Hearing Cossy's suggestion Leo's eyes almost bulged out of their eye sockets as he heard the potions master’s suggestion. Finding it hard to find his breath he spluttered out. "We are not burning the book Cosgrach. The book might be evil but burning it up to ashes isn't the answer." If they did that he’d probably faint or start crying.

With one last glance at his seemingly unscathed friend Leo crossed the floor to where Gabriel was slumped with his head in his hands. "Are you all right Gabriel?" Ducking for a carpet and stunning a frog before it got too close Leo waited for the eagle boy’s answer.

It was nice that the book seemed to have changed its pace from full out angry to something more pleasant or rather nice. Maybe it wasn’t as evil as everyone portrayed it to be? Maybe it just wanted to be loved and read after merlin knew how many years stuck on the shelf in the library.

Still standing near Gabriel he focused his attention on the group closest to the book. Alexa Cambridge was muttering something about keeping the book around so she could get more chocolate frogs and Kevin Hirase wanted to blow it up to pieces. Leo was about to protest when Headmistress Truebridge thankfully stepped in and took charge.

Wand still in hand Leo waited for more instructions. The magic words to end this would be?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaniDiNardo

The Ravenclaw was still campaigning for the book. "Take a chill quill bookworm, the book's gonna live. It's proven it's worth." Now when it stopped sprouting chocolate frogs, THAT'S when it would find itself engulfed in flames or in a million pieces depending on what her wand felt like doing at the moment.

She grinned, obviously in the best of moods with all this sugar hopping around her in all its magnificent glory. "Grab a chocolate frog and enjoy the show, the book's finally on our side." Minus the kissy frogs. Those were still a bit iffy with her.

It looked like Lex would be happy with the book as long as it was producing chocolate frogs. Grab a chocolate frog? No, Penelope did not like chocolate. Lex could keep the chocolate for herself. Penelope grabbed the nearest chocolate frog, but she didn't eat it. She handed the frog to Lex. "I don't like chocolate." Were they even allowed to have chocolate frogs in the library? "I thought we can't have food in the library..." Why were there people EATING chocolate frogs in the LIBRARY?

Lex didn't want to destroy the book because chocolate frogs were coming out of it. There was still some talk of DESTROYING the BOOK, and that was not okay. "Don't destroy the book!" She didn't care if it was producing chocolate frogs or attacking them with carpets and pixies. It was never okay to destroy books.

Why was he so nervous about this? ... Maybe it had to do with the fact that he was standing only a few inches away from a book that had just spewed out a bunch of evil materials? Or maybe it had to do with the way Lex got around chocolate. But whatever it was, he just kept replaying the words of one Airey Flamsteed in his head. Neville Longbottom. Think Neville Longbottom. Ahem. Anyways.

Why was she handing him a frog for Merlin's sake? Not that he'd deny it. Zander wanted the chocolates as much as anyone did, maybe more actually considering that he had just run out of his own stash only a couple of weeks ago. So he took the chocolate gratefully and sent her a small smile.... But she defeinitely did not see where he was going with this. Uh.

The Gryffindor could vaguely hear a Ravenclaw still shouting things about not destroying the book. Someone needed to tell her to calm down 'cause no one was going to burn the book. Especially not in a library that was FULL of other flammable materials. That'd be kinda dumb and even Zander knew that much.

And then, Kevin happened. GAH!! Why was it so hard to get a plan in motion around here? This winking thing was not working and he was going to march up to Simon and ask for some sort of explanation about it or something. 'Cause how come it always worked for the Slytherins, but the moment Zander tried it out... No one understood?

Either way, Zander was about to say something about not destroying the book, right before Lex took the reigns and said something herself. Uhum. Well that was one way of putting it. Except, Zander wouldn't let Lex hurt Kevin or take his head if that's where she was going with the threat. He'd definitely-- The Headmistress?

Remember who the real enemy is? Well that was one way of doing things. Hopefully Lex would understand what it meant because apparently the winking thing didn't work. Hmph. Hearing the bit about not touching it, Zander nodded and looked back towards the book in mention. Okay... So they had to find a way of keeping it shut without actually touching it? Good thing they were wizards. Now if only there were a spell to shut a magical book that was slowly taking over the entire school. Book club was weird.
ZANDER should do the sweet talking? What was Kevin on about?? Actually... Kevin was right. It was probably better if the third year didn't do the talking. Turning to his best mate, he gave him a quick nod. Okay. They could do this, they were the dream team in fact. Well, the dream team plus Headgirl Lex. Kevin would have his wand on the book so it couldn't do anything funny, and Zander would do the talking. And Lex.... She'd just continue doing whatever it was she was doing, unless that whole enemy thing worked on her?

Now uh, how did one sweet talk an enchanted book, exactly? ... It wanted to be read, right? Turning his gaze back to the pages that were currently releasing chocolate frogs, Zander held his hand up to reach for one newly coming out of the pages. Hopefully Lex wouldn't mind. "I'm sure a look wouldn't hurt," he said drawing out his words a little more than normal, hoping that it sounded as sweet as he wanted it to sound? Was this it? Sweet talking? He looked over at Kevin with a small shrug and gave the Headmistress a glance as well, before turning back to the book. "This story.....it looks almost too good to resist." Sweet Merlin, please let this work. All they needed was for the book to be happy. If they angered it again, they could probably expect something even WORSE than rogue pixies. And though Zander wasn't really sure how they'd get it shut and sealed for good, one thing was for sure: they just had to keep it in the positive.

Oh, Cosgrach took deep breaths and tried to imagine his happy, SAFE family and the moment he would see them again. Then, he started fighting it like the rest of everyone...

...

Oh, by now, he was handling himself alright, so he nodded at her.



Cosgrach GLARED at the girl.

"No one's destroying it, Merlin! Calm down!"

Really, BE CALM, kid, because the book had calmed down for a change and Cosgrach didn't want anyone to disturb it. What caused it? Was it... like the end of fairy tales? How did fairy tales end, anyway? He didn't even know.

As people started to seem to want to read it's precious pages the Fairy Tale book wasn't sure it wanted them to read it anymore, but they were being quite friendly about it. Maybe it would turn it's pages and let them have a peek. Hearing a voice from the older girl again the book giggled and happily shivered at her words.

The shiver making the pixies and the carpets poof as quickly as they appeared. As it giggled it's pages opened and a few happy little flowers popped out just around it on the table singing a happy tune.

Adi had had enough of this stupid carpet dancing with him. Granted he wanted to learn to dance but he had only asked AJ to teach him, not some object. "Beat it, you,'' he said sternly and jerked his hands away from the thing. "Go bother a fellow carpet or something.''

The Hufflepuff scrambled away, his head spinning a bit from the dancing but he was just in time to hear the Headmistress say wands at the ready and pointed towards the book. Oh yeah, he can do that. What next? And was that giggling? The same giggling he had heard at the fifth floor corridor during the search.

See...this could be a good reason to support his decisions to not eat chocolate frogs. When they had appeared, Lex and Zander and others seemed to go crazy over them while Benny himself was seeking to get away from the real life hoping creatures as well as an overly hapopy pixie that had decided that his lanky blonde hair was long enough for it to try to braid. "Not a girl...thank you..." he said with a sigh as he worked on flicking it away from his head.

Adi was free from hanging up by the ceiling and thankfully saved from crashing to the ground by Culloden's fast spellwork which was a plus. Well a plus until you realized the rug was still dancing with the boy just on the floor. He swatted again at the bothersome pixie that had claimed him debating a next move but brought up short by the instructions set up by the headmistress.

Okay...sounded like a good enough plan for now. Even though his wand was already well enough raised and how exactly did one sweet talk a book? Benny wasn't even able to do that towards a girl. But as he chanced another look of full attention to the fairy tale book in question he noticed a change. Was that a giggle? Were they making the book happy?

The flowers that popped up around the book and the disappearance of both flying carpets and pixies seemed to lead in that train of thought. Even if the frogs remained. And still, the fourth year was concerned for the head girl and those nearest the book. "Alexa...." he murmered, calling the older girl's name.

She wasn't getting re enchanted...right?

Cassie was still there, yes, she hadn't left. She just had been quiet and no help, because when the book let go of the carpets she had the unfortunate luck to be wrapped in one. So when it finally went poof she swayed a bit dizzy from it's dancing around with her tightly inside.

Adjusting her eyes to the light she looked around very confused. The pixies were gone, but there were frogs. Ducking as one jumped to kiss her. Sorry little froggie there was only one person she was hoping to have a kiss from and slimy green things was not it.

Hearing the headmistress words and blinking toward the flowers she lifted her wand and slowly got closer. "Professor Botros should we do your chant?" Was that what they needed to do or was it something else. She looked towards the other staff members trying to see what she had missed during her dance with a carpet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fairy Tale Book of Fairy Tales

As people started to seem to want to read it's precious pages the Fairy Tale book wasn't sure it wanted them to read it anymore, but they were being quite friendly about it. Maybe it would turn it's pages and let them have a peek. Hearing a voice from the older girl again the book giggled and happily shivered at her words.

The shiver making the pixies and the carpets poof as quickly as they appeared. As it giggled it's pages opened and a few happy little flowers popped out just around it on the table singing a happy tune.

.... hmm? Botros, who was taking cover behind one of the bookshelves, got out completely out and into the open when the things started vanishing and there was a song now playing... by dancing flowers. Aww! Abraham beamed at the cute scene and was drawn to it like a magnet, getting closer to the table.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Hearing the headmistress words and blinking toward the flowers she lifted her wand and slowly got closer. "Professor Botros should we do your chant?" Was that what they needed to do or was it something else. She looked towards the other staff members trying to see what she had missed during her dance with a carpet.

"... no, dear, we only have to do it once." He replied to professor Morgan when he was near her, getting his wand out and pointing it at the book.

Beverly cracked a smirk at the Gryffindor showdown. They would be the first to go, definitely. What with their stupid bravery, haha. That would've also been a great distraction and Beverly could have gone for the book and BOOM. BUT she was not stupid. She was not going to place herself at the front line. What if the book grew agitated once more? There was no way she'd risk her bum like that. If things came to worse, she'd be the first one out.

Fortunately the book started singing and spewing flowers, and everything else ceased. She tucked a few chocolate frogs into her robe pocket, those were for later, to re-energize after this.

Point her wand at it? GLADLY.

What ever the Headmistress had in mind, having her wand pointed at the bloody book made Beverly feel a bit more in control. If it tried anything funny she'd be ready.

But...question.

Botros where was Botros? Ah! There he was with Professor Morgan. Beverly took cautious steps until she was at his side.

"Do you think there's a runic ward or something to make the book dormant and keep it that way?" she whispered, you know, just in case the book had super hearing and decided to shoot them trolls.

And just like that things started to vanish. Pixies that were dancing and very charming were now nonexistent. What a relief that was Jordan thought to himself. And not only the pixies but the carpets that had attacked and slapped him upside the head was now starting to vanish. "It's about time, Merlin's Beard." Jordan murmured to himself as all the students and professors crowded around the Fairy Tale Book and started to talk to it.

Jordan was a little curious as to why they were trying to talk to the book and read it. What happened if it just got angrier and started conjuring curses or something weird like conjuring up some more romantic pixies? However Jordan continued to go along with everyone not trying to start a debate of any kind, especially with the Professors and Headmistress Truebridge.

Soooo no blowing up the book then?

Seemed Lex wanted the thing around as long as it sprouted Chocolate Frogs, and that was something Lux couldn't really blame her for since they were amazing. Nodding at the Head Girl, she drew her wand and pointed it towards the book like the Headmistress instructed. Whatever spell(s) they would use was beyond her, but she'd gladly do as instructed as long as it stopped the book.

With a POOF the pixies and flying carpets were gone but so long as the Chocolate Frogs stayed she was happy. Awww, now there are flowers and it's playing music. How adorable. Now stay that way and don't shoot out anything evil; that Troll in Potions had been more than enough.

Angel had her wand out waiting for instructions, Adi was free from the nasty book and Angel really wanted to make the book go Boom.

O_______________o

No Boom... or as Basil Brush would say. "Boom, Boom!"

Angel wanted to sing a song about a book being destroyed but she decided against it because the Professor might tell her off and then she would be really sad and upset... which wouldn't be good.

Well...you could not deny that Gryffindors were a spirited bunch. And while he could comprehend some of the hostile feels as he slapped away a frog that was making all those uncomfortable noises at him, now was NOT the time to get all ROAR with one another.

"Miss Cambridge, Mr. Hirase. ENOUGH," he barked as he army crawled the rest of his way towards them. "You can threaten each other later." Seriously, time and place for everything and now was NOT the time for that.

The astronomer finally pushed himself up off the ground with his wand at the ready, as instructed, and focused entirely on the book - with the occasional glance towards Miss Cambridge and Mr. Hirase. When the carpets, on of which had smacked him in the face during one of its lively corkscrew movements in the air - vanished, his was confused. WHY were those gone and....on sweet solstice. There were singing flowers.

Jaw hanging open as he listened, kicking away a chocolate frog with his right foot, he suddenly froze in place. Eyes wide, he shot his head around towards Miss Cambridge. "Say that again, Miss Cambridge! Oh get off me you bloody thing," he said while trying to flick a frog that had hopped on to his shoulder with puckered up lips. "OFF!"

Tiara had really been at a loss as to what she could do to help. Her spells had absolutely no effect on the book. At least she'd managed to help a few students with cushioning charms. Seeking out Mr. Rehman in the fray, she noticed he did indeed appear unharmed. But them the Headmistress reappeared out of nowhere with instructions. Where had that woman been the past several minutes when they were all calling for her?! Pushing this aside, she drew her wand and pointed it at the thing.


Wand still pointed at the book, she watched breathlessly as the Head Girl approached the wretched thing. She almost screamed a warning, but saw that Anastasia had wanted this and refrained. But.. something had changed suddenly in the book's behavior. Right after Alexa had said... "I'm with Flamsteed!" She was shocked by this proclamation, but the man was actually talking sense. "Keep saying it, Miss Cambridge!"

And meanwhile, Tiara would keep pushing the frogs away that were trying to jump up her robes.

*blinkblink*

Well, at least the pixies were gone now. Heather did as told and aimed her wand towards the crazy book. Were they about to blow the stupid thing up? Because, at this point, she would be okay with that, if only to end the crazy roller coaster of the book and it's emotions. Someone might have to stun that silly Ravenclaw girl though, the one that kept shouting about not burning or blowing it up. Honestly, if it was what they had to do, it was what they had to do and it was just a dumb book anyway. A book that had possessed many a person, which meant that it was ultimately evil.

So, what next, Headmistress?

A threat? "Hardly. Think of it more like a promise." Did he think she CARED about the stupid Head Girl badge pinned to her chest? She'd sooner turn it in if that let her do what she wanted so yeah, leave the book alone and no one gets hurt. Lex turned from the aggravating young lion when Penelope came and handed her a chocolate frog. Good to see she'd calmed down....or not. There she went yelling about the book again. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted.

Lex turned to the Headmistress again, not having removed her wand from Kevin's face. The real enemy was anyone trying to get rid of the chocolate frogs. She hadn't forgotten , don't worry...but fine...she saw the point. What she didn't see was WHY they all had to aim at the book! jbgdisrjgfuwr! Had the Headmistress NOT heard what she said??? SIGH. ALexa rolled her eyes at Kevin's remark on nice words. "Unless you haven't noticed, it's been remarkably nice to me because it obviously likes what I'm saying, making me nice." Nicest one here at the moment if you asked the book.

Reluctantly she turned her wand to the book as well, but kept snatching the chocolate frogs as they hopped. Briefly she turned to Ben who'd said her name, giving him a curious look. "Yeah?" Had something happened? Evidently because now Airey was yelling and the book was....was...singing. Sure. So long as the candy stayed. It didn't escape her notice that the Professor had given her permission to threaten Kevin later and she contented herself with that. Yup. Later. For now, he was one about saying things again and so was Tanner. Huh?

"Say what? That I'll remove his head if he refuses to use it or that bit about everyone living happily ever after if we let the chocolate frogs stay?"

Gabriel was slowly getting himself back under control...and was having some success...but luckily his Head of House had taken notice. He looked up at the older man; eyes still a bit glassed over.

............"M'fine."

Also, the body-shakes weren't nearly as violent as they usually were...with this panic attack. Maybe...the potion he'd been taking from Professor Culloden was working. A little?.......but who wouldn't have been panicking if they'd gotten manhandled by a flying carpet...and then frogs...Even the chocolate frogs...Why couldn't it have spit out a few pumpkin pasties?!

Breathing. Gabe had to focus on breathing. In. Out. Lots of blinking.

Yes...he was going to be...fine.



.

.

.

....but everything was STILL loud...and STILL strange.

The book was doing something different, of course...No more flying carpets, frogs, pixies, or...chocolate...but......

Gabriel perched up on his knees and looked over the edge of the table; glasses askew.

Why....were there.....dancing flowers? What were they meant to say?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deezerz

But...question.

Botros where was Botros? Ah! There he was with Professor Morgan. Beverly took cautious steps until she was at his side.

"Do you think there's a runic ward or something to make the book dormant and keep it that way?" she whispered, you know, just in case the book had super hearing and decided to shoot them trolls.

Botros nodded, "We can create one. It'll take me a few days to weeks to make it work." He was being seriously serious, looking at Wayne with sparkling old eyes. She was such an aspiring Runes Mistress! He was so proud.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Jaw hanging open as he listened, kicking away a chocolate frog with his right foot, he suddenly froze in place. Eyes wide, he shot his head around towards Miss Cambridge. "Say that again, Miss Cambridge! Oh get off me you bloody thing," he said while trying to flick a frog that had hopped on to his shoulder with puckered up lips. "OFF!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by hpluvr037

Wand still pointed at the book, she watched breathlessly as the Head Girl approached the wretched thing. She almost screamed a warning, but saw that Anastasia had wanted this and refrained. But.. something had changed suddenly in the book's behavior. Right after Alexa had said... "I'm with Flamsteed!" She was shocked by this proclamation, but the man was actually talking sense. "Keep saying it, Miss Cambridge!"

And meanwhile, Tiara would keep pushing the frogs away that were trying to jump up her robes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaniDiNardo

"Say what? That I'll remove his head if he refuses to use it or that bit about everyone living happily ever after if we let the chocolate frogs stay?"

Abraham followed the conversation and it hit him after his colleagues pointed it out. "No, yes, I'm guessing the second part." His eyes grew wide and he looked back at Annie. SAW THAT?!?

Turning his gaze to one of his eagle's Leo ordered. "Please calm down Penelope! Nobody is going to destroy the book I promise. If they try I will stop them." And that was a solemn vow from a librarian that worked with books everyday school was in session at Hogwarts. Enough books had been burned up and destroyed in the great fire a few terms back. He was not going to let another book meet the same fate regardless if it was evil or not.

Attention and eyes trailing back onto Gabriel that truthfully didn't look fine to Leo no matter what he stated. Using his wand Leo conjured up a glass of fresh water. Handing it to the young man he instructed calmly. "Drink this and if there are any chocolate frogs still hopping about grab one and eat it. The chocolate helps calm you down when you’ve had scares." At least that's what his mother had always said.

Listening to the conversation going on between Airey, Annie and Alexa he added his own contribution. "I think they meant the happy part not the other part." Leo finished off diplomatically. Airey could deal with Alexa’s wishes to behead someone over candy after they had gotten the book sorted.

Racking his brain Leo smiled broadly when the light bulb lit and he remembered and commented to everyone excitedly. "Way to go Alexa. All good fairy tales end with those words. I can’t believe I didn’t remember that until just now." To be fair there had been a lot going on. Booting away a frog Leo looked over at Headmistress Truebridge they'd have to say those words to end it right and put the book to sleep?

Angel was just looking around trying to see what needed doing when she heard giggling this was just weird. "Professor do must magical books giggle?" Angel wanted one if that was the case.

............Oh he was THIS close! THIS CLOSE to move his wand away from the book and hex Lex. He was THIS close to actually hex the Head Girl in front of nearly every Professor in the room. His wand arm was trembling and his mouth formed a thin line. He was angry. She was not getting away with that comment so easily though but he wasn't stupid, taking revenge in front of..them all.. was just asking for getting kicked out of school. So he took a deep breath and focused his stare on the book when ....the carpets and pixies dissapeared and instead the book spewed out ...flowers? Whut?

Come on Headmistress! give the signal of blowing this dumb book up!

Noticing the, ahem, argument going on between the Headgirl and Kevin... Uh oh. That was NOT the right thing to say, Lex. The Gryffindor immediately took his eyes off the book and stepped right up next to Kevin. One wrong move and the second year could really end up in Azkaban. Or worse, get expelled from Hogwarts. Sure this book stuff was pretty important, BUT making sure Kevin didn't get expelled was even MORE important. Gryffindor Goobers gotta stay together. Through it all. Even if there's some weird magical book that giggles and spits out dancing flowers.

Looking at his best mate, he nodded a little bit, "Let's go blow up stuff up after this meeting's over?" Kevin was angry, Zander could tell. And what better way to blow off anger, you know?

Lex was vastly unimpressed. The annoyance rising in Kevin didn't go unnoticed but his actions were lacking. She WISHED he had tried something. Anything, it didn't matter what, just an action to justify her going off on him. It had been September since she'd last exercised her wand and it must have been just as eager. Expulsion didn't matter at this point. Her future was set in one way or another and returning here in September was no longer on her to-do list. Shame he'd recovered what little wits he'd had.

Even more shame, the Professors weren't trying to make her repeat the threat so Kevin could hear; just something about happy endings. It didn't really click in her head after Botros clarified, not until Mr. Kitridge adding that stories ended that way.

The situation may have just gotten funnier. Oh Merlin. There was just no way. "What? You actually think that me saying 'everyone lived happily ever after' will have some effect on the book?" Snort. "I was only joking earlier when I said it." But apparently that hadn't been clear.

She would admit it was strange the book the calming down but she wasn't sure she'd attribute that to words just yet.

So there was a way to keep the book dormant. Beverly suddenly found herself thinking what runes would be incorporated when she caught Botros' gaze. Heh. Hi. Nice eyes. With the softest of blushes on her cheeks, she shot him a tiny grin then a firm nod.

Listening in on what the professors were telling the Head Girl to do, Beverly understood. MAYBE exploding the book wasn't the way to go. Maybe. It'd sure be the most entertaining, and she did wander what the book would try and do, but...meh. Just make this end.

Another question.

This time she gazed around at the other professors. "What if everyone said, that: 'Everyone lived happily ever after?' at the same time? Maybe it'd make it go away faster."

Just FYI.

Maybe the book would believe it then and leave them alone, because IF something else popped out of it and tried to smooch her, she'd ZAP it herself.