As much as he was glad that there were no classes on the first day, he now was hoping there was something to do. His tour was almost finished and he didn't want to have nothing to do. So Dante decided to go drop by his brother's common room. Well, he couldn't get inside but he might be able to catch him leaving or something. His brother was probably on his way to the kitchen now. As his big brother he better watched his food intake, he didn't want his little brother getting sick.

And it didn't help that he disliked healers in general. And it didn't help that his head of house was the healer. So eh, he'd have to get to know the woman or forget her profession.

Sticking his hands in his pockets, the sixth-year started marching up the stairs. And just when he was trying to start up the next staircase IT MOVED! Whaat? No, he wanted to go in THAT direction. Frowning, the boy rested his hand on the railings and took a minute to take what JUST happened in.

So...today's lessons where over and Vinnie was on her way to see if Isla or Phoenix were done for the day too. She needed some entertainment. Being on her own had proven as a bad idea lately. If only it wasn't so faaaarrrr. How did they walk up all these stairs...every day...more than once even.

She'd just skate them down...but up? That would be a bit difficult. Seventh years should be allowed to apparate. Not into the common rooms but in front of them.

Deep in her thoughts the brunette didnt watch where she was going and bumped into the guy in front of her. She hadn't even noticed the stairs moving."Oh....sorry." Looking into his face the Slytherin couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "Are you lost?"

Okay, this wasn't a very big deal. This must have happened all the time. Or maybe he was just so freaking lucky today! The short-tempered teenager scowled at the staircase and murmured things under his breath. Wasn't there another way of getting to higher floors in this magical school other than stupid stairs that moved without being told to?!

One second he was standing there cursing his luck and the next second he was off balance.

Whipping his head towards whoever unfortunate person who bumped into him, Dante's scowl got harder. But then the girl said sorry and she didn't look like she meant it. And his anger was at the staircases not random people.

His features softened and he shook his head. "Um.. no. I just didn't want to go in that direction," He jabbed his finger at the direction the stairs now led to. "Do they always do that?" Pause. "The staircases," He said looked annoyed at them. And had he seen the girl before? At the feast maybe? Yeah, most definitely there.

Paris almost reached down to pick up the cat. Almost. He was talking to a girl and creatures liked to be distracting and have all the attention that he couldn't give to both. So for now it would have to be content with just the few scratches it'd gotten earlier.

He lead them down the stairs, making sure to keep her beside him and only slowing when they reached the moving stair cases and it decided to switch up on them. No he did NOT wanna go to the library. Leaning against the railing as it shifted them, he briefly considered her hair. Lots of it. "Different how? 'Cause of all the people or all the craziness?"

She walked right beside them, aware of her kitty trailing behind them. Evie liked the moving staircases. She thought they were fascinating. Even when they shifted and moved to somewhere she didn't need to go, she was okay with just standing aside and enjoying the ride.

She stood on the opposite end of the stair he was on as he leaned against the rail. Heel-to-toe, she slowly stepped her way to his side. "Both," she replied, glancing up from her shoes. "There's a lot more drama than I realized there would be. A lot of people seem kind of rude." She shrugged. "Some of the professors are kind of weird too." She stepped closer, keeping her balance, and looked up at him. What did he think?

Paris watched her with interest as she made her way over to him, blue-green eyes roaming from her feet up to her face.

"It's not Hogwarts without drama and serious bodily harm." The prophet and Isidora had tought him that. He wasn't always sure they were trusted sources until now. Sometimes. "That's okay 'cause they don't stick 'round for long. Most only last two terms. The creatures professor is cool." Most of the other returning females were terrifying. His eyes jumped up to meet here. "Who all have ya met?"

Evie laughed a little. "So I'm learning," she said in response to his comment. It was definitely an eye opener and she wondered if the rest of wizarding world was like this.

She wobbled a bit, but stuck her arms out and was able to catch herself quickly. "Really?" she asked. "That's not very long." She though professors stayed for... ever. Years. Maybe Hogwarts was cursed, too. Evie nodded in agreement. The Creatures professor did seem cool. AND she liked his class a lot.

"I've met... a lot of people." Did he mean professors or students? She was leaving her answer vague for the time being. Evie looked up again and saw that she was much closer to him now. But she wasn't going to try and do this backwards on a moving staircase.

He was almost prepared to catch her should she fall, but mostly he just watched her. The girls around here he noticed, were capable of catching themselves before even managing a tumble.

"Aye, I think it's all the crazy that drives them away. Only the really loony ones stay for longer than that." He was talking about professors but wasn't aware she didn't realize that. Students would be a totally different ball game. From what he heard, they died. "What about us kids. Met any that ya like?"

All the crazy. Evie nodded. From what she had seen of the students and the rumors that floated around, not to mention what her older brother had told him and what she'd read in the paper... she wasn't really surprised after all that professors left that much.

Us kids. Evie smiled and thought about her housemates and other students she had met. "Well, I like you, so far." She gave him a smile and hopped back down onto his step. He was a nice boy, so far as she could tell, and nice to look at, too. "I've met a few Slytherins that I like. And my dormmate Sophie is quite nice." She shrugged her shoulders a little. "I'm not terribly close with anyone, though." And she hoped that would change soon.

Vinnie rubbed her arm a little where she had bumped into him and gave the dude a smile. It was funny how unhappy he was with the stairs. She couldnt remember anyone ever being so distressed about the staircase....maybe everyone just got used to it.

"Yes...they tend to do that." The brunette couldnt help but chuckle a little, he was just to funny. Angry finger pointing and all that. It had to be the cutest thing she had ever seen. " You know with time, you get used to it." Like... there were loads of possibilities to get around, no matter where the stairs took you. Sometimes it just took a little longer but it always was a good adventure.

"Is this your first year?" It almost had to be...he probably transferred. When she came here from Durmstrang it was a big chance, so she would totally get his confusion.

He grinned at that. One thing he found about Ravenclaw girls is that they were EXTREMELY difficult to befriend or even get one to say they like you. Something in their bath water he assumed, but it was nice to know Evangeline wasn't going to give him a hard time to make friends.

"Sophie is the greatest. And CB too. I sleepover in there sometimes." In the dorms he meant. Maybe he would do it more often now that she was around. When the stairs finally shifted to where they were meant to go, he started back down. "'S okay. Takes a while for people 'round here to warm up to new kids, but when they do ya got some good friends."

"I don't know CB too well yet," she said as a side-comment. She was probably doing prefect-y stuff, whatever that was. He did sleepovers there? "That sounds like fun." He should do it more often now, she thought to herself.

Evie followed Paris down the stairs when the finally came to a stop. Her kitty trailed behind them. "That's what I've heard." She was looking forward to making said good friends. So far, she wanted Paris to be one of them. "Where do you live?" she asked. Because now they had to get to know each other.

"She's busy with the whole prefect thing I guess." He was assuming. Didn't really know since he also hadn't seen his friend around much, but that job was a lot of work, right? Right. "There loads fun. And sometimes Toby comes too. Maybe we'll have another soon." They had another friend to join in on the fun.

Paris kept going down the stairs, jumping two at a time occasionally, but only because it gave him a chance to glance back and stare at her properly without distractions. "Here. Scotland I mean. In Edinburgh." Not too far from the school he reckoned. "What about ya?"

Evie nodded, since she had been thinking the same thing. Toby came too? She assumed it was the one she knew, the one that was with Sophie all the time. "I know him. I met him under a bench." That was quite interesting. "I'd like to join, if you let me." She grinned at him, thinking it wouldn't be a problem. She got along with all of them well.

She watched him jump down the stairs, but stayed behind at her own pace so she could keep watching him. "I grew up around London until I was... ten. And then I moved to Dublin. And then we moved to Windermere a few years later." It was an interesting story about why, too. "What's your family like?"

"He's cool. My friend too." Who wasn't really? Paris liked to have as many friends as possible. But he was really glad for Toby cause guys needed their guy friends, and he was hyper aware that many of his friends were females. Which was perfectly fine TOO. "You'll always be there." Grin. "I'll bring extra snacks for you." And his sketchbook to draw her pretty face.

They kept this up all the way down to the bottom of the stairs, both taking the stairs as they pleased and watching each other. "That's a lotta moving. Was it for ya folk's work?" He couldn't think of any other reason, but that wasn't saying much. "My folks are the greatest. Busy all the time 'cause of their jobs, but they try to make time for me and my sisters. And we go on loads of family trips. My sisters are great too when they wanna be. The older ones don't like spending too much time with me now that they're almost of age, but Becca - she's younger than me - she's my favorite, always." He smiled wistfully then started them for the kitchen, eyes on her. "What's yours like?"

Amur was taking a break. A long-needed, much deserved break.

It wasn't that Hogwarts was intensive in its studies persay, just that it was more intensive than what she was used to. Anything above zero was intensive.

She had wandered from the libraries, a little stary-eyed with all the information swimming about in her head, gradually making her way back towards the Gryffindor tower. She had taken a few unintentional detours along the way, and back-tracked more than once. By now she should have had the school mapped out in her head, but either she didn't pay attention very well or she wasn't good at mapping. She should have joined that club.

It was on her way up the stairs that she had abruptly decided that this was where she was going to take her break. And so she had sat down, on the topmost stair of a particular case and had draped her feet over the edge. Every time the stairs would come close to connecting with a landing, she would pull her legs up against her chest, making sure her toes and clothes were well out of harms way.

She sat to the side too, tucked up against the railing, so she wouldn't disrupt the flow of human traffic. She paid no heed to some of the looks she got. Really, the stairs were fascinating and she was quite safe.

SPOILER!!: AMUUUUUUUUUR!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazenhani

Amur was taking a break. A long-needed, much deserved break.

It wasn't that Hogwarts was intensive in its studies persay, just that it was more intensive than what she was used to. Anything above zero was intensive.

She had wandered from the libraries, a little stary-eyed with all the information swimming about in her head, gradually making her way back towards the Gryffindor tower. She had taken a few unintentional detours along the way, and back-tracked more than once. By now she should have had the school mapped out in her head, but either she didn't pay attention very well or she wasn't good at mapping. She should have joined that club.

It was on her way up the stairs that she had abruptly decided that this was where she was going to take her break. And so she had sat down, on the topmost stair of a particular case and had draped her feet over the edge. Every time the stairs would come close to connecting with a landing, she would pull her legs up against her chest, making sure her toes and clothes were well out of harms way.

She sat to the side too, tucked up against the railing, so she wouldn't disrupt the flow of human traffic. She paid no heed to some of the looks she got. Really, the stairs were fascinating and she was quite safe.

KLUNK KLUNK KLUNK!

Dressed in his usual suit with a light overcoat to help deal with the soon-to-be winter weather gracing the Hogwarts grounds these days, the astronomer left his office and made his way down the stairs with the dull thud of rock on stone floor echoing behind him. Not that the man was heavy footed or stomping, for it was quite the opposite as he was skipping his way around, but because it was the time of day for him to take Pebbles out for her walk around the lake.

KLUNK KLUNK KLUNK!

He even had one of those muggle water bottle things hanging around his neck - arguably one that was meant for someone approximately a third of his age, but it fancied the design.

KLUNK KLUNK KLUNK!

Approaching the staircases, he slowed his skipping pace in hopes that he would not have to come to a complete stop and be forced to wait for the staircases to connect...but he had miscalculated. Dull klunking coming to a halt, he happened to glance down (to look at Pebbles) and noticed the young Gryffindor sitting there.

"Oh, Miss Neverwinter, I didn't even notice you there," he said with a friendly salute.

The stairwell was coming around again to connect to the landing. Amur had the timing down now. She didn't need to look up to judge distance or how many seconds she had left before she would have to pull her feet up. She pushed the timing to the last minute of course, so that she could lean over just enough to see aaallllllll the way down, past the other stairs. Down, down down.

Just before the stone landing came into the corner of her vision, Amur hooked an arm around the railing, tucked her feet up on the step and her legs against her chest and peered over until the stone-against-stone connection obscured her view.

She blinked once. Twice. Three times.

Directly in front of her, was a rock with the beadiest eyes, floppy ears and .... a leash? There was a set of nicely polished shoes beside said rock, but it was the leash that Amur followed up, up, up and up. It connected to a hand, which she followed up. There was a water bottle hanging in the strangest place and then....

Everything sort of made sense and didn't make sense at the same time. It seemed to be a habit with Professor Flamsteed. Amur blinked at him dumbly, trying to connect all the features of his appearance into one full picture. Rock, leash, water bottle, Flamsteed. It seemed a very hard math equation to figure out.

Not letting go of the banister, Amur used her other hand to give a cautious salute. She didn't know why it was a thing, but it was a thing. "I didn't see you either."

Her eyes flicked to the rock and the leash again. "It's pretty. Are you...going for a walk?" Leash plus bottle equaled walk, right? The stone was a bit of an oddity towards the concept, but to each his own.

And yes, she did have to ask. This was the man that had jumped off the tower to greet them all at the start of the year. What looked like a walk, might not actually be a walk.

SPOILER!!: cutie pootie <33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazenhani

The stairwell was coming around again to connect to the landing. Amur had the timing down now. She didn't need to look up to judge distance or how many seconds she had left before she would have to pull her feet up. She pushed the timing to the last minute of course, so that she could lean over just enough to see aaallllllll the way down, past the other stairs. Down, down down.

Just before the stone landing came into the corner of her vision, Amur hooked an arm around the railing, tucked her feet up on the step and her legs against her chest and peered over until the stone-against-stone connection obscured her view.

She blinked once. Twice. Three times.

Directly in front of her, was a rock with the beadiest eyes, floppy ears and .... a leash? There was a set of nicely polished shoes beside said rock, but it was the leash that Amur followed up, up, up and up. It connected to a hand, which she followed up. There was a water bottle hanging in the strangest place and then....

Everything sort of made sense and didn't make sense at the same time. It seemed to be a habit with Professor Flamsteed. Amur blinked at him dumbly, trying to connect all the features of his appearance into one full picture. Rock, leash, water bottle, Flamsteed. It seemed a very hard math equation to figure out.

Not letting go of the banister, Amur used her other hand to give a cautious salute. She didn't know why it was a thing, but it was a thing. "I didn't see you either."

Her eyes flicked to the rock and the leash again. "It's pretty. Are you...going for a walk?" Leash plus bottle equaled walk, right? The stone was a bit of an oddity towards the concept, but to each his own.

And yes, she did have to ask. This was the man that had jumped off the tower to greet them all at the start of the year. What looked like a walk, might not actually be a walk.

Giving Pebbles' pink leash a tug to pull her a bit closer, he glanced over his shoulder at the young Gryffindor with a coy smile. Perhaps she had heard him approaching? Then again, the staircases themselves were a bit loud as their massive stone forms performed their calculated dance.

"Well, at least my presence did not startle you right off the edge," he chuckled. And his morbid thought of the day was not complete. Potentially another young mind scarred as well. Seemed to be an annual quota of sorts that he had to fill - whether intentional or not.

"Oh yes, Pebbles needs her daily exercise and rather enjoys the stroll around the Black Lake," he explained. "And what are you doing this fine day?" Besides the obvious of sitting on the stairs people watching.

Thaaaaat confirmed it. This man was unnervingly weird. It was the smile more than the words that had Amur hugging the railing a little tighter. Her lip pushed out in a pout-frown. "Well, I would hope that if it had you would have made every effort to catch me."

Like throwing his pet rock-on-a-leash over the edge like a muggle flotation device. Or something. She eyed him for a long moment. He would have, wouldn't he? Staaareee.

Whilst doing the buggy-eyed stare, Amur's eyes drifted back down to the rock. "Pebbles." She nodded slowly. "It's a fitting name." Obviously. But who was she to judge. She had named half a dozen squirrels and kept them as pets. Some people liked rocks.

She nodded again, tapping her feet off the stair as she waited for it to move again. As soon as it started to, she slipped them back over the ledge. "I'm enjoying a free ride. Seeing what I can see. Watching what I can watch." She looked over the ledge. "Just enjoying the stairs. They really are quite fascinating."

Like his rock. They were both made out of stone, after all. Her eyes went back up to the Professor. "Have you ever bungee-jumped in here?"

SPOILER!!: Amuuuuuuuuuur

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazenhani

Thaaaaat confirmed it. This man was unnervingly weird. It was the smile more than the words that had Amur hugging the railing a little tighter. Her lip pushed out in a pout-frown. "Well, I would hope that if it had you would have made every effort to catch me."

Like throwing his pet rock-on-a-leash over the edge like a muggle flotation device. Or something. She eyed him for a long moment. He would have, wouldn't he? Staaareee.

Whilst doing the buggy-eyed stare, Amur's eyes drifted back down to the rock. "Pebbles." She nodded slowly. "It's a fitting name." Obviously. But who was she to judge. She had named half a dozen squirrels and kept them as pets. Some people liked rocks.

She nodded again, tapping her feet off the stair as she waited for it to move again. As soon as it started to, she slipped them back over the ledge. "I'm enjoying a free ride. Seeing what I can see. Watching what I can watch." She looked over the ledge. "Just enjoying the stairs. They really are quite fascinating."

Like his rock. They were both made out of stone, after all. Her eyes went back up to the Professor. "Have you ever bungee-jumped in here?"

Chuckling nervously, the astronomer peered over the edge and looked down at the other staircases as they moved about. Sweet solstice that was a long way down! "Certainly. I have pretty stellar reflexes," he nodded. "If I were unable to grab a limb I would at least be able to get to my wand before it was, er, too late."

Or so he liked to think. They may be a bit rusty these days. Astronaut training seemed like ages ago...which was really last when his reflexes had been properly observed.

He gave Pebbles a little wink. "I thought the name was ironically fitting," he mused while rubbing his imaginary beard. "Also a bit of a homage towards, well, I suppose by your standards, ancient muggle cartoon and comic strip."

He gave her a firm nod. "They certainly are. Quite the pest at times as well. I can remember getting terribly lost once as a student. Ended up getting off on the wrong floor thanks to these stairs." And that had not ended well at all. Then again, it had always been an adventure. Jumping on one staircase and waiting to see where it would take him. Leap to the next. Just see where Hogwarts seemed to want to take him.

"Bungee-jumped? Can't say that I have..." he replied, tapping his chin and instantly calculating how he could achieve such a thing. "The staircases seem to change their pattern every year or so, so perhaps if we sat her long enough and were able to predict their movements it would be a rather exhilarating thing to try..." Stellar job encouraging the man, young lady. Stellar. "I do know that in the past students have gone mattress surfing and turned the staircases into a sort of water slide, however."

Amur watched the Professor as he took a look over the edge. Well, he earned back some brownie points in her books for admitting that he would try to help, one way or another. Even if it wasn't to put Pebbles at risk of a bit of a tumble. But then, that was smart. The less casualties the better.

Still, his weird chuckle made her wonder. "You're....not afraid of heights, are you?" It didn't make sense that he would be. Not after jumping off the tower, but then, he had been attached to something so it seemed like a valid question.

She bounced her heels off the edge of the staircase as her eyes drifted back down to the rock. Ironically fitting, or just fitting? She let it go. It wasn't a ridiculous name, and even if it was, would it have mattered? The name had to have meant something to the Professor and that was all that mattered. Though, she wasn't sure what he meant by 'ancient muggle cartoon and comic strip'.

She thought about asking when her attention was diverted by the tales of his years as a student and the multiple uses that the stairs had endured. That captured her attention and she wiggled about to face him better. "That sounds like a lot of fun! Were you were a student here? How long ago? Did you do those things? Surfing and water sliding down the stairs? OH! Did you know a Greg Neverwinter?"

Did this Professor go to school with her father? It seemed strange she wouldn't have heard stories about him, but then maybe they interacted little. Maybe it was the wrong years? How old was this Professor exactly? Amur peered intently at the man.

It was almost more intriguing than the proposition to tackle the problem of the pattern of the stairs. But those thoughts were working about slowly in her brain, the cogs churning behind her curiosity.

SPOILER!!: AMUR!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazenhani

Amur watched the Professor as he took a look over the edge. Well, he earned back some brownie points in her books for admitting that he would try to help, one way or another. Even if it wasn't to put Pebbles at risk of a bit of a tumble. But then, that was smart. The less casualties the better.

Still, his weird chuckle made her wonder. "You're....not afraid of heights, are you?" It didn't make sense that he would be. Not after jumping off the tower, but then, he had been attached to something so it seemed like a valid question.

She bounced her heels off the edge of the staircase as her eyes drifted back down to the rock. Ironically fitting, or just fitting? She let it go. It wasn't a ridiculous name, and even if it was, would it have mattered? The name had to have meant something to the Professor and that was all that mattered. Though, she wasn't sure what he meant by 'ancient muggle cartoon and comic strip'.

She thought about asking when her attention was diverted by the tales of his years as a student and the multiple uses that the stairs had endured. That captured her attention and she wiggled about to face him better. "That sounds like a lot of fun! Were you were a student here? How long ago? Did you do those things? Surfing and water sliding down the stairs? OH! Did you know a Greg Neverwinter?"

Did this Professor go to school with her father? It seemed strange she wouldn't have heard stories about him, but then maybe they interacted little. Maybe it was the wrong years? How old was this Professor exactly? Amur peered intently at the man.

It was almost more intriguing than the proposition to tackle the problem of the pattern of the stairs. But those thoughts were working about slowly in her brain, the cogs churning behind her curiosity.

Right, well. That awkward situation had been avoided. Sort of. He was officially writing it off as such to put his own mind at ease.

"Heights? Sweet solstice no," he chuckled. "That right belongs to Professor Quigley." That was common knowledge now, yes? Had made quite the spectacle at the Pride for Life party at the start of term, so it wasn't exactly a secret. In any case, the kneazle was out of the bag now. Laughing at his own joke, which most likely only added to the young Gryffindor's perception of the professor, he silently turned away to compose himself before turning back. "Would have never survived astronaut training were I to be acrophobic."

Deciding that standing was a bit overrated, and that Pebbles' walk could wait a little more, the Astronomy professor plopped himself down beside Miss Neverwinter and mimicked her posture. "Not that it is impossible. Mighty fine astronaut by the name of Chris Hadfield wrote a novel and discusses how he overcome his fear of heights to become the first Canadian to command the International Space Station, among other notable accomplishments."

He had that book in his office, for the record, should she ask about it, and would be more than willing to lend it to her if she asked.

"I was not at Hogwarts for the water slides, but the mattress surfing was indeed quite stellar," he chuckled, his thoughts traveling down memory lane. Who didn't appreciate a bit of mattress surfing? The prefects had even included it in their event a term or two ago. "I was indeed. Gryffindor house, obviously." It was obvious, yes? As to how long ago, well, he casually pretended to forget that question. "Greg Neverwinter? Your father I assume, yes? What year did he graduate?" Did she know that? Many students did not know such fine details about their parents.

The name sounded familiar, but he could not be sure if that was because he had seen it in passing while going through yearbook archives or because he had been in school with the bloke.

The creaking and grating sound of stone against stone that came with the almost rhythmic movements of the staircase suddenly grew louder and more swift. No longer slowing down as it reached each landing, the staircase crashed against it eagerly and moved away from it only after a brief pause should anyone want to jump aboard for a wild riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide.