Walking walking strutting skipping walking....SPLASH.

"What the ---," Airey grumbled as he paused his skipping strutting down the corridor after Maddox to examine his feet. His WET feet.

Tip toeing around to try to find a spot on the ground that was not soaked, the astronomer only earned himself a fully saturated pair of Oxfords and socks. Wrinkling his nose, more at the fact that the WET was moving to his suit trousers now, he began performing an awkward little shuffle backwards towards drier land that could be best described as the "potty dance" - only he had no use for the loo at the moment. Although all that water and soaking wet feet was...well...never mind.

"What is this rubbish?" And what business did it have ruining his precious suits and their accessories?!

Brooklyn's question momentarily distracted Lux from thinking about the swamp, but unfortunately that didn't last long. Before she could give the girl a proper response, swamp water was rushing over and...her ankles were submerged. "EWWWW!" Gross! Swamp water.

"Hello, Professers," she said with a smile as Glendower and Moxley showed up. It was nice to see them, even during the present circumstances. "I think the swamp is paying us a visit," she said in response to Glendower's question. And she had one of her own. "Does anyone know how to fix this?" Looking at you, Professors. Honestly Lux didn't know if there even was a swamp shrinking spell.

O_O

What was Brooklyn doing climbing on Benny's back??

"I'm sure things will be fine." You know, in case the Second Year thought they'd be drowned or something.

He was going to confirm that Mister Atreyu had been right about the places located on the First Floor, honestly he was but then his nose began burning something fierce and he didn't think he'd be able to concentrate on anything else.

A swamp? Right, he knew about the swamp even if he forgot it was on the first floor but what he didn't expect was the swamp seeping all the way into THIS corridor of the first floor.

Keep calm Maddox. "Right.....maps out....where should this swamp be? I need everyone to make a note and see if you can trace it all the way out to here. Perhaps we can double back, approach the swamp from a different corridor and hope for the best." There was another route that DIDN'T include walking through this mess, right????

Oh Merlin! Oh Merlin! Oh Merlin!

O_O

His eyes locked on the water advancing toward them. It got so much of his attention that at first he didn't notice either Nessa or Mer arrive but they both got nods...small ones while he EYED the nasty water still creeping. It wasn't meant to be HERE. The official line was drawn as the water hit his shoes because that smell might never come out. Quicker than anything he'd shrunk to the form of a black cat and scaled Airey, clinging to his shoulders and hissing at the water.

Nope. Nope nope nope. Get that stuff away from him.

Oh no, she'd been here the whole time. Nope she had most definitely not joined in the middle of things. Was here the entire time. Wearing her hiking boots and all. Unfortunately, it seemed like hiking boots weren't enough, because there was something wet coming down the corridor. Something wet, smelly and gross. The swamp. "EWWWW!"

Yeah, she didn't remember where the swamp was suspose to be. Heather typically avoided even walking by it if possible. And then Quigley was a cat again. On Professor Airey's shoulder. This was going to be good...

The surprised response that had come from her current savior didn’t get much of a reaction from Brooklyn, aside from a momentary look. She was just trying to make sure she was safe from the rising swamp water. Wasn’t her fault if the Gryffindor couldn’t take it, couldn’t handle a tiny second year on his back. Her blue eyes had gone to Lux when the other girl had spoken up too. Things were not fine. They were all going to end up smelling like swamp water, she was going to have to throw away her shoes, and how would they get to any of their classes if the corridor was overrun by yuckiness? Not that she worried too much over classes aside from proving to professor Bellaire that Slytherins could earn points and be what they were supposed to be.

See? Even Professor Quigley agreed with her. At least, when it came to reaching higher ground. Although, once again she sort of wished she could turn into a cat. She could only get so high up on the Gryffindor’s back after all. Maybe she should have chosen Professor Flamsteed to save her instead, before Professor Quigley had. He was a little bit taller, or at least that’s what she thought. But she wasn’t going back down to the ground now. Her first blind choice was going to have to stand. She was staying where she was until they were far away from the swamp water.

Somehow she’d managed to keep hold of her notebook and pencil, though. That was something to be proud of.

EEEEP!

The smell was AWFUL!

Adi protectively reached for AJ’s hand though he knew very well she could take care of herself. But hey, he was a gentleman…even though there wasn’t anything he could do right now about the water swirling and slushing around their feet. Besides he was distracted by the little Slytherin girl (Brooklyn)…

O___O

LOLLL!

What a funny sight she made scrambling up on Benny like that. Despite the situation, the Hufflepuff laughed a bit. Quigley was saying something about a map? Did they have a map? Was there one in the books they had?

Oh man! Never mind with those questions. Maddox had followed that girl’s action. Except he was in cat form and on Airey… and his suit. LOL!

SPOILER!!: THIS PERSON

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaniDiNardo

He was going to confirm that Mister Atreyu had been right about the places located on the First Floor, honestly he was but then his nose began burning something fierce and he didn't think he'd be able to concentrate on anything else.

A swamp? Right, he knew about the swamp even if he forgot it was on the first floor but what he didn't expect was the swamp seeping all the way into THIS corridor of the first floor.

Keep calm Maddox. "Right.....maps out....where should this swamp be? I need everyone to make a note and see if you can trace it all the way out to here. Perhaps we can double back, approach the swamp from a different corridor and hope for the best." There was another route that DIDN'T include walking through this mess, right????

Oh Merlin! Oh Merlin! Oh Merlin!

O_O

His eyes locked on the water advancing toward them. It got so much of his attention that at first he didn't notice either Nessa or Mer arrive but they both got nods...small ones while he EYED the nasty water still creeping. It wasn't meant to be HERE. The official line was drawn as the water hit his shoes because that smell might never come out. Quicker than anything he'd shrunk to the form of a black cat and scaled Airey, clinging to his shoulders and hissing at the water.

Nope. Nope nope nope. Get that stuff away from him.

Swamp? What? What in Orion's belt was Maddox's going on about? There WAS no swamp in this corridor! Not unless Myrtle was showcasing her teenage angst again, but then there would be drippings coming from the ceiling...

..............................!!

"HYUUUUUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Arms flapping and flailing around like a windmill, the astronomer began STOMPING around the water - sufficiently splashing EVERYONE in the area - as the Charms professor decided that the beanpole of a man was a suitable climbing structure and scratching post.

"GEDUFFGEDUFF! GET.OFF!" he demanded as the flailing and stomping continued. One arm reached for Maddox's tail and began to pull on it, hoping to lift Professor Beast from his shoulders while the other frantically searched for his enchanted pocket for a lint roller. One, he was going to need that to get all the fur off his suit. Two, he had no problem using it to whack his colleague over his furry head.

"SWEET SOLSTICE WILL YOU GET O----OOOOOOOOH NOOOOOOOO!"

His feet tangling up with themselves and whatever else the swamp had brought with it, the astronomer fell forward and belly flopped into the water. Unable to catch himself because his hands had been occupied otherwise, the Astronomy professors nose hit the floor and, as if he had not been already, was no more than sufficiently soaked.

"MADDOX! I'M GONNA---" he roared as he came up for air and noticed the students starring. "Don't you all have work you are supposed to be doing?"

Spit spit sputter spit. Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurgh DISGUSTING!!!

Maps out...?

Um what was that about? Were there maps in the book they each had? Benny tried to move to grab where he had stashed it in his robe pocket but he was currently trying to help balance his current occupant. Lest they both fall into the swamp water in the process of anything going wrong. And then Professor Quigley proved to be no further help as he took his animangus form and searched for higher ground himself.

Seems he and Professor Flamsteed were to be two peas in a pod. Though he was sure the Head of House was not going to like it much more.

Benny didn't get a verbal response from the student grasping hold of him which he might have wished for. At least to confirm the identity of them. But alas he couldn't exactly push. At least Adi didn't think she needed to be removed, instead laughing a little at his predicament. "Alright...stay there...Just don't choke me..." he mused quietly. As in don't be too quick to grab something and tighten it around his neck.

Alas, Professor Flamsteed did not take it at all well. The older man flailing and fighting against the man-turned-feline on his shoulder. Benny eased his way cautiously backwards to avoid the splashing as best he could, his arms raised slightly in case he needed to keep his rider from falling. And then the next moment the astronomy professor had pitched forward into the stinky water.

The whole map thing hadn’t occurred to Brooklyn, but then, they were supposed to be making one. She wasn’t entirely sure what map Professor Quigley had been talking about before he’d gone all cat and clawed his way up to Professor Flamsteed’s shoulder. Which, point of fact, her own perch should be happy she didn’t have claws. Even if a cat would’ve been smaller. She didn’t weigh that much, that he should’ve been having trouble staying balanced. She still refused to go anywhere. Not when there was still all the icky swamp water on the floor. She’d sent a glare the Hufflepuff prefect’s way as she heard a laugh, though. She’d known it wasn’t from Lux, or the Gryffindor she was perched on. And it definitely wasn’t from Professor Flamsteed…

Who was stomping around, yelling and splashing all over, at which she’d tried making the Gryffindor move so he was shielding her from the worst of the splashes. Blue eyes just watching the Astronomy professor, wide. It was just a cat. A professor!cat. Not a demon or anything. The overreaction was just, well, weird. Not very professor-y. Even the boy she’d been clinging to knew better, as he’d moved away from the spectacle the best he could. She wasn’t about to choke him, not unless she needed to. Or he felt like he was going to drop her. That was just stupid.

And another “Ew” came out as the professor pitched forward into the water. That was just…ew. She definitely wasn’t doing that, and she was grateful the Gryffindor didn’t seem apt to do so either.

And they couldn’t exactly map the corridor very well when it was all flooded. Didn’t he know that?

It was like watching it happen in slow motion. Professor Quigley transformed himself into a cat and jumped up on the Astronomy professor's shoulder, but said Professor Flamsteed was THRASHING AND WAILING aaaaaand.. down he went into the water.

No. Don't laugh. Bambi, this isn't funny they're surrounded by a SWAMP. NOPE stop smiling. She bit down on her lip to prevent any telltale signs that she'd found the Professors' epic fall amusing.

Now considerably wetter than she'd been before - and this impervius spell wasn't all that successful, as a swamp was also mud and it didn't help with mud - Bambi pinched her nose as she breathed through her mouth, in out in out, to try and forget the fact that there was SWAMP WATER on her shirt and tie and skirt and tights and POSSIBLY IN HER HAIR EW EW EW EW.

Eyeing the the professor face first in the water, Bambi made a split second decision she absolutely hated. "Er, Professor..." she said as she stood directly over his head, "d'you, um, need a hand?" Her hand stretched out. "Or I could levitate you out if you want?" that actually sounded like a much better option. Less mess involved.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-Hehe-hehe-hehehehe-hehe-heee-ha!

Ahem. Okay. That was so beautiful! Meredith clutched at her side and used her free hand to wipe the water from her eyes. Merlin, why didn't she have her camera on her for that? It was good to be back, it was! Hehe.

"Nobody panic! I've got this." The brunette slosh, slosh, sloshed into the water and reached down, taking hold of Airey's arm-the man was a toothpick, honestly-and hoisting him out of the water. Was Maddox still attached to him somewhere, claws dug in? Hm. "I've got you, buddy!" Buddies, maybe. She was still unsure where her feline friend had gone.

"Boys and girls, that was an example of how not to react to an animal when it comes too close. Wonderful demonstration, wasn't it?"

It didn't bother him that no one was taking out their booklet!maps like he'd said but that was solely for the reason that he was busy trying to save himself the horrid swamp water. That wasn't getting anywhere NEAR Hi--

WHOA!!!

Maddox hissed and climbed higher, though he hadn't anticipated Airey taking the nose dive that he did. The feline clawed and clutched and scratch trying to make his way to the drier side of Airey though he wasn't lucky enough to avoid the splashing. Ugh. He'd smell like this for a week. Nearly splotched all over with mud, he lunged forward, hopping from shoulder to shoulder until he found himself some dry ground. By then Mer was helping Airey to his feet and he was reminding them they actually had a reason to be walking here.

Right.

Maddox shook the excessive mud off before twisting and stretching back into the form of a man in the dry section of this corridor. "Brilliant mate, absolutely brilliant. I'll smell like the swamp for a month." And now his nose was burning even more.

The Charms Professor looked to the students again, finally realizing no one had been mapping while they walked. Well that was a fix. "You do realize you were meant to be charting the corridors as we walked, yes? For the mapping exercise?" It was no wonder none of them had suggested an alternate route. He sighed, fishing his own booklet from his pocket then made a quick sketch of the places they'd already been. "Alright." Maddox held the booklet out for everyone to see. "Copy this, then we'll double back and try another corridor to the swamp." Merlin knows half of them probably couldn't remember where they'd already been. "Let me know when we can move on." Soon hopefully, 'cause this water was making his head spin. Damned nose.

He wanted a shower. Ugh.

Opening her notebook, Lux tried to locate where the swamp should be on the map when suddenly she was interrupted by Professor Flamsteed shouting and acting like a madman. Startled, she dropped the notebook into the swamp. Ewww, it was all disgusting now. Clearly the Pofessor had a problem with an Animagus cat being on his shoulder.

Making a face, she bent over to pick the sopping wet book up before magically cleaning it. There, no damage done. Magic was amazing. Professor Quigley chose that moment to jump on her shoulder, almost making her drop the book again but thankfully he was off again in a moment. Watching him turn back into a person again, she decided to pretend that incident never happened.

Back to consulting her map, she made note of note of what Professor Quigley had marked off on his.

It couldn't be helped. Heather had started laughing at the scene before her, at the flailing and screaming professor. Until Professor Airey started stomping and splashing, that was. "Ahhahhahah........" *choke splutter spit-take* "EWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! PROFESSOR AIREY, YOU GOT SWAMP WATER IN MY MOUTH!!!!!!!!!! EWWWWW!!!!!!!!" *splutter splutter* Ugh, so gross. So gross. Mouthwash, she needed mouthwash desperately. Like now.

Needless, to say, she was so distracted by the swamp incident that nothing else was registering. Except for the part about another corridor.

To be honest they all should have got themselves a David.

Like she had.

Ruby was imperviused, sure, because that was just common sense if you happened to be anywhere near the first floor these days, but she was also currently on David Hensley's back. Wasn't he a sweetheart? Total knight in shining armour and everything. Hero. Gryffindor. Mmhmm.

As for mapping or whateverrrrr it wasn't like there was anything new here right? But for the record if anyone wanted her to, she could write stuff. On David's back. Yes. Dry vantage point right here.

... not that she had quill or parchment.


"Sooooooo like why is the swamp so giant anyways?" Was she missing something? Because it hadn't been like this always.

And she knew, since this was en route to one of her favourite snogging locations.

Juuust saying.

Who would have thought that a mapping adventure would turn out to be this entertaining? The water was rising at an alarming rate considering when they first got here this corridor had been dry. AJ grabbed Adi's searching hand squeezed it to let him know that she was okay. It was nice that he was so protective of her even though it was going to take more than swamp water to get her to need help.

AJ laughed as a small girl climbed on to Benny's back. It wasn't that serious, but it was dang entertaining. Then Quigley turned into a cat, and climbed Airey's arm. Well, she knew that wasn't going to go over nicely. Bring on the grown man screeches. Not to mention that Quigley lost a few points in the hot department because they was not cool. It was only a little bit of stinky water. They would be fine. It was just flat unattractive.

Annnnd Airey happened. All of his flailing got her splashed with swamp water in the face. "Hey, my mouth was open." It was her own fault though because she knew what was coming. Cats and Airey didn't mix. For the record, the swamp water tasted exactly how it smelled.

Okay, Adi couldn't help it. The sight of Quigley and Flamsteed was just too much so he pressed his free hand (since the other was still holding AJ's) to keep from laughing too much. He didn't want it to seem as though he was being disrespectful to his Professors. But when Flamsteed stomped and what not, Adi received a healthy dose of icky water to his face and hair "AJAAAAY. My hair is ruined,'' he said to her as swiped at his face to get the water off. Thank Merlin his mouth had been protected but AJ hadn't been so lucky. "Who told you to keep it open, then?'' he joked and playfully poked her arm.

Oh yeah. Mapping. That's what they were supposed to be doing. Sorry, Professor... we were distracted. Hehe. Adi copied what Quigley had done in his own book. Right! He was ready to move on.

See, David WOULD be doing the mapping exercises, but he was too busy being all awesome and heroic and strong and stuff. Y'know, keeping a damsel safe from the distresses of swamp water and whatever. Quigley and Flamsteed and the students over there that got splashed by them totally understood probably. Swamp water was serious stuff.

Was Ruby copying Quigley's sketch? He was just gonna assume so, yup. And he had no idea why the swamp was spreading or why all this water didn't have a simple fix with some spell. Magic was weird like that sometimes.

"I'm ready to move on whenever everyone else is." And hopefully some other corridor down that way would be dry. Though he didn't mind carrying Ruby. 'Cause he was awesome.

No, no this wasn't good. She hadn't seen the swamp grow this large since those boys had made it. No, something was wrong. Tilly Toke stood in her portrait watching everything that was going on. She couldn't help but giggle at a few of the reactions. She was fine with the swamp coming into the corridor as long as it didn't get too close to her portrait.


"Hello everyone, looks like you are all having fun."

She was pretty sure none of that had been a demonstration. Not after the feast and Professor Flmsted having freaked out then too. From her perch on the Gryffindor’s back. Brooklyn had just sent a look toward Professor Moxley as the woman had swung the Astronomy professor back up out of the swamp and to his feet, barely noticing as the cat that was usually Professor Quigley had leaped from Lux’s back and onto hers momentarily before finally reaching solid ground and returning to his normal self.

Blah blah, she would have been charting but they hadn’t really gotten anywhere yet. Even she remembered they were supposed to be responsible for mapping the first floor, which was currently a little difficult when covered by icky swamp water. She managed to flip her notebook open to at least sort of copy what the Charms professor had drawn in his, still refusing to leave her high point. It was hardly anything like his map, but that was why they all had notebooks. Well, she thought they all did. Were there any other corridors that wouldn’t be swamp-covered anyway?

Oh, and she wasn’t having any fun at all, portrait lady. Another look was sent her way.

Ugh, what he would give for a dulled sense of smell right now. This swamp was making his head spin in ways it shouldn't have and the Charms Professor couldn't wait for them to be done copying so they could move on.

As he waited, he spotted two stragglers having made their way to join the group. The fact Miss Banner was riding the student's back got him wondering if she knew about this flood and if she did WARN A GUY MERLIN THIS SMELL WOULD TAKE WEEKS TO LEAVE. He rubbed at his nose a few more time, eyeing the swamp while they worked. 'Least there was nothing in there...right? Not last he remembered. Then screaming happened. Of course. Nose shot and ears ringing, perfect, thank you Miss Xanthopoulos.

"No idea Miss Banner, we'll be doubling back, taking another corridor to the site of the actual swamp, maybe it's got a few answers." Was it too late to switch groups with another Colleague? He didn't know how much more of this he could take.

Ah but with the last of them done it was time to move on. Maddox eyed the Portrait when it spoke. "We're having an absolute ball." He replied dryly before facing his group again. "Alright, follow me, don't splash the water," meaning walk carefully if you were already covered in the stuff and needed to walk out of it, "If the smell gets much worse I do recommend a bubble head charm." And with that the Charms Professor gestured toward his Colleagues then made his way out of the corridor.

Come along students.

Still no word but they seemed to be in silent agreement of the way things stood, at least in Benny's opinion. She could stay, and he wouldn't cause trouble or drop and flail like Flamsteed and she didn't act up from her place on his back and shoulders. The older Ravenclaw offered the professor help and Professor Moxley actually stepped in to help the astronomy man back up to his feet.

Wonderful demonstration indeed.

And then Professor Quiggley was up and moving once more, hopping amongst the students in his feline form. Thankfully Benny was free from the man as he was already occupado. But it didn't stop him from the girl on his back. He didn't need anymore weight no matter how small. When Maddox was back as a human, the Gryffindor was alerted to what he had missed, to what they had been supposedly supposed to be doing as they walked. Well NO ONE had said so. He himself had figured they would take note of anything special, secret or new. Not they confirmed and considered standard layout already in place.

He finally managed to retrieve his own notebook but it took two hands to hold and draw without jostling his passenger . Benny eventually got the hang of it and keeping her in place and did his best at copying and biting back laughter at both Adi and AJ. Overreacting much?

There wasn't much time to dwell on it as it was announced they were moving on. Or rather doubling back as was explained and trying to get along to the other side. The Gryffindor was ready to move but was the younger student ready. "Heading out... and moving," he said simply to warn her before moving to follow the professor to higher ground.

Why was that girl SHOUTING?

Wincing, Lux felt just as disgusting herself, but she knew that it was important to use her indoor voice. Oh well, she was just ready to move on from here and dry off because swamps were gross and smelly. Seriously, the smell had only increased the more water that poured into the hallway.

One of the portraits asked them if they were having fun, and Lux couldn't tell if she was joking or not, because there was nothing fun about what was happening here.

Walking carefully, she left the gross water and made her way along the corridor after drying herself off. No need to be wet when it wasn't necessary after all.

Ew indeed. EEEEEEEEEEEW INDEED!

Practically snorting steam out of his nose - and maybe out of his ears - as Maddox returned to his "manly" state. "You'll smell like swamp for a month?" he gasped mockingly, dropping his usual guise of professionalism for a moment and sticking his tongue out to blow a raspberry at his colleague.

While he was distracted being incredibly immature, Meriberry pulled him up out of the muck and sufficiently bruised his ego in the process. Grumbling a thank you under his breath, he turned towards Miss Fleming and adjusted his tie. "No no, I'll walk myself out," he said quietly while slowly taking a few steps towards the edge of the swamp. Besides, having a student levitate him would just be the icing on the cake of embarrassment.

Demonstration. Right. Sure. Good story.

"Yeah yeah yeah, you'll live," he said with a dismissive hand wave towards those complaining about the water he had splashed on to them. No, the water that their Charms professor heavily influenced him to stomp all over them. So, obviously, they should be pointing the finger at their not-so-fearless leader. Yeah. That man. Airey was even tempted to point himself - once he wiggled and shook some of the water out of his shoes that is.

Airey could only sneer at the portrait, whatever her name was - is more than escaped his brilliant mind at the moment, and stomped on by. But not out of the corridor just yet. Muttering to himself as he pulled his wand out of his enchanted pocket and pointed it at first his right foot and then his left to perform an Impervius Charm on each. A little late...but it wasn't as though he had planned on flopping into a swamp today.

Feeling a little better about stomping through the water now, he continued after the group all the while administering a Hot Air Charm to himself.

...grumble grumble grumble...

You'll live?!?! You'll live!?!? Who knew what kind of stuff lived in that water!! And no, she didn't blame Professor Quigley because Flailsteed had an irrational fear of cats. And animagi didn't have a choice what animal that they changed into. So there. But rather than point this out and risk putting Gryffindor back in the negatives, Heather settled for muttering in her native tongue about the situation under her breath.

Following the group out of the swamp, she took a moment to stop and dry off. Not that it mattered now, since she still smelled like swamp. Tasted it too. But no need to spread it all over the corridor. Also, no one had any mouthwash?

Anyway, she followed the group out of corridor.