Gabe was sticking close to Zander and............Alexa, her name was....and he agreed with Alexa here. This book was coming and going as it pleased. The probability of it remaining stationed in any one place....including a predictable place like the Restricted section, seemed to conflict with it's pattern.

A thought....

Did the book sleep?

"Maybe a......" Gabe cleared his throat, fumbled with his glasses, and spoke a bit louder. "....a trap could be helpful? Maybe......someone could pretend they were willing to read it....and then capture it." Uh, just a thought....

Maybe the trick was to lure it out; have it come to them....

Lots of people here now, weren't there. Quite tall, too. Toby, who had been sort of making his way through everyone, now found himself next to the Ravenclaw, Gabe Banner, just as said Ravenclaw gave his input. Ooooh, yes.

"The book's showed up in places where it knows it's gonna be read, like common rooms and stuff. I wonder if it's likely to show up in the Great Hall at dinner or something, when it knows everyone'll be there. We could trick it, trap it, like Gabe said," Toby added to the general outpouring of suggestions. "Professor Glendower said that a freezing spell might do the trick." The Hufflepuff looked around the room, as if he might see it appear before his very eyes. "Or, at least... if we can work out how we might catch it, anyone can be ready if they see the book appear randomly in the castle." If a trap didn't work, that was.

In any case, at least people were now aware that they shouldn't touch the thing, though it was apparently quite an enticing book. Still, progress. Bright side.

Trying to listen to the other students as they all said a piece of their minds on how to capture the mysterious possessing book, Kevin had a hard time keeping up. He had only been at the search party when he found them on the second floor but he was doing his best to keep up with everyone.

Gabriel's suggestion of using a trap made him grin though. He too had suggested using someone as bait earlier but one of the Professor's had quickly dismissed it. Mweh, kill joys!

"I agree with that Ravenclaw over there" he pointed at Gabriel "that book doesn't want to be found, it wants to find one of us right?" from everything he heard, the book would pop up out of nowhere and then dissapear for some time. "So i still think using someone , i mean having a volunteer as bait...eh, making a trap is a better plan than just ...searching" He folded his arms over each other and frowned."I can't be bait , although i want to cause it sounds awesomely exciting" his Gryffindor was showing much? "But i don't even like books" so for it to choose him? nah.

Why was James looking at her like that? She was only teasing him the way he teased her about things. Shrugging it off, Lux focused on what the others were saying. Zander and Lex had good points about the book not wanting to be in the library, and Ruby's brother (Gabe??) came up with a good idea to have some one act as bait.

"I could be the bait....like if it's okay." She was volunteering. She wanted to help. "I love to read, so that might be useful."

So Leobald had only found vague notes, none of the other professors had seen it, the children were squabbling amongst each other as to the best way to 'trap' a book which could both appear and disappear at will, and the Head Girl was eating a VERY large and greasy sandwich in front of everyone. What great leadership she had. "There will be NO returning of the 'candy bag' until you make that sandwich disappear," she said pointedly at Alexa.

Then the Headmistress nodded at the librarian to show she'd heard and spoke up to everyone. "All right then, quiet down. Everyone. Thank you." She paaaaaaaused to allow the silence to actually fall. "I don't think we should give up on this book just yet. From what I'm hearing from you all, it sounds as though the book DOES want to be found, but only because it wants to be READ. So we need to create an environment that is suitable for READING. Let's lure the book TO US. ALL OF US. There's safety in numbers, so we won't need to use any ONE PERSON as 'bait.'" Especially not a Hufflepuff, goodness gracious, no. Everyone knew what happened when Hufflepuffs volunteered for danger. "Now, we're in a library, so what better place could we gather to READ A BOOK? Hmm?"

She looked around as though this idea was simply brilliant and destined to work. Confidence, yes, the redhead had fake confidence in her plan. "Everyone grab a book. Now. Pretend to read, or actually read, let's go. Sit down, spread out, lounge around the library, let's all GATHER and READ. If you'd like, we can have storytime and someone can read TO you." Flamsteed, yes, he could read to the children. She certainly didn't have those affable characteristics of a good reader, even though she was an excellent reader.

"Hop to it. READING. We are having SUSTAINED SILENT READING TIME until the book comes TO us....just think happy thoughts of WANTING TO READ....this Fairy Tale Book. The Book will work its magic and come if we ALL want to reaaaaaaad it. Yes, I'm sure this will work. Read. Now. Thank you."

Directions given, the Headmistress sidled over toward Kitridge and motioned for the other professors in the room to gather as well. In case her plan didn't work, they needed a... backup. But at least the library was QUIET now, without everyone talking over each other, so they could HEAR if a giggling, glowing book suddenly popped up in the school library...

PFT, so when they suggested a trap it was out of the question but when the Headmistress did it was a good plan. Talk about unfair. But , he was listening to her and all in all it did sound like a good plan. "What do we do if one of us sees the book?"he asked. "I think it would vanish the moment a person alerts someone"

Instead of getting up and finding a book from the library, he kept sitting down and opened his own bag. He took out the advanced potions book, something he WAS interested in in reading but this time he wasn't actually reading, he was keeping his ears open for any giggling and his eyes would look around for anything suspicious.

Casse was listening to everyone talk about the book and eyed Alexa in her very vocal opinion. Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder how she became a Head Girl with the way she spoke to the adults around here. Anyway, she turned and listened to the continued conversations. "Oh reading might work." Yes, snaps for the headmistress, though she tried to snap quietly they were in a library after all.

Once she gave the direction, Cassie turned to grab a book. That's when she noticed the gesture from the headmistress. Oh... did she want them to come over there. Slipping the book back on shelf. Moving towards Leo and Annie, but staying on the side of Annie, no need to get Sophia upset if she'd pop in. Looking around at the students before whispering, "So if they book does come, how are we going to catch it?" If it was just coming and going without a chance to keep it, how would they ever control it.

Hmm, good question. Anastasia turned toward the Gryffindor --- LOOK AT THAT, IT WAS KEVIN, BEING POLITE(ish) --- and considered his thought. "Grab it. Read it. Hold onto it, whatever you do, so it does not disappear again. From what I'm hearing, it won't POOF if it's working its magic on you, so if you do see it..."

Then, well, that lucky victim person would just have to take one for the team.

Zander was pretty proud of himself actually. Even though the entire idea wasn't his, the only reason people even came up with this stuff was because of what he said mhm. So technically. Yeah. He smiled over at Lex AND the Ravenclaw too 'cause technically they were all apart of the same search team too. Heh. Teamwork, people. Zander could do it too.

At the next suggestion though, Zander was a bit reluctant. Would the book really fall for it? A bunch of people sitting around reading?? Weren't books supposed to smart? Like Ravenclaws? Either way, Zander wasn't going to disagree because it was the best plan of action they had... And splitting up around the castle had already failed so this was certainly the next best move. Although, instead of trying to find a book in the library, he reached into his bag and pulled out a book that he was already reading thanks to a certain Airey Flamsteed.

Now where was he? Oh yeah, Early Hogwarts Years. Right. Neville Longbottom, you're the man.

So Lux wouldn't need to be bait because they were all going to try reading. Well, she wasn't sure if the Headmistress' idea was going to work but at least she would be helping. Honestly it was a relief not to be dealing with the book again but she had wanted to help the school and be brave like Bay was.

Pulling a book out of her bag, she opened it and started reading when suddenly a smell caught her attention. "Is it me or has someone been baking buns?" They smelled yummy.

Angel looked at the headmistress and raised her hand. "Could we like blindfold someone and they can grab the book because the spell wouldn't work if you can't see it right." Angel took out her book and started to read it... this was going to be awesome.

Although he didn't here or see anything while pretending to read, he did smell something that was coming from further in to the library. At first, he thought it was his imagination but when he heard Lux's words he turned his attention to her. "I smell it too" he said and got up from his seat and walked around a bit. "It's stronger here i think" he said pointing in the direction of the restricted area. "I wanna check it out..."

James finally glanced at Zoe now that his face wasn't the color of a tomato and grabbed a random book off of one of the shelves. Opening the book he pretended to read. He was most definitely not keen on using students as bait. Especially if it was anyone he knew...

His eyes went to Lux as she was talking about buns and he sniffed the air. What? He didn't smell anything. Now she was just getting weird. Oh good and the Gryffindor was weird with her. But if the supposed smell was coming from the restricted section did that mean he had been right after all? Hmmm who knew. He was going to do what the headmistress said and sit here and pretend to read....

More support on the matter. There was hope for this school yet. Unfortunately their input didn't matter when the Headmistress had the final say. The Gryffindor gave a light shrug and another bite of her sandwich. It would disappear when she was done. If they had left her down in the kitchens with her possessions like she wanted them to then she wouldn't be offending anyone with her brilliant snack. No rush. You did not stuff a sandwich such as this one down your throat to be done with it.

Unlike the others who might have decided to start reading, Lex just peered around the library. Funny how they said no food was allowed when she was smelling baked goods just a little ways off.

The double standards in this institution were remarkable and she couldn't wait til she wasn't subjected to them anymore. Why didn't they pick on the person who'd brought a whole easy bake oven, eh?

"Are we gonna bust that guy for food in the library too or...." was it just her? It was the badge wasn't it? She could take it off til the sandwich was done. No skin off her back. But seriously, was the person willing to share? Did they have nutella to put on the baked goods? Serious questions here.

Zoe jumped up the moment James moved to get a book. Okay then, well she guessed he was over the embarrassment of the kissy faced look from the younger girl, now that his face looked normal coloured. She'd listened as the headmistress said about everyone finding a book and letting the fairy tales book find them. But she was feeling a little sleepy with the spaghetti and all and it had taken her a moment. She followed him to a shelf and then settled beside him rather than get a book deciding to read the one he had grabbed instead.

Buns? She looked up curiously when the girl who'd been teasing him said she smelled something like buns baking. Hmm....she could smell something faintly but maybe someone was just hungry? She rested her head on James' shoulder and looked down at the book instead.

Tapping his chin thoughtfully for a moment, and trying not to chuckle at Miss Cambridge because somehow he doubted that this special permission was a real thing, his attention was temporarily distracted by student conversations and other means of attack...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArianaBlack

...

And it was messing with him. "But Professor, if it's actually a book... And it knows we're looking for it... Would it really run to the library of all places?" It just didn't make sense to the Gryffindor. The book definitely disappeared because it new they were running after it. That was the only explanation. "Wouldn't that be a little... Predictable?

"An intriguing inquiry but perha ---" And then the Headmistress had spoken...and they were to read. He could do that. But he also wished to share a few nuggets of his thought process with the Gryffindor - and anyone else who cared to listen. Grabbing a random book from the nearby shelf, ironically a copy of The Hairy Heart: A Guide to Wizards Who Won't Commit, he slid beside Mr. Adair and pretended to read from the text. "Reverse psychology, Mr. Adair. In order to be found perhaps it is going to the most obvious of locations. It could very well be that that giggling book enjoys this little...chase it has us on. When I was a young man playing hide-and-seek and sardines in the castle, I would often hide in the more obvious of places simply to play mind games with the people I was playing with. Became quite fun really..." he said as his eyes glazed over while oh-so-casually pretending to read whatever page of the book he had opened up to. There was also the historical significance of "open at the close"...but that hardly seemed relevant right now. "Seems to be acting like a nonsensical child."

Which was also a jab at himself. Oof.

Glancing up from his book and noticing the Headmistress' hand movements, Airey nodded his head towards the students with a little bit of a hand wave for them to continue their reading before heading on over. "Students told me that Nessarose thinks maybe a freezing spell will work on it. Stop its movements," he replied to Cassiopeia, his voice just above a whisper. "If anyone actually gets a hold of the thing...it is entirely likely it will just vanish the moment it senses an attack." Did that mean they had to act quickly and accept whatever collateral damange came with that? Freezing said book holder's movements as well? Heh. What an amusing notion. Just as long as no Gryffindors were red shirts from the whole ordeal he was fine. "Perhaps we sh----"

And then his nose began making loud sniffing noises. Awkwardly loud. Nose twitching eagerly, the astronomer was easily distracted from the conversation with his colleagues by the succulent aroma. Smelled even better than Miss Adam's delights and THAT was saying something.

"Smells.....goooooooooooooood..." he said while his stomach gurgled and he took a few bold steps in the direction of the Restricted Section. It was as Miss Cambridge said, needed to "bust" whoever it was that had tantalizing sweets in the library.

To be confiscated...naturally...ahem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BanaBatGirl

Directions given, the Headmistress sidled over toward Kitridge and motioned for the other professors in the room to gather as well. In case her plan didn't work, they needed a... backup. But at least the library was QUIET now, without everyone talking over each other, so they could HEAR if a giggling, glowing book suddenly popped up in the school library...

... Botros and his group got into the library and listened to the Headmistress give out the plan. He moved towards the group of professors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Casse was listening to everyone talk about the book and eyed Alexa in her very vocal opinion. Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder how she became a Head Girl with the way she spoke to the adults around here. Anyway, she turned and listened to the continued conversations. "Oh reading might work." Yes, snaps for the headmistress, though she tried to snap quietly they were in a library after all.

Once she gave the direction, Cassie turned to grab a book. That's when she noticed the gesture from the headmistress. Oh... did she want them to come over there. Slipping the book back on shelf. Moving towards Leo and Annie, but staying on the side of Annie, no need to get Sophia upset if she'd pop in. Looking around at the students before whispering, "So if they book does come, how are we going to catch it?" If it was just coming and going without a chance to keep it, how would they ever control it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BanaBatGirl

Hmm, good question. Anastasia turned toward the Gryffindor --- LOOK AT THAT, IT WAS KEVIN, BEING POLITE(ish) --- and considered his thought. "Grab it. Read it. Hold onto it, whatever you do, so it does not disappear again. From what I'm hearing, it won't POOF if it's working its magic on you, so if you do see it..."

Then, well, that lucky victim person would just have to take one for the team.

Oh Cassie had a very good point. And Annie was hanging on to straws. Botros remained silent for a while, not making any effort to grab a book.

They needed a way to hold on to the book, keep it trapped for a while to inspect it.

Trap it.

"We can-- there's a way to trap it." He whispered thoughtfully. "I would need red pigment and a wide space. We can use the trapping runic scheme, it will keep it within its radius trapped." He looked at them intently.

Zhenya pulled out her own book, the one she wanted to speak about originally, and opened it. She didn't read it yet, though, she was listening to everything the Headmistress was saying. Well, she had always meant to read a book on fairy tales, she wondered if one simply had to wait for the effect to wear off, or if there was something that could be done to quicken the process.

But why was everyone going on about smelling something? She sniffed hard, almost feeling dizzy, and thought she could smell something but she wasn't sure. Imagination is a fickle thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry174

Angel looked at the headmistress and raised her hand. "Could we like blindfold someone and they can grab the book because the spell wouldn't work if you can't see it right." Angel took out her book and started to read it... this was going to be awesome.

"Great idea, Angel, that COULD work as long as the book isn't perceptive to whether one's eyes are open or not as one reads.... which, shhh, you all need to be reading." Though on second thought, the book could very well be perceptive to eyes. Well, it was an idea, and they needed all the ideas they could get.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Once she gave the direction, Cassie turned to grab a book. That's when she noticed the gesture from the headmistress. Oh... did she want them to come over there. Slipping the book back on shelf. Moving towards Leo and Annie, but staying on the side of Annie, no need to get Sophia upset if she'd pop in. Looking around at the students before whispering, "So if they book does come, how are we going to catch it?" If it was just coming and going without a chance to keep it, how would they ever control it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Glancing up from his book and noticing the Headmistress' hand movements, Airey nodded his head towards the students with a little bit of a hand wave for them to continue their reading before heading on over. "Students told me that Nessarose thinks maybe a freezing spell will work on it. Stop its movements," he replied to Cassiopeia, his voice just above a whisper. "If anyone actually gets a hold of the thing...it is entirely likely it will just vanish the moment it senses an attack." Did that mean they had to act quickly and accept whatever collateral damange came with that? Freezing said book holder's movements as well? Heh. What an amusing notion. Just as long as no Gryffindors were red shirts from the whole ordeal he was fine. "Perhaps we sh----"

And then his nose began making loud sniffing noises. Awkwardly loud. Nose twitching eagerly, the astronomer was easily distracted from the conversation with his colleagues by the succulent aroma. Smelled even better than Miss Adam's delights and THAT was saying something.

"Smells.....goooooooooooooood..." he said while his stomach gurgled and he took a few bold steps in the direction of the Restricted Section. It was as Miss Cambridge said, needed to "bust" whoever it was that had tantalizing sweets in the library.

To be confiscated...naturally...ahem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magical Soul

Oh Cassie had a very good point. And Annie was hanging on to straws. Botros remained silent for a while, not making any effort to grab a book.

They needed a way to hold on to the book, keep it trapped for a while to inspect it.

Trap it.

"We can-- there's a way to trap it." He whispered thoughtfully. "I would need red pigment and a wide space. We can use the trapping runic scheme, it will keep it within its radius trapped." He looked at them intently.

Hanging onto straws the Headmistress was indeed. Like Airey, Lux, and Kevin, she too smelled something delicious wafting around the library. Was that Leobald's cinnabuns again? She hadn't even gotten to try one of those and now someone was baking more.... or... were they?

She tapped her chin idly. "Alright, if any of us encounters the book, I think we should try the reading thing first, as in turning its pages and all that, and then someone else will need to sneak up on it and try freezing it...." Er, what was this idea Abraham had? "Something red, you say?" She opened up the bag she'd forgotten she was wearing and started rooting around in Alexa's mess for something red. Ugh, this bag was mostly wrappers and stale candy. Still, some of the mess was red...

She pulled out a red powder candy tube, which she knew had pure sugar in it because she had caught her son sneaking one, and offered it to Botros. "Would this work? I have red candy wrappers and more sugary... red things in here....." Just don't ask WHY.

As for the scent of freshly baked buns which was just permeating the air... Annie looked up to see Flamsteed already heading in that direction. "In the words of the Head Girl," she looked at him, "go 'bust that guy' for whatever he has." And he'd better have enough to share with the whole Book Club/Search Party group.

Baked goods...

Come eat me... Comecomecome... Eatmememe... Baked buns...

Huh? Trap? What? Did that mean they would EAT?

"Why don't we eat it?" As he had never sat down anyway, he took a step towards the Restricted Section. He had lost the track of the discussion when he smelt the buns, so he had NO idea what this smell was - only that it was calling him.

Wasn't it... rude to send Mr. Botros to get them? Could HE go instead and eat half of it?

Toby could SMELL THAT TOO, but then he could also kinda smell Lex's sandwich so he'd sort of figured it was just some kind of... of magic sandwich with a second wave of aroma or something. Or someone else eating in here. He wondered vaguely if it was worth investigating, but Headmistress Truebridge didn't seem too concerned, and Toby trusted her judgement.

He held a book in front of him, but couldn't possibly be expected to read right now, with all these other things going on that were drawing his attention. Still, he was at least pretending to do so, as Truebridge had instructed, and also glancing up at the adults from time to time.

... Were those sweets? Merlin, it was like a picnic in here today.

Phew, so she wasn't the only one who could smell the buns. She wasn't insane. But who would be eating in a library? Besides Lex that is...

More discussion followed and it was hard for her to keep up with it when the library smelled so good that she was getting hungry. Professor Botros mentioned the trapping Runic Ward and she could remember drawing the big capturing one in class. She didn't have a giant red paintbrush, but there was a red marker in her bag which she pulled out. "Would this work, Professor?"

James had long forgotten the book in his hands as he saw everyone wandering around and talking about buns. Now he was hungry again. Great. He tilted his head when he felt Zoe's head on his shoulder and tried hard to hide a smirk. Least he wasn't bright red this time. He glanced at Lux who was enthralled with the buns and tried hard to smell them himself. "I don't smell anything...." Maybe everyone had gone crazy.

He wanted to stand up but didn't want to make Zoe take her head off his shoulder so instead was content to sit and watch everyone try and get stuff that was red. If everyone was doing that...Nope he had to pretend to read or the book wouldn't come right.

Oh great book of fairytale mysteries...come hither... he chanted in his head as he stared at the page about...what....divination? Ugh. Should've read the title first. He half expected everyone to stand up and start chanting the way they were all behaving. He leaned his head against Zoe's and tried hard to concentrate on summoning the book. He could be Prince Charming. Or...Captain Hook. That would be cool. Hook for a hand. ARGH!

Caleb had joined the search party a bit late but had followed them to the library and showed up in time to hear Truebridge instruct them all to pretend to read. He could do that for sure. He sat down and pulled out one of the nearest books. What was this? Quidditch Through the Ages? Nice, he could actually get involved in this book...

He was a bit nervous as to what they'd do if they DID find it though. If he had to read it again...would he keep talking about dark magic? Or would he be another character? He didn't want to think about it...

People were talking about smelling things...Caleb was pretty sure he didn't smell anything, but he WAS a bit stuffy today from allergies, so he couldn't smell ANYTHING, let alone cinnamon buns or whatever.

"I do but it's really faint" she said looking towards the group heading for the restricted section. "Should we follow them? Or is it just searching for someone who just wanted some buns to eat in the library?" Or was it the librarian? She settled without complaint when he rested his head against hers. She wasn't complaining about it, she was the one who had put her head on his shoulder...

Why were they looking at a Divination book? Right....looking for a fairy tales book. Everyone else was chasing it, wouldn't it make more sense to just sit there and wait for it to appear and then catch it? Heh, well she was happy to wait. Reading..... Blah Divination....