Kurumi frowned. "It was Dagaz?" she asked looking up but not really expecting the tree to answer back.

She furrowed her brow and read the next riddle. "I stand for fertility..." She breathed a sigh of relief. She was pretty confident with this answer.

She reached into her bag and took out another Jera rune and inserted into the door.

"My polarity cannot be described in a single word?"

Fee was a little unsre. Dagaz represented polarity. What about Jera?
Think,Fee,think..

Fee took out the Dagaz rune out and put it in.

It had to be Dagaz.

Tehee. Evan was becoming friends there with the tree. Maybe the tree wasn't so hostile, after all. Or, always, the professor might have charmed it to act as she wished. He'd visit this tree more often, it was nice when you were nice to it.

Hehe. Easyyy. Now shoving Dagaz rune, he waited confidently. See, he didn't have to check his notes this time. He started to like it, actually.

Patroclus could not believe what was happening - he was making friends with the Whomping Willow!

The boy had heard stories of the Willow, crushing cars, killing birds, but right now Patroclus could not believe any of those things. To him the Willow was being loving and helpful! Patting his on the back when he did good, waving to his as he left.

But it was time to get back to Runes!

Walking down a small corridor, the boy had one hand in his runes pouch, ready and waiting for the next puzzle! With all this mazes, Patroclus was beginning to think he would have been a great TriWizard Champion, had he been old enough!

Daisy felt so uncomfortable now but kept walking. When all of a sudden a door was lowered in front of her. She gave a small smile and felt happier, she was that much closer out of the maze. She read the riddle and pulled out a Jera rune placing it into the tiny hole.

Salander stared at the closed door unblinking, so afraid that if he does it will vanish again, leaving him at the mercy of the Willow. Instead he felt an ever so slight tap on his shoulder and a breeze. "Huh?" he turned to see.... nothing.

He looked up with the sudden stream of light from the skies, but as his eyes fell forward, only one thing got him to smile-- an open door.

"Yes!!! Hahahaha!!!" he fist pumped as he marched though the doorway, but at the last second he looks back, still wondering where that tap on his back came from. The Willow-- which he could no longer see a branch nor leaf of? Or.... Myrtle? Shuddering slightly, he turned to continue down the path.

Without losing another moment Tory put the Jera-Rune into the keyhole. That wasn't as hard as expected. She smiled at the big tree, waiting for something to happen.

Freya smiled widely when she noticed that one of the branches gave her a pat on her back. Then all the branches disappeared out of her sight and she saw the door swung open. "Thank you Mr. Whomping Willow" she said not sure is the tree itself is a girl or boy. She passed through the door smirking. She was pleased with herself. She saw that the walls surrounded her again. "Oooohh..Another walls." she mumble. One down and a lot more to go. She had to find another door soon. She walked a little bit faster.

Simon felt he had been walking a while when a third door was made from the branches in front of him. Looking down at the accompaning riddle, he frowned for the riddle was one of the more confusing ones.

"The dawn and light is conspicious, but that doesn't seem like it could be enough. Jera.....for success and successful people being conspicious?" he questioned aloud as if the Willow would answer. Well it would if he placed the rune where it needed to go so Simon took the Jera rune and set it in the keyhole.

Lila went through the door. She was tired of going south and figured she wouldn't find another door that way. For some reason west felt like a good idea to her. She wanted this over as quickly as possible so she set out west.

Cameron was petrified for a moment. Then tentatively.. softly.. carefully she reached out to touch the branch. This tree was REAL. Alive. It almost had.. personality. She grinned.

"Hola Mr. Tree."

She frowned and looked at the door that had appeared in front of her. That was .. awesome. So the little runes she had were like KEYS! *lightbulbmoment*

Now.. gemstone. She KNEW this. She grinned and searched through her bag for a Dagaz gemstone.

"Does the key fit?" Oh, how depressingly cliché.

Nessa quinched when the branches neared her. After seeing that it was not a threat she straightened up. The branch paited her on the back. "Wow that was creepy." she said she knew it was not the last she would see of that tree.

That was the last thing on her mind she had made it through her first door. She stepped through and began to sprint back through the maze. She was sprinting trying to get out she barely heard the other students. Was she the only one left. She headed down a section and had to turn around because it was blocked. Heading east she took a left and a right and dead end. she went back and took the left and then out of no were a door appeared.

Ah More riddles. Brittany wondered how many more of these did she have to do. 'I am linked to agriculture." she said letting the sentence run through her head. Yes this one was easy since Agriculture was actually in the meaning of this run. Grinning she reached in the bag and took out the JERA. Rune key thingy. She reached for the ground as if to place it there like she had the last time but at the last minute she put it in the door like it was suppose to go. Ha she was just teasing the nice willow. She waited to see if she was right *crosses fingers*

Marie continued along the maze looking for the next door hoping it was gong to be the one to lead her out of there. Coming to a stop when the tree made another appearance she looked for a door. Ahh, there it was, behind the branches once again.

Looking around for what she assumed was going to be another clue she found the words The light is your guide on the floor. Digging through her bag of runes she again took out one of each and tried remembering what she had learned about them.

Jera represents the 12 months of the year. Hmm, not much about light there.
Dagaz is the divine light that is guiding you towards your goal. Yes, that had to be it.

After utting the Jera rune back in her bag she once again guides her hands through the branches and puts the Dagaz rune in the keyhole. She then steps back and waits for the door to open.

As Emmaleigh walked along, She noticed it getting darker, and looked up to see the Whomping Willow's branches lowering, But a door didn't appear. She stopped and looked around. "Oh, its behing me she said, as she hurried to read the riddle. As she stood there, she gave the lower branches a little pat. "'There can be no fire sans air' Is it Dagz? those are its elements," So she retrieved the Dagaz rune, and placed it in the hole.

Willie looked back once more and found that the branches were still swaying just a little behind him. He didn't like its attitude at all. Rubbing his fist with his nose and giving a loud sniff, he shook his fist at the branches going, "Oiii! You wanna piece of me, ye big lug?! Come an' get if ya can! I bet the only reason 'Ogwarts keptchya was cuz they might be needin' more wood in the future! Ye just the SPARE!"

OH BURN.

Thankfully she saw the branches come down BEFORE she made it to the end of the tunnel. HA! Yea, that's right! Take THAT you whomping willow tree.

...

Right.

As she came down to the end of the tunnel, her gaze moved to the floor as the words appeared. "I represent...justice..." she muttered, her hand already moving to inside the bag, though she had to think for a moment on which rune it would be. It was one thing to be answering questions in class about the runes, but it was another when there was literally, a whomping willow tree in your way and probably was impatient. Still though...

Hehehehehe she knew this one. And she knew what to do now instead of acting stupid and pointing the rune at the branches. Taking out the awesome JERA! rune, Evelyn eased her hand through the branches and flicked it through the keyhole. RIGHT!? That was what you were supposed to do!? That tree wasn't going to kill her hand was it!?!!!!????

Jera rune power! GO!

Freya continued along the maze looking for another door. She was hoping she would find another door as soon as possible. She walked a little bit faster and then she saw an intersection in front of her. "Where to go?" she asked herself. "I think I'll go left." she said. She noticed that it's getting darker there when she want to pulled out her wand to made a light she saw a door. "Oooohhhh..another door." she walked towards the door and speed up her steps

Cass smiled gratefully at the tree when she felt light branches pat her back. "Thanks" She said softly as she went through the door and looked around, wondering where she was this time.

OOH! Pretty red had inserted the correct rune! The branches rose into the air to unblock the door that had now swung open. Behind it, could be seen a long tunnel that had a big box located at the end. Letters had appeared on this box. They read...

Pick me up.

NoOOOoooo. WillowTHEMAN eyed PRETTY GREEN as the door disappeared. More branches gently lowered themselves into the enclosure though, blocking out some of the light in the process. Once again, a keyhole could be seen through them. The following words appeared on the floor...

I am nature's light.

Jera or Dagaz? The Whomping Willow waaaaitted!

NICE GREEN. The branches roooose into the air and disappeared out of sight as the door swung open so that NOW!NICE GREEN could go through.

Light began to stream freely into the roofless enclosure once more.

New doooOOoorr for NICE RED! Branches gently lowered themselves in front of the kid, another keyhole visible through them. Letters began to appear on the floor...

Green and blue.

Jera or Dagaz? The Whomping Willow waaaaiitted!

YESSS. Correct rune. One of the branches reached out to give RED KID a verrryyyy gennntttle pat on the back, and then all the branches rose into the air and disappeared out of sight.

The door swung open so that RED could go throuuugh, as light began to stream freely into the roofless enclosure once more.

Because WillowTHEMAN was in a good mood, BAD GREEN got a new doooOOOor. Branches came down slowwwwly in front of the boy, another keyhole visible through them. Letters began to appear on the floor...

My runic number is half my counterpart.

Jera or Dagaz? The Whomping Willow waaaaited!

OOOH. Correct rune! One of the branches reached out and gave PRETTY GREEN a verrrryyy gentle pat on the back. Then all the branches rose into the air and disappeared out of sight, allowing light to stream freely into the roofless enclosure once more.

The door swung open so that PRETTY GREEN could go throuuughh.

One of the branches waved to NICE GREEN as she continued on her path. New doOOooor, right around the corner!

NoOOOooo. NICE RED had not fitted in the correct rune. The door disappeared, only to be replaced seconds later by a new one as branches began to re-lower themselves into the enclosure. Letters began to appear on the floor, once more...

The completion of annual cycle.

Jera or Dagaz? The Whomping Willow waaaaaaitted for NICE RED to pick one of the two runes!

PRETTY RED had answered correctly! One of the branches reached out to give her a veryyyyy loose, very gentle sort of hug. Then all the branches rose into the air and disappeared out of sight, allowing light to stream freely into the roofless enclosure once more.

The door swung open to let PRETTY RED throuuuughh.

DoooOOOrrr for NICE YELLOW! Branches blocked this one too, a keyhole visible through them. Letters began to appear on the floor...

Success in endeavours.

Jera or Dagaz? The Whomping Willow waaaiiited!

Wheeee! One of the branches waaaaved to PRETTY YELLOW as all of them rose into the air and disappeared out of sight, letting light stream freely into the roofless enclosure once more.

The door swung open to let PRETTY YELLOW throuuugh.

Wheeee! One of the branches waaaaved to GREEN as all of them rose into the air and disappeared out of sight, letting light stream freely into the roofless enclosure once more.

The door swung open to let the green kid throuuugh.

Wheeee! One of the branches waaaaved to PRETTY YELLOW as all of them rose into the air and disappeared out of sight, letting light stream freely into the roofless enclosure once more.

The door swung open to let PRETTY YELLOW throuuugh.

Disrespect!

Utter disrespect!

*WHOMP*

One of the branches hit the wall farthest away from BAD YELLOW. The tree had not made any move to hurt BAD YELLOW, but the noise that had just been generated might give him a small scare. In fact.... there was more noise as branches tumbled down a good distance away from the kid. They blocked a door and, as letters appeared on the floor, the branches staaaared at bad yellow, twitching in a way that made it clear he had better not disrespect the tree. Sure, WillowTHEMAN knew it couldn't hurt any of the students. But if they kept on disrespecting it when it was being niiice to them, it could give them a little scare, nooOOOooo?

My element is earth.

Jera or Dagaz? The branches staaaaaaaaaaared at BAD YELLOW as they waited for him to choose a rune.

*BLINK*

Strange GREEN was... a straaaaaange kid. WillowTHEMAN reached out a branch to give her a veryyyy gentle pat on the back, before all the branches rose into the air and disappeared out of sight.

Light streamed into the roofless enclosure and the door swung open so that STRANGE GREEN could pass throuuughh.

Second doooOOooor for NICE GREEN! Letters appeared on the floor, as the kid neaaaared it...

The Rosemary represents me.

Jera or Dagaz? The Whomping Willow waaaaaitted!

One of the branches waaaaved to SMALL GREEN as she continued on her path.

Cameron waited.. had she gotten it right? She was pretty SURE it was right.. hmm..

o____0

Had the tree just hugged her? She laughed brightly. "Thanks Mr. Tree." And walked through, swinging the bag of runes happily beside her. Now.. which way? Left?

Yeah. She'd go left.

Emmaleigh smiled as the branches disappeared, she knew it meant that she had gotten the answer correct on the first try. "Bye. Mr Whomping Willow" she said happily, as she walked through the now open door. She walked awhile, and then decided to go left at the next intersection. Where would this take her?

Kurumi jumped up and down when the branches moves out of the way. She reached up on her tippy toes to pet the Whomping Willow. Did trees eat cookies? Maybe she could give it some sugar water?

Kurumi looked forward to see a long tunnel *scary* with a box at the end of it. As she slowly approached it she could read the words 'Pick me up'. She took one look at the big box and down at her small frame. "This is like Muggle Studies all over again," she signed remembering the giant box she had pushed halfway across the baseball field. She bent down and tried to pick it up, but it was far too heavy.

Hmmmmmm.....

She took out her wand. Maybe a simple spell would do the trick? "Wingardium Leviosa," she said with a very fluid swish and flick movement.

Would the box move? She sure hoped it would.

One of the branches waaaavveddddd to the PRETTY RED kid as she continued on her path.

One of the branches waaaavveddddd to PRETTY YELLOW as she continued on her path. WillowTHEMAN had another door positioned just round the corner. It hoped PRETTY YELLOW would find it.

The moment the box had touched the Gryffindor's hand, a branch appeared out of nowhere, gently picked her up and rose into the air. It set the girl down, outside the maze. Cushions, a desk and a chalkboard had been placed here. The desk contained several boxes of chocolate.

The chalkboard read:

Congratulations! You are now outside the maze! Please make yourself comfortable as you wait for your classmates to join you. You may help yourself to some chocolate.

The branch lowered the small box the girl had picked up next to her. Then it waaaaved to her and disappeared.

*Grin*. She was two for two. She was really starting to like the willow Maybe she'd bring her sketch pad out on the grounds and draw near it... well not to near it. She did want to keep her pretty face the way it was. She quickly walked through the doors and made her way on with her journey. She honestly didnt know where the exit was an ho many more doors she had to go through. Hmmm what was going to happen next? Was there going to be another door?