Okay, teamwork. Good! Katy wasn't sure whether it was her rune or the ice or wind that had the golem rolling around like a turtle on its back, but it seemed like their chances were getting better and better the more of them that were involved.

"Let's keep it down with more runes and maybe ropes? I don't think we have the time to erode all of him, but maybe someone could work on its forehead? Or would paint work there too?" Katy still had paint dripping from her fingers, so she smeared another merkstave Eihwaz on the flailing golem, jumping back to avoid getting smashed.

Uhhhh. "eihwaz eihwaz eihwaz
e e e e e e e e e
iwu iwa iwi iwa iwu
iwo iwe iwi iwa iwu
e e e e e e e e e."

=====================

Jonas frowned and grumbled. Of course it wouldn't come that easily. Greeaaat. Darting his eyes around, he looked over and wondered about the ice golem.
What was that bird spell again? Oh! But it was a fifth year spell! Oh, it was worth a try he supposed.
"Avis!" Jonas shouted as he pointed his wand at the ice golem

Blaise could mostly understand the sentiment Kitty had explained about it feeling better to not be holed up in the safe zone alone. In all honesty, even if he was the absolute only one staying here, he'd have done it with a grin as he watched the others fall under siege. This was like....the grand stands in a Quidditch Match. From here, the view was great.

Hearing Tenacious shout for help, might have been the icing on his proverbial cake. Of course they needed help; anyone outside this area would need help and yet they chose to be out there. "By all means." He said, gesturing for Kitty to knock herself out. She could offer all the help she wanted, he had no such plans.

They could enjoy their go with the golems and he could enjoy the way the golems in turn handled them.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He said, as the older Slytherin came to join them. It really was crazy out there, and rightly so. The majority of his classmates had thought it best to take on GOLEMS that were tampered with by someone who dabbled in the dark arts. There was only so much warning you could give before simply sitting back and watching.

"I don't suppose either of you would be interested in a game of exploding snaps while we wait for this to blow over." Somewhere in the back of his mind, the boy was aware they were meant to be offering 'help' from the safe zone, but as proven...he....was of very little help.

"Well….." technically he can sorta fly, his hoverboard was in his pocket. But he didn’t continue with that thought anymore since that golem was the size of a basketball player. But Liv's suggestion about the symbols though "Hey yeah… like tweak the etchings? Can we do that? Lets try that." Hopefully its not protected by outside tampering.



He heard it and he saw it. Tenacius was all big grin at Kitty coming to their protective rescue when he felt the spell whizz by him and just covered Liv. He glanced back at Kitty. What is he chopped liver? "What about meeee Kittehhhh?" he lightly jests as he dodges around Liv to try to be covered with the protective charm somewhat. Just wait till Hadley bestie hears about this Kitty Prefect!




The other Toussaint, Katy. He didn’t even see her sneaking about and painting the golem with Runes. Sneaky Toussaints are sneaky. But hey it worked! He watched the golem struggle to get up and just be a klutz. "Not so scary anymore are ye yah big monster?" WHOOPS almost got thrashed by those rocky limbs there.

But hey the golem is DOWN. "Liv the golem is down! We can reach its head." But oh look at how that thing thrash about! Rock thrashing against soft fleshy wizard is NOT fun. But what can they use? Incarcerous wont work since its magic ropes and the golem might just absorb it, or worse just tear it off. And then he felt something wet. He turned around to look-- the ice golem was melting! And the mists and rain was drifting this way…..

-- Oh idea!

He motioned Katy and Liv over and said "What if we wrap this golem with an ice block? Lets cast the strongest water spell we can muster over the golem and solidify it with the freezing spell? Just layer it up so thick it would protect us from its thrashing long enough to get close to its head and tweak those symbols?" Is that an ok plan?

"Oh and Katy, if we can can get close to its head, try painting a rune over its jaw or lips, make it turn to sand or dissolve or something so we can get that thing inside its mouth?"

Ace was a talker, wasn't he? But also, someone had just covered her with a protection spell. No, she'd not heard it being cast or her fellow Gryffindor demanding to know where his was, but the blonde could feel the magic dancing around on her skin. Eyes darting around wildly for a moment, she finally seemed to note that situation and threw a hand up to wave! "Thank you!" Maybe Liv would do something nice for the older girl after class...

Anyway, she'd just been about to say something more when a loud startling CRASH! and THUD! sounded right behind their small group. Whut........?!?!

OHEMGEE! They'd managed to knock the rock golem down, right off it's dumb rocky feet! EAT MY WIND, YAS!!! The blonde's elation could barely be contained, as she took a moment to twirl and excitedly pump her small fists up into the air. SWEEEET, SWEEEET, SWEET VICTORY! But only for a moment, as it wasn't truly defeated yet. There was obviously still some work to do. As Ace had just pointed out, getting the thing out of its mouth...

Obviously, Liv was down to try this, but also... "What if it just absorbs the water?"... But she was already whipping her wand around again, focusing on what she needed to do and what it would take to get it done. She was fierce like that, you know? It needed to be the strongest she could make it... and that unfortunately took all the concentration she had... Tiring, but worth it.

"AQUAMENTI!" With water recklessly jetting out of the tip of her wand, she began waving it around, hoping to get optimum coverage... "Are you ready to freeze it?!"

What if it absorbs the water? "Try to make the water stream not touch the golem Liv, try to make an arch, have the water land on the other side." like theyre building an igloo.

Oh she's trying it out now "Glacius!" he cast the spell on the stream of water Liv was making. Watching that steady stream of water solidify as it started to wrap around the fallen golem.

Its working! "Lets build it up some more, try Aqua Eructo, see if the stream gets stronger? We need to make this ice block nice and thick."

And there he goes casting the Glacius spell onto as much water streams as he can cover.

Hadleigh had been focused on getting the flaming vests to land on the Golem which seemed to be working! Woot! "Noelle keep up the great work!" she cheered her little sis on.

The cheering came to a freezing halt, cold air washing over the seventh year making her shiver. Teeth chattering slightly at the very sudden change from warm to cold she turned her wand on herself and then Noelle. A quick casting of a simple heating charm to warm them both up. That was when she had an idea. Heat. Fire. Good ideas.

Here went nothing. Turning her wand towards the floor in front of the Golem and just beneath his feet she cast a heating charm. Would this idea work she really wasn't all that sure. If she could heat up the floor in just that area though it should help melt the Golem down or at the very least slow him down even more.

Someone else needed her help..."CONTEGO KATY!!!" shouted Kitty, pointing her wand at Katy as she started inscribing the rune on the Golems back. Woot! This was intense! Good thing she could help in the safe zone...


Speaking of which, someone had just joined them. "I know EXACTLY what you mean Echo," said Kitty as a panting Echo ran into the safe zone. "Personally, I'm simply terrible at dangerous physical activities like this." She clapped as Echo sent a successful contego towards Noelle.

"Oops, sorry Tenacius, I forgot!" Kitty shouted guiltily back at Tenacius. "Hold still please!" And she pointed her wand at him and shouted, "CONTEGO TENACIUS!" Whew!

And then Blaise was asking if they wanted to play exploding snap. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Ern...you don't think we'd get in trouble? I think they might get mad at us if we do..." And she was a prefect and she wasn't supposed to breaking the rules...

It worked?...It worked!

Jace immediately ceased his chanting when the wooden golem stopped moving and took a peak below to give Azura and the Slytherin boy a thumbs up. Wha...where is that kid going by the way? The Ravenclaw spared the others a glance as they tackled their own golems and was a bit surprised at what he saw. Look at what team work could do!

Back to their golem, Jace lifted the oppugno jinx on the golem...and saw that the aleph was not destroyed. Though it’s no longer moving, technically, it is still not defeated. He thought of altering the symbol using paint...but maybe it won’t be enough to actually stop the golem. He’d seen how it was etched on the forehead, so, if he could do the same then maybe the golem will be lifeless again?

The Ravenclaw climbed further and settled on the golem’s shoulder. Pointing his wand at the aleph, he etched a series of squiggly lines on it. “Intaglio!” While his hand was busy etching lines, he took a peek at its mouth and couldn’t see the shem. The thing must’ve swallowed it. After he deemed that his work was good enough, Jace used the golem’s arm to dangle from, and dropped himself on the ground. “Azura! We need to work on the shem. I’m not sure if magically alterning the aleph will work.” He said looking back at Mr. Woody G. “Hmm. I think we just have to destroy it physically...” he said standing beside the Ravenclaw girl. “Let’s tie a rope around its neck and head...then let’s set it on fire. It’s made of wood so it should burn well.” It did sound morbid, but hey...this is defeating dark stuff.

"Incarcerous!" He really ought to learn the fire rope charm.

it worked!!!

"Jace you did it!! " Azura said as she made her way to stand by the Golem as she watched her best friend climb all over the massive thing. She put her hand on her hips as she watched him, making sure he wasn't going to fall and catching her breath from that..

Could they get the Shem?

Ahh he had swallowed it? Azura watched as Jace dropped to the ground next to her and she nodded.. "Sounds like a plan, if we can burn it..it should destroy the Shem right?" She asked as as she watched him use Incarcerous!

"You can do that spell? And Oppungo? You need to teach me okay? I've been dying to learn them! "

.... Anyways, back to the task at hand.

Ropes right.

"Carpe Retractum!" Tadah! Ropes! As long as she didn't pull, it shouldn't fall forwards then right?

She had aimed her spell at his head.. so hopefully it was bound now.

Noelle clenched her eyes closed as the ice hand of the golem kept coming at her. She was expecting an icy hit, but nothing came. Peeking her eye open, she saw that the ice golem couldn't touch her. She looked around and saw that Exho had shielded her. "Youre the best Exho!!" She said gratefully.

Noelle used that extra second or two to look around at all the others. Man, Hogwarts students were kicking butt and taking names. But Brook!!! "Echo!! Can you shield Brook?!" She was taking on a Golem by herself! Strong girl, that one.

Noelle's attention snapped back to Hady, Henry, and the Ice Golem. Hady had the right idea about warming the floor under the Ice Golem's feet. She knew what they were doing was working because the Ice Golem was roaring. Noelle sent vest ball of fire after vest ball of fire at the golem's mouth. She just needed one to catch that paper on fire.

Sitting down beside them she watched the scene unfold, she was happy she got out of there when she did..... and wait did he just ask to play exploding snaps.... her head moved over him, for a Gryffindor he was alright.

"yeah im game" getting up she moved over towards him, Echo can keep her eye on people who need help and play games right... better than being in that.

"yeah im not good at Chaos" she confessed to the girl. "thank goodness for this one" she threw her thumb to point at Blaise, she was actually getting really excited for this game. "just shout of you need help i'll pause this game and throw out another spell".


"no probs girl" she said while looking over at Noelle. oh right more helping. "Yeah sure" she twirled her wand in her hand and said "Contego Brook" she felt like a big hero that was pretty much doing nothing. "have fun guys, you can do it" might as well offer some encouragement, which will mean the class will end faster if they finished off these golems.

right???

On its... FACE? That dumb Gryffindor wanted her to put her hands on his FACE? Katy hesitated a long moment, although she was somewhat comforted by the fact that Angelo said she wouldn't get hurt and by that mysterious cushioning charm. Worst case, she'd get a soft blow and have to try again.

And it couldn't bite, because its mouth was full.

She dipped her hand in the green paint again and darted forward, only to get sprayed full on by Liv's flailing water wand. Of all the stupid... "Watch it! I don't want to be an ice cube. I'm not suited to the cold."

Katy flicked a bit of green paint at the girl before smacking her palm down on the golem's face. It was a hard bit of struggle to keep it still long enough, but she already knew what she wanted to draw. Hagalaz, for some destructive forces of nature. Maybe he'd erode right on the spot for her?

"hagalaz hagalaz hagalaz
h h h h h h h h h
hu ha hi he ho
hug hag hig heg hog
(hul hal hil hel hol)
oh eh ih ah uh
h h h h h h h h h."

"Thanks to you and...that guy over there." Jace said gesturing his head towards the Slytherin boy who shifted from their golem to the ice one. "Raidho and Isa did its thing. The bindrune actually worked!" he'd seen those in his books and notes left by former Ravenclaw students. He can't wait to explore the other runes and how it can work to his advantage.

"The fire should destroy the shem, but we need ropes to do that. Remember, we can't directly use spells on the golem. We have to bridge the spell with something else...like ropes that can coil around it snugly and set it on fire." Jace paused as he looked at the golem and his handy work. "It's all theory for now, but we have to try." he said pointing his wand at the rope that was now coiled around the golem's neck and directed a fire on it. "Incendio!" a blast of bright orange light came out of his cherry wand, and the light caught on the rope, slowly burning it.

"Sure! Err...you can learn it now you know." he said eyeing the conjured rope that was still attached to Azura's wand tip. "Diffindo." Snip. She doesn't want to get burned too, right? "Just point your wand at your target...imagine a good, thick rope jump out of it and coil around the golem's head...and say, Incarcerous!" as Jace did his demonstration, another set of rope coiled around the golem's head once more, snug and tight. "Then...we set it on fire. Incendio!"

Now...to wait and see.

Your turn, Azura!

Okay, so obviously the revealing spell hadn’t done what she’d hoped. Brooklyn wasn’t too disappointed by that, seeing as just by the movement and the flickering light of the fires that others were using against the other golems, she could still faintly see the glass golem as it had suddenly turned on her. She was much too observant to be caught by the lumbering attempt at stealth, not to mention she was prepared to dance out of its way if it grabbed for her. But first, she pointed her wand once again at the ground below the golem and cast another quiet “Glacius.” If anything, she could always hope that falling might damage the creature. It was glass after all, and she wasn’t about to try and shatter it with a spell after her earlier experiment with Homenum Revelio. Right now, she was just going to evade and come up with another plan.

Another plan that nearly got derailed by the sound of someone calling out for Echo to shield her, and she’d nearly turned to correct both the Gryffindor girl who had requested it and Echo as to what her name actually was. It wasn’t Brook, although she had to admit that wasn’t quite as bad as some other nicknames people had come up with. Except, it appeared the shield didn’t care if her name was Brook or Brooklyn, seeing as she noticed what looked like it shimmering there between herself and the golem. She could always use the extra bit of safety to give her the time to come up with that plan. Any plan that didn’t involve spells hitting too close to the golem itself.

One might argue that by this point Blaise had stopped paying attention to his classmates, and usually, one would be right in that assumption...but see, he WAS watching. He watched them stand out there strategizing their next move...which he noted happened to NOT be entering the safe zone. As you can imagine, it only had him shaking his head as he fished the deck of cards from his pocket.

He'd been saving them for lunch with his cousin but right now this seemed like a worthier cause. Sure, some might argue that an even worthier cause was HELPING Kitty and Echo to save the lost souls out on the battlefield from certain but minimal destruction, yet...he didn't see it that way.

Blaise shrugged at Kitty's question, clearly not bothered as he flopped onto the floor by Echo. "I suppose we won't know til we try. You're free to sit out if you'd like." He wouldn't and couldn't force her into it, but the Gryffindor was hardly going to spend every waking moment of his life wondering if he'd get in trouble or how angry people will get. That was no way to live.

"We can play the patience game. D'you mind silencing the cards? We don't need them distracting our classmates." Or alerting the Professor, ahem. As he asked, the boy began laying the cards face down before them both. He left enough room on the floor next to them in case Kitty wanted to play too. Again, he glanced to his classmates. They were doing fine, still discussing a game plan. All good.

Paige had been dutifully standing back in the safe area casting protective spells now and then when the opportunity had presented itself. She...really was not so sure about participation in this particular activity, but honestly playing exploding snap felt less appealing. No offense meant, of course. However, it was the final push that the Hufflepuff needed to step away from the area and join in the battle...er...battles...late. Perhaps too late?

"D-Does anyone require..." she called out with a small wave of her wand, which accidentally shot off a few vibrant red sparks from its tip all in thanks to her nervous, but somehow also excited, energy.

Oh... hahah were they suppose to be doing shield charms for their classmates. Whoops, she had missed that part about being in the safe zone. Well good thing she had her wand out already. Her eyes went over the areas, [b] "Great Job Katy, keep it up! Of course the Head Girl, bandmate, best friend was doing an awesome job as always. "Way to go Hady you can do this!" To be completely honest they both could be doing rubbish and Nat wouldn't have a clue at the moment, but it sounded good to be cheering and it made her look like she was paying attention.


Holding her wand up, "Contego Brooklyn" Not that the older student probably needed the help, but she could be nice and help out. Her eyes moved around the room and cringed a bit as the stone things seemed to be really rough. She glanced over as the others said about exploding snaps, but she really didn't want to play. She wasn't a game person all that much. No, she'd keep her eyes on the action going on around them and cheer like she was actually knowing what was going on.

Azura nodded as Jace reiterated that they couldn't use magic directly on the Golem's. That she knew and quite frankly she thought burning the ropes was rather genius.. but then again her sweet cinnamon roll was a pure Ravenclaw and she expected nothing less from the Half Japanese boy.

"Of course we have to try. " She said with a grin as she watched him light his rope on fire.

She nodded as she spoke. "I would love to learn it now. " Hopefully she was good enough to be able to produce it. Though her ropes were all right yeah? She smiled at him as he cut the rope from her wand and then watched his closely as he used the spell.. she rolled around the incantation in her head as she looked up at the Golem.

Okay, imagine a thick rope coming out of her wand and wrapping around the Golem. Got it! She closed her purple eyes as she took a deep breath and concentrated.

Ropes around the Golem's head.

She could do this!

She raised her wand and opened her eyes as she pictured ropes coming out of it! The proper wand movement was done as she said "Incarcerous! " And to her absolute delight, ropes shot out of her wand and headed straight towards the Golem!

"I did it! " She said with a happy grin and then oh! "Imcendio!" There her ropes were on fire!!

Now did it work?

The stone golem still tried to get up on its feet but to no avail. No matter how much it tried, it kept slipping and landing with another loud THUD on the floor. A loud ROAR was let out as it reached towards the young girl (Katy) to knock her off.

But then the water flew over it and drenched it completely. The ice forming from the water did what the students hoped it would: the stone golem was frozen to its spot on the floor. Add the rune on top of that and slowly, very surely, the golem started to self destruct...

And what was in that mouth?

___




Soon enough, the wood golem's arms slowed down enough until it was completely still but its eyes were moving about. Resistance was futile so it watched the boy carve lines on its head. It was a good shot but it didn't open the golem's mouth enough.

The rope and fire seemed to have done its trick. A smell of burning wood filled the air as the golem found itself burning under the fiery ropes. The trick did what the carving lines couldn't: the golem opened its mouth to let out a small ROAR, revealing the hidden shem.

___




Just like the wood golem, the ice golem found itself distracted by the appearance of the birds. It reached out a hand and froze one in mid-air. The frozen conjured bird dropped to the floor and the ice golem went ahead and used the same tactic on the other birds.

Luckily for the three students, the ice golem was distracted in taking out the birds. The heating charms near its feet were enough to do what the fireballs had done: huge drops of water rained down on everyone present in the battlefield as the ice golem melted down towards the ground. The fireballs hit it squarely on the face and some even landing on its mouth but the shem seemed to be a little too high up to catch fire.

Maybe she needed to try again.

___




The shield spells combined had done enough to protect the student. The glass golem tried to reach her but found its way blocked by the shield. It still tried to knock her off but the ice spell had flown past its fingers and landed on the ground close to its feet. It didn't wait for the effect to take place: the glass golem slipped and fell with a loud THUD on the floor. The crash was enough to cause quite a few cracks to appear on the golem.

Giving up on the girl with the ice, the glass golem reached out a hand towards the other girl (Paige). Knock her off, knock her off.

Jace watched as Azura successfully conjured nice, thick ropes from her wand and set it on fire. The Ravenclaw crossed his arms, and nodded his head in approval. “It’s not so hard now, is it?” he said grinning at his best friend. No matter how much self doubt Azura may have, she is still a Ravenclaw. She’s determined enough to learn, so learning new spells won’t be that hard for the purple eyed one.

The Ravenclaw was about to conjure another set of ropes, but to his surprise, the wooden golem started to move and gave out a roar. Jace assumed his usual fighting stance, wand pointed at the golem ready to coil its mouth with another set of burning ropes when he saw the unexpected.

“Azura...it’s the shem! Look!” he said, quite in disbelief assuming that the golem would put up another fight. “We have to get it...and reverse whatever’s written on it to deactivate the golem.” He said, eyes still on the burning wood monster. “Or...you know...burn it too?” Will that work? It’s just a piece of parchment...right?

“Now...I’m not that good in charms, so I will be needing your help here.” He said, gesturing his head towards the golem. “Accio, shem!”

Well?

Azura shook her head and smiled at her best friend as he spoke. "No, it's not so hard. " She said with a grin.. she had wanted to do the spell for awhile and she bit her lip and held back the happy grin as she turned her attention back to the flaming Golem in front of them..

Eeekkk! It roared and Az took a bit of a step backwards, before she saw it opening its mouth and hey! It was the Shem!

Praise the Fwoopers! They had done it! Well mostly done it! "I see it! We did it Jace! " The purple eyed girl turned with a smile as she looked up at Jace for a moment before turning her attention back to the Golem..

Get the Shem right..

"No worrieds, Charms I can do. " She said with a nod as she pointed her wand at the Shem!

"Accio Shem! "

Oh dear Fwoopers, please let this work!

There was a LOT going on. Phew.
Luckily, Noelle was zoned in on the ice golem. Pesky little .... giant thing.

Noelle was still duplicating her vests and casting them on fire. It was thrilling. She sent vest after vest at the Ice Golem's face. She grinned excitedly when she saw that the Ice Golem was distracted by birds....

birds???

Noelle glanced around and grinned happily seeing all that Jace, Az, and Jonas were doing. That was brilliant. A distraction. "WAY TO GO JONAS!" At least, that's what Noelle thought his name was. Hopefully she was correct. Not to mention that the Ice Golem had been distracted enough that Hady's spell had worked!!

The only problem was...... Noelle was being covered in huge water droplets. Okay.... she needed to think this out. The vests were being extinguished from the water and that just wouldn't do. "Hady, I need you!" She yelled to her big sister. Firstly, they needed a shelter to keep the water from extinguishing her vests, and secondly.... Noelle needed a distraction.

Oh he's pausing Kitty, but only long enough for her spell to wrap over him. He gave her a thankful thumbs up though for finally coming through.

The Curly Top saw the young Toussaint's reaction "Don’t worry, we'll be here in case he takes a swipe at you." he encouraged his fellow third year. Besides, their efforts to entomb the golem with their aguamenti-glacius spell should distract it at the very least.

But oh! Its working? "Its working its working!" the Gryffindor Ace did a little dancey dance as the rock golem started to crack and wither away. And it looks like theres a sliver of the shem that’s starting to become visible "Look that thing in its mouth, I can see it!--" they needed to get that too didn’t they? He neared the crumbling golem and indeed hesitated for a split second-- should he try to grab it? What if in its death throes the golem decided to catch his hand? Yeaahhhh no. He is a Gryffindor, but he'd like to make it clear that that is not synonymous to stupid. Lets try it another way eh?

He whipped his wand out and cast "Accio!" Hopefully the shem would be loose enough to just come towards them?

They were doing awesomely, and the little Slytherin Toussaint was awesome with her Runes knowledge. Perhaps she'd be up to giving Liv some lessons sometime soon. Ugh, she was just SO proud of their little team that had formed. WOOT!

Also, Ace's water idea had been legit.

"It's frozen!".... but also, "Sorry, Katy." She'd been super focused on actually getting the golem covered that she'd not thought of the others around her. Hehe, At least Ace had been more singular with his freezing spell.

GO TEAM!

Standing by slightly, the blonde watched with wide eyes, waiting to see if his summoning charm would work. If not, Liv would valiantly dart forward and attempt to snatch the paper out of it's mouth. Lolz, or maybe type another type of spell. Maybe Waddiwasi? Only if Ace's didn't work, though...