Gooooood! He'd get to see the finished product, and it very well might motivate him to complete his own.. though, with seven years, he figured he could achieve that much at least. Even if he got two floors done this year, he'd be on target to complete the lot. And then came Angel's offer. HELP her finish it? ............. "Yeah, I 'spose, I wouldn't mind helping out," he replied, nodding his answer. It wouldn't stop him from completing his own later, and if anything it'd be good practice. "We should... yeah." YEAH!

But really, what he was most interested in now, was this secret passage thing. It sounded fancy awesome, and definitely adventure worthy. Of course, he hadn't counted on Angel bursting his bubble. Sealed off!!! ..... SEALED OFF! "Right..." he started, not sure how to take the news. "Is it COMPLETELY completely sealed off? Or is there still a part of it to see and explore?" Of was it literally like a cemented over section of wall? T__________T

SPOILER!!: my boyz!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmbiguouslyMe

"Thornton Baines, sir," the young boy offered simply, his ears perking at Astronomy. Should the impromptu spell lesson not be a disaster, he may need to go visit the man in his office.

He breathed a sigh of relief when Flamsteed explained that it wasn't like an engorgement charm and only affected inner dimensions. Wait. What if he hit his foot? Would it end up hollow? What would happen to his bones if the INSIDE of his foot was expansive. How would he even know...

Stop it, Thornton. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his wand. Difficult, but not impossible. He'd give it a go. Hopefully, he wouldn't screw anything up too much. The wand felt awkward in his hand; too big almost. When he'd purchased it, it had certainly been a match, but it still was a bit much for his small hand. He let it roll across his palm, considering it.

His stomach flopped, as he waited for instruction, trying to convince himself that success or failure in this instant would not define him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meizzner

Oh, did this Professor like jokes too. That was pretty cool. He might even visit sometime to look at this book of his. It sounded pretty awesome.

So he was the Astrology...Astronomy Professor. Well that was one class Dante was going to be taking. Cool. Dante wished he could wear a suit like that. Fancy. Maybe with a fedora and cane. Would look like a boss wearing those things. Yeah, with those two things. "Dante Barrington, at your service" Dante said bowing. Even meeting a Professor was time to have some fun.

The Professor was using a lot of big words in his explaining of this expansion charm. Dante might have to come back to this when he was older and actually knew some awesome advanced spells. Though practicing it could be fun...So why not listen and learn something.

A skate park?

"Well it is a place with empty pools, ramps, and rails. To skateboard on and in. It is fun" If you knew how to skateboard that is.

"My esteem pleasure to meet you both, Mr. Baines...Mr..." Wait...did he just say Barrington? "...Barrington. No need for the sir. Sir is reserved for the likes of my father." Made him feel old and he wasn't THAT old yet. He paused again to just stare at the Slytherin first year good and hard for a few moment. "I don't suppose the appreciation of puns is something that....runs in the family, does it?"

After all, just because someone had the last name Potter or Brown or Williams did not mean that they were related. Quite the popular names these days anyway.

"Well then...this skate park sounds intriguing...mind if I go with you one of these times to see for myself?" Assuming the boy did end up finding it and all that. Hadn't Mr. Tempus and Mr. Barton mentioned something about this sort of facility before as well?

Oh, Mr. Baines had his wand out already. Twirling his own between his fingers, the astronomer looked down as his person for something to use to help demonstrate. He supposed he could use his shoe....

"Would you both like to give this a go then?" Since it had only been the Ravenclaw who seemed interested at the moment. "Could fit all your...skate park things into your bag and make it easier to zoom to the Room of Requirement after lessons are over."

Time efficiency. It was a real thing.

Well this Flamsteed looked like a Sir. He was old. So that is why he called him that. And Sir Flamsteed sounded like an awesome name. Well maybe to Dante. Sir Dante sounded even more amazing. Uh, Dante never thought about that. He was probably right "Uh, I guess it does. They are pretty awesome" They are just so stupid. You can't help but laugh. It was true.

And skate-parks were totally cool. If you knew how to skateboard and not afraid to get hurt having fun. "Umm....Sure. I don't mind. You know how to skateboard, Professor?"

Dante shrugged. He was still here and listening, wasn't he. So sure why give it a go then. Yeah and that was an awesome reason for learning this charm. "Wait so you could fit a skateboard and all your pads in a little bag with this charm...If so then of course i want to learn it"

There was too much magic to learn. This and the transfiguration book he got from Bellaire.

Aha! He knew it. Or rather had assumed it. "Have on older brother that graduated last term?" he asked. Totally a rhetorical one because Airey was 99.9% positive he already knew the answer.

As for the skateboarding...

"Can't say that do, but no time like the present to learn," he replied with an eager bounce in his step. First pogo sticks and now skateboards. Just what would students teach him next?!

Oh, speaking of teaching...

"Precisely, Mr. Barrington," he confirmed, throwing a wink at Mr. Baines as he did as he slipped off his right shoe and knelt down to pick it up. "I suggest you get your wand out like Mr. Baines has so we can get started." And maybe remove a shoe to practice on? It was up to them. "The wand movement is simple enough, just a light tap. Make sure you have the movement come from your wrist rather than your arm." And don't poke anyone's eyes out while practicing that.

Not that he was speaking from personal experience or anything. Ahem.

"Speak the incantation nice and clearly...Magnus Centrum...go ahead and give it a go. See what happens." While he took a few small steps to the side just in case. How Piers, or any of the other spell based professors really, put up with spell induced kabooms wa beyond him. Airey much preferred the scientific based kabooms. Those tended to have a logical and somewhat predictable trail.

Goodness, Thornton was nervous. Wand in hand, he looked down at his bag and got a flutter in his stomach. Not yet ready to chance it, he quickly scurried over and pulled out a smaller bag from within it.

Carefully extracting his quills (he always carried at least two!) and inks (so maybe he liked to color-code his notes), he set them aside against the wall, so that the small bag sat by itself, empty on the corridor floor.

Biting his lip, he looked at the professor and nodded, whispering the incantation under his breath. His palms felt sweaty and his wand felt awkward in his hand.

"Small tap. From the wrist." He repeated the instructions with his eyes closed, before finally approaching the bag. Was he meant to actually tap the bag or just mimic it. Rather than ask, Thornton dropped to his knees next to the bag.

The movement he could do. Small wrist movements were important with string instruments.. Ok, Thornton, enough stalling.

"Magnus Centrum," he said, timidly and with some hesitation, with a small tap on the edge of the bag. Thornton looked at the bag expectantly. It still looked the same, but from what Professor Flamsteed had said, it would, but for the inner dimensions. Hastily, Thornton thrust his hand into the bag to see how deep it went and...

promptly smashed his hand into the floor.

"Ow."

Well, that hadn't worked.

"Yeah" Nigel was here last year. Merlin, he knew everyone. Dante did not know whether to be impressed or scared by the sheer number. And he wanted to learn. Well that was cool and there seemed to be a lot of people at this school to learn from. Dante nodded. Plus it was fun to learn. Well fun to Dante since he did not mind falling down constantly.

This spell was getting more awesome by the minute. Though seemed hard since Thornton seemed to hurt himself. Dante took out his wand after watching Thornton fail on his first attempt. Well the wand movement thing sounded easy. Just a tap from the wrist. He just had to whip it. "Alright. Magnus Centrum" Dante said flicking with his wrist a little too hard and without realizing lost a grip on his wand.

It actually flew pretty far. Dante would be impressed. If he was not nervous it would break. Thank Merlin it did not. "....Yeah, that was a failed attempt" Dante said speed walking over and picking up his wand.

Thank Merlin again. It was not broken

Hmmm...well...he would have been entirely too optimistic if he had expected them to get it all right on the first go. And sweet solstice did Mr. Baines seem the sort that could REALLY benefit from the use of this charm. He was packing Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop in his pockets!

"Right, well, I probably should have demonstrated first before setting the two of you loose," he said, clearing his throat as he bent over to slip his sock off as well. Better tool for demonstrating...and made for a good puppet in a pinch to avoid unnecessary awkwardness. Pulling his sock over his left hand he looked down at Pebbles who was still sitting on the floor. Probably thinking she was forgotten.

"Here, Mr. Baines, you hold Pebbles for just a moment so she is safely out of the way," he instructed as he handed the rock to him. Just in case the fibers in his sock were to have a less than favorable reaction to be further enchanted.

"Let's avoid use of the term fail, shall we. Sets the brain up to think negative things when spellcasting requires the positive," he continued, speading his legs shoulder's width apart and holding his left hand up as though his sock were in fact a puppet. "Magnus Centrum," he commanded, giving the sock on his hand a tap. He then began to pull at the hem until the sock came up to his shoulder but still retained its original sock-y shape. "TADA!"

Thornton winced instinctively as Dante's wand flew across the corridor. Well, at least Thornton had managed to hold on to the wand. But... was Flamsteed taking off his sock now? Merciful Merlin, that man was odd.

Oh. And Pebbles. Thornton reached up from his seated position on the floor to receive the rock!pet and cradled her in both hands. Lowering them to his lap, he wasn't exactly sure what else to do with her. What if something... fell off?? Would Flamsteed blame him if Pebbles lost an ear, for example? So he held her gingerly, his concentration divided between Pebbles and the demonstration.

But then, oh, ew. Thornton's nose twitched when the man put the sock on his hand.

HOLY KNEAZLES. Thornton's eyes went wide. Flamsteed's arm had disappeared into the sock and so it looked as if the man had a sock at the end of a stump. "Whoa."

Thornton held Pebbles and looked at Dante. He'd try it now, yes?

Well it would have helped Dante's wand if he showed him a example of the spell. Too late now of course. Dante blew on his wand getting the dirt and dust off of it. The floor was surprisingly dirty.

Thank, Merlin. Flamsteed gave the rock to Thornton. He could not handle having to hold the thing. Would probably drop it for fun. Though he would probably get detention for that. Whoa, that was some serious awesome magic. It looked like a muggle magic show. His hand disappeared in the sock. Dante started clapping.

Very Impressive.

Wait, Thornton was going to pass this turn to him. Well it is not like he cared. Dante shrugged and with a flick of his wrist tapped Thornton's bag and said "Magnus Centrum" Now to see if it worked. Dante put his hands in the bag and almost fell into it. "Whoa this is pretty cool. I could probably fit in this bag now."

And oh. He did the spell right....Awesome. Yeah.

Oh, applause, for him? Well, if Mr. Barrington insisted...

Airey took a humble bow, sock still on his arm, and then turned towards Mr. Baines. "I'll take her back now, thank you," he said with both hands greedily reaching out towards his pet rock. "You can give it a go again much easier without holding on to her."

Oooooooh, look at that! "Well done, Mr. Barrington! You seem to have a natural knack for Charms. I am sure you will impress Professor Fuller." He took a small step towards the Slytherin and peeked in, small smirk tugging at his features. "Looks like you could fit in that now..."

Hint hint hiiiiiiint.

Thornton handed Pebbles back to Flamsteed carefully, laying her in the one hand that actually was visible, exhaling the breath he didn't know he was holding once she was out of his possession. He tried not to stare at the arm that wasn't quite there.

Picking his wand back up, Thornton cleared his throat and tried to steady his breath. If Dante could do it so quickly, then clearly Thornton could too, right? "Magnus Centrum" he said calmly as he tapped the smaller bag, though his wand hand ached from slamming it into the ground before. But his wand glanced off the zipper and hit the floor. Sighing, Thornton ran his hand along the inside of the bag, careful this time. "It's still the same," he said glumly.

What he didn't know, was that his wand had hit a teeny hole in the stone of the floor, and the spell had worked! It was too small an opening for anything living to fall in, but as Thornton stood, his shoe pushed some dirt into the hole and it just kept falling and falling and falling.

He holstered his wand and shrugged. "I.. I guess I'll have to keep practicing in the dorms." He looked over at his pile of books and quills and ink and then over to his over-packed school bag. "Can, um.. can one of you do my bag for me?"

Well if charms was more of this then Dante was happy to have a knack for it. Better than math or something. "Thanks and i think you are right" Dante stuck his head in the bag to make sure. It was something else. But enough of looking in a empty bag. Dante took his head out and turned to watch Thornton try it.

Oh, maybe Dante was being a little optimistic thinking Thornton could do it too. Well he tried.

"Ah, it will probably be best if you do it, Professor. Don't want me messing up and setting fire to his bag."

Now that would be awesome. Just not to Thornton.

Hmmm...Airey had a few suspicions regarding Mr. Baines - but not wanting to say anything just now since they had a bit of an audience - he simply nodded his head at the young man's words. "I high recommend socks as a practice tool," he said, finally slipping his own back on his foot after removing the charm. "You can also ask Professor Fuller for additional practice tools should you feel the need."

The grump was the Charms professor, after all. Had to direct students to him when it was most applicable...even if Airey found the bloke a bit arrogant and with selective hearing and vision when it came to the astronomer.

Performing the enchantment silently, Airey bent down and picked up the Ravenclaw's bag to reach inside... "Yep, that will do it," he nodded, handing it back to the boy with a grin.

His attention drifted back towards Mr. Barrington and...his bag. "I reckon I may be able to fit in it too," he mused. And if the Slytherin wasn't going to try to climb in...then it was clearly the job of a Gryffindor. He'd always wanted to try doing this, step inside something with an Extension Charm on it, so this was one of those bucket list moments. "I'll just take my shoes off first and..." he said as he banished his shoes over to the wall and stuck both his feet into the bag. "...and just wiggle my way down then..."

Thornton nodded. Socks. Well, he supposed he could try. But what if he succeeded and then forgot the sock was extended and FELL into his own sock? Would anyone ever find him? That... seemed dangerous.

"Thank you, Professor," he said, taking the bag and beginning to put his things back in it. It DID feel remarkably lighter and would be much easier to carry. He had a fleeting moment of panic about how to find things inside and get them out, but he had bothered the Astronomy professor enough for one day.

He would seek out Fuller.

But his train of thought was broken when he heard the man suggest that he was going to GET INTO the bag. How far did things like that extend? How would he get out?

"No, professor, wait," Thornton pleaded. While you can still hold onto the edge of the bag.

Well Dante was not going to be getting in an magical bag. He would watch for sure and put his head in it. But actually step into it. That was somewhat insane. "I bet you could" It did look like someone could fit into it. Just not Dante. Maybe Flamsteed, if he was crazy enough. For this brief meeting. He would say yes he was.

A pet rock, case closed.

Whoa, wait he was actually going to do it. Dante eyed widen as he watched Flamsteed take a step into his bag. "Do It, Professor. Shimmy down into that bag. Don't worry i will tell the Headmistress if anything goes wrong." Dante said smiling.

He would just to see her reaction.

Inform the Headmistress. Of course, because that would be a brilliant way for him to keep whatever respect he had left in the woman's eyes.

"Actually, I would prefer you inform Professor Romanos should something go wrong," he said, index finger wiggling in the air as he moved to sit down. It really was quite spacious in here. His attention then moved to Mr. Baines. "Relax, Mr. Baines. Learn to enjoy the adventure that is life. Try new things and live on the edge a little."

Essentially, tune in to that inner Gryffindor that everyone had hidden deep down in there somewhere.

Fully sitting down now, the over 6 foot and gangly astronomer found that his head was still sticking out of the bag from the neck up. Hmmm...interesting. Perhaps there was some sort of correlation between the mass of the charmed object and the mass of the object or objects being put into said bag. Hmmm...HMMMMM....further experimentation may be necessary.

Rela-- Live on the e-- Yeah, no. As the man lowered himself into the bag, Thornton held his breath, only exhaling once it was clear that the professor had not disappeared forever into Dante's bag and they would not need to summon the headmistress or Professor Romanos or the healer or anyone else.

Walking over timidly, he laughed at the sight. When he got closer, the angle allowed him to see the man's whole body, sat perfectly normally on the bottom of the bag. He looked up at Dante and then back down to the professor, a thought crossing his mind.

"So, you could carry someone around like this, then, couldn't you?" He meant it completely innocently, thinking about what a kick his sister would get out of being carried around in something that had been extended. It would never have occurred to him that it could be used in mischievous or malevolent ways.

His mind then went to thinking about putting one extended object inside another. Was there a limit? Could he carry an entire library like that?

Did not know any Professor Romanos' yet. So if he did get lost in the bag. Dante would just take the bag to the Headmistress. But he had to assure Flamsteed so.

"Okay, to Professor Romanos i would go"

To tell the truth. It looked like Flamsteed was giving Thornton a panic attack. Though just a head sticking out of the bag would do that to most anyone. Dante looked at Thornton with an evil glint in his eye once he said that. It was just too perfect not to try.

Without asking. Dante bent over an picked up the bag. You know what his brother would say For Science and all that. Fun. "How does this feel Professor?"

Curious minds needed to know.

Smirk.

Offering both boys a salute, he wiggled his bum around a bit more to get comfortable and chuckled at Mr. Baines' thought. He had never tried that before - save for Pebbles when they had gone excavating for precious rocks to add to his collection, but he supposed that it was entirely possible...

OOOOOOOOOOH!

"Well, will you look at that. Looks like we just proved your hypothesis right, Mr. Baines!" he grinned as the bag was lifted up off the ground. Excellent use of the scientific method right now. Stellar even. "Feels a bit odd to be honest," he nodded, peering his head over the edge of the bag to look at the ground.

And now he knew how ridiculous it must feel for those creatures that got carried around in bags.

....and on that thought he was most definitely ready to get out of the bag.

"If you'll just set me down, Mr. Barrington, we can consider this experiment a success."

HOLY KNEAZLES.

"DANTE NO THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" FLAIL! Thornton's eyes grew wide and he thought he might vomit on the spot from sheer terror as Dante grabbed the bag and lifted the professor up. What if he dropped him? What if Flamsteed got angry? What if it hurt him? What if what if what if... panic panic panic.

Thornton took a few rushed steps forward, anticipating that he would try to grab the bag or something. But he stopped short when it seemed like the professor was actually enjoying the ride. So... they weren't going be expelled, then. Good.

When the professor asked to be put down, Thornton looked to Dante expectantly. Yes, please, put him down now. Thornton didn't know Dante all that well, and part of him wondered if he was the type of boy to hold the professor hostage or take him somewhere else.

Nice and slow, Dante. Please.

This was completely AWESOME. Dante was holding a Professors head in a bag and he was not in trouble. Of course he was not going to push this anymore. With his luck he would get in trouble. "Well i answered your question, Thornton. Didn't I?" Dante said smirking. Don't ask question you don't want the answer to.

Dante bet it felt a bit odd. Flammy was a head basically right now. Dante nodded filing this info away in his head. Ah right time to set him down. Slowly Dante set the bag back on the ground.

"You want to try next Thornton?" Dante asking smiling. Of course he would say no. But it could not hurt to ask.

Nodding his head back and forth as he was lowered to the ground, Airey gave Mr. Baines a quick salute for reassurance purposes mostly. Really, it would take more than an enchanted bag to take this astronomer. He had survived a centrifuge training accident after all.

"Thank you, Mr. Barrington," he said as he felt the hard surface of the ground beneath him. Giving his surroundings one last wiggle, he removed himself from the bag - legs first - and stood beside it. "Just crossed one thing off my life's bucket list."

Salutes to the pair of you!

"Yes, go ahead and give it a go. Quite the experience."

Thornton was beginning to breathe again, as the bag touched the ground and the professor climbed out. It hadn't been so much that he was scared of the bag itself, necessarily, but he was profoundly worried about what would have happened if the adult in the situation was hurt, or worse, angry. But Flamsteed had seemed to enjoy himself, which puzzled Thornton. He couldn't imagine any adult he knew trusting a pair of 11-year-olds with something like this.

But then Dante posed a question... Thornton approached the bag and looked down into it, and then back up at the professor. The man had sat down and remained visible, but he was rather tall... Hmmm.

"I.. don't know if I'll be able to get out by myself," he said, thoughtfully, returning his thoughts to the bag. His worry had abated, since Flamsteed has survived unscathed and could now supervise this adventure.

An adventure he would have been positively FORBIDDEN to even discuss at home. Still staring into the bag, he heard Flamsteed's prompting. "Ok." Considering his approach, he sat down on the floor next to the bag, and then lifted his feet over and in and then pushed, sliding down the inner lining of the bag until he reached the bottom.

He stood, then, in the bag, and looked around. He could see the top lip of the bag, but it was just over his head. He imagined it must be like what being in a pit was like.

"Just let me know if you're going to pick it up. I 'd want to sit down."

Dante nodded though he had no idea what a bucket list was. Sounded awesome if being carry around in a bag was on it. "You're welcome" Dante was just happy he was not in trouble. Detention was so much worse than points. He did not care about points. They were pointless to him.

Wait...

Was Thornton actually going to take the plunge into the bag. Dante was joking. He did not think the claw would actually go it. Would you look at that. He had a little crazy in him like Dante's brother.

"I will give Professor Flamsteed the honor of picking you up. Since i have already done it to the Professor"

Plus it was a little weird to hold a bag with a head out of it. It was totally something to experience for yourself.

Still it was cool..but weird.

Airey took a step towards the bag again as the Ravenclaw approached, his blue eyes widening and, yes, twinkling eager when it seemed as though Mr. Baines was going to take his advice and live a little more on the edge.

"Well, good thing you are not alone then, Mr. Baines," he said, placing a firm hand on both boys' shoulders. Steeeeeeeeeeellar. Yet another thing he could cross off his life's bucket list.

"And what an honor it will be," he chirped, a little too eagerly, as he bent down to grab the strap of the bag with both hands. "Why don't you go ahead and climb in there as well, Mr. Barrington?"