket which she adjusted so that it would work both in the school and on the grounds, putting the earbuds in each ear, she pressed the button and nodded along to the song that came on.

Walking back up from the grounds, his football under his arm, Adam was quite glad that he realised he knew his way around the school now. But that didn't stop him being preoccupided, and start walking up the wrong staircase. URGH!

That was all he could think when he realised the staircase was moving. The reason he'd avoided it since the beginning of the year. But that couldn't be helped now he was on it, and he bagan walking to towards the middle. Hopefully it'd take him to the Common Room.

Or not.

When he noticed a too familiar girl near to the top of the staircase, Adam stood still, heart racing as he pondered what to do. He turned around and pressed himself to the sided of the stairs. Maybe she wouldn't notice him.

As she was listening to some music, Raven noticed someone out of the corner of her eye and sighed slightly. Why did he have to be here now? She didn't have the time or the patience at the moment to deal with anymore nonsense but maybe things needed to be cleared up between her and Adam even though she didn't exactly know what to say.

She took her earbuds from her ears and turned off her mp3 player; putting it back in her pocket before climbing a few of the stairs and leaning back against the railing which wasn't exactly the safest thing to do but oh well. "Um..hi.." she muttered slightly, not even bothering to be formal with the beginning of a conversation.

Turning slightly when he heard the too-familliar girl speak, her too-familliar voice ringing in his ears, Adam looked out of the corner of his eye hoping to see her talking to someone else, preferably someone he didn't know, so he had no inclination to join in their conversation. Alas, she was talking to him. Which was kind of a bad thing, but Adam knew he couldn't avoid her for ever.

And he felt kinda bad about the whole situation. "Erm.. uh, h- Raven," he said, his voice less confident than he would've liked. "How're you?" Ignoring the feelings in his gut, Adam's voice came out stonger that time, something he was glad about. He was only trying to be cordial. For now, unless she tried to kiss him again.

Not even moving a step, Raven put her hands into her pockets and just stared at the railing across from her; she never figured out why this had to be so difficult although it was her fault for moving too quickly and making everything awkward.

"Oh um.. not good actually Adam; not that it has anything to do with you, it's just family drama." she replied, moving her hazel eyes slightly to take a glimpse of him before returning them to staring at the railing which was actually quite plain for her taste.

When Raven said that she wasn't good, Adam closed his eyes involuntarily. Because he was sure that it had something to do with him. He wasn't sure how fast gossip travelled in this school, but he knew it'd travelled very fast in Durmstrang. And if it was anything like that here, then she'd already know what he'd told Lori.

But then she said it had nothing to do with him, Adam opened his eyes again. He wasn't sure if it was true or not, but he wanted to show that he was still ready for them to be friends. "Erm.. uh, you wanna talk.. about it?" he said, a little awkwardly, for he knew it would take time for them to be completely natural around each other. After what happened.

"Um, sure I guess." Raven replied and then walked down the stairs slightly, taking a seat on one of the lower stairs so that she didn't have to worry about falling over the side of the balcony by accident and ending up in the Hospital Wing. She wanted to keep her distance from him just because things weren't exactly normal now but in time they would be and she'd return to her regular self.

"My parents are fighting now and I'm caught right in the middle; it's extremely frustrating to live at home sometimes because of that, thank merlin I own my own house in Sydney, Australia where it's pretty quiet most of the time since I'm here."

Still standing awkwardly, Adam watched as Raven sat in front of him. He was about to sit down, but then thought better of it, leaning on the railing as the staircase shifted scarily. Not that he was scared. No, the adrenaline rush of the movement and his being in danger made him feel more comfortable almost.

"Erm.. well, uh I can understand why that would be difficult," he said with a nod. "You have a house in Austrailia? That's, uh, cool." Jealous much? Adam would've loved his own house abroad, and come February he would have one. Which he oculdn't wait for.

"Yeah, I bought it from my parents without them knowing earlier last year and I've officially been living there since last summer; it's a massive house and it kinda sucks because I'm there by myself. A 16 year old living in a 16 bedroom, 15 bathroom house alone is pretty crazy to be honest." Raven said as she leaned back against the stairs, staring up at the ceiling which was much more interesting that the balconys probably because this school had been around for awhile and the ceilings would have been there the longest.

"Well, thats... um, cool..." Adam said, not really understanding why he still felt do awkward. They could be friends, right? But he needed to tell her about Lori and, well... him. Because uh... well, he wasn't sure what was going on between them, except they liked each other. Eh, why where things so awkward?

"I can understand why it'd feel lonely," he added with a nod, thinking of himself in a BIG! house on his own. It'd be too lonely, so come February, he was buying a samll apartment in Liverpool. 'Cuz he could.

"Erm, Raven...? I think we need to talk. About what happened...."