Okay.

Noelle looked to Professor Hirsch and gave a quick nod. He seemed confident and She needed that confidence. Her heart was racing as she listened to him. Her ears listened for even the smallest scream.

Hirsch was telling them to circle up, call out Abey and Simons name. She still didn't know if this was the best plan, but she sent whatever positive vibes she had left out to the boys. She wanted them back safe.

Since Olly's hand was already in hers. She rounded them and started walking backwards, her back to Hirsch's. "Lumos" she muttered, her wand tip lighting up. It was bright by any means but she could see a little better. A little bit.

"ABEY! SIMON! ABEY! SIMON!"

They were here to help! Please don't give up yet. Please keep fighting. Noelle subconsciously thought as she continued to call the boys names. Her eyes looking everywhere she could see, even up.

Chris glanced at Nat as he felt the tug and saw the look. Alright alright. Positive thoughts. Then the professor wanted them to yell their names. Oi...this seemed like a really bad idea. Like REALLY bad. Glancing at Nat again he could practically see her thoughts mimicking his. Then she was yelling along with everyone else. Well...too late now. If they were going to die the monster would find them easier.

He relit his wand once more and followed suit along with everyone else.

" SIMON!!! ABEY!!!" Chris listened carefully to try and hear any calls from them amidst all the yelling from everyone around him.

What was there left to do now but wait? Wait and watch the space where the monster had crawled off to, and anticipate its return. And cry, of course, because if he couldn't cry now, in his final terrified moments, then when could he? So, naturally, Abey was doing all of these things, though his vision was blurred by his tears, and all he could really hear was his own sobbing.

But then... something else. Could he hear something else actually? Voices that didn't belong to him or Simon, or that creature? Or was he imagining it, on account of he was so desperate to be rescued from this situation.

It took him a good while to calm down enough that he could properly actually hear something other than his own weeping, but when he did, his heart leapt, and he yelled back, as loud as he could.

"HERE, W-WE'RE HERE! HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!"

But then, he broke off, quite suddenly, looking back up at the ceiling where the monster had crawled off to. At once, it made sense, just why it had crawled up there instead when it had been just about to eat him, and Abey felt another jolt of panic. He cried out again, screaming a desperate warning, having realised he was drawing whoever was out there into the worst trap in the world ever actually.

"IT'S WAITING! IT'S WAITING! IT'S W-WAITING!" In his panic, he could think of nothing else to say. His shouting became punctuated by sobbing once more. "I-IT'S WAITING! IT'S WAITING!"

The shouting from Abraham Botros Jr. is surprisingly not as far as you would think. In fact, the group was about to move on to the next floor, almost bypassing them in the silence. The monster had only then them a floor below the portal, where the music classroom would have been had this been the real Hogwarts. Follow the direction of the boy's desperate cries for help and you will find him and Simon Rockefeller, both scared but still alive.

But that's not the only thing you'll find there...

Regina was glad that Hirsch was there with them all. Though she too had experience in teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, it was good to have someone else in the alternate world that was on the same wavelength as her. He, like her, was remaining calm in the situation, strategizing rather than running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Hopefully those that were with them were learning a thing or two in spite of the circumstances.

The headmistress had taken her spot on one side of the group, alert as ever. Her wand was dimly lit, much to her dismay, but it was better than nothing. At least they all were able to see where they were going thanks to their collectively lit wands. She honestly had no idea how the kids that been here before survived on their own and lived to tell the tale. Merlin was clearly with them in spirit.

"Remember that, if anything attacks, we must act as a unit. As individuals, our magic will be wasted here. As a unified force, our odds are drastically better," the American woman added onto Roderick's instructions as they made their way down the stairs. "Do not separate from the group, and always have a spell at the forefront of your mind. It could just save your life."

The silence in this world was making it hard to save the two boys, however. Though yelling wasn't ideal as it could lead the monster to them, it was there only hope in finding the boys. In addition, it would verify that they were still alive if they responded.

She remained alert as everyone started shouting out the boys' names. There were enough people shouting out names, so the headmistress simply nudged the group forward, eyes peering into the darkness to the best of her ability and listening for any kind of sound.

And then she heard a response. It was Abraham Botros Jr.!

"This way!" she exclaimed, flicking her wand toward the opening of a corridor they had passed just moments ago. They were getting closer and closer with every second that passed by. "Remember: we need to be a unified force." Especially if the monster was indeed waiting for them.

As it hung from the ceiling, the monster was carefully listening to the approaching humans. Though hungry and having the ability to devour the boys in a matter of seconds, the monster was going to lay low. If it and the boys were quiet, then that meant the group would go deeper into its humble abode. That meant it could eat the boys as an appetizer once they had passed ... and then it would be time for the main course and even dessert!

But then one of the boys started shouting response to the human's calls. So close had the creature been to getting what it wanted. It roared at the boy to silence him, saliva splattering on his face.

The beast did not leave its perch on the ceiling, however. No. It prepared itself for an attack.

Simon was just Done. He wanted to just be....no, he couldn't think that. No matter how alone again he felt. His wheezing and sobbing becoming uneven with each breath he attempted to take.

The young Rockefeller's Hopes were going and fast, but why had the Monster saved him for later? Was Abey that fil...no he can't think like that either!!!

Then he heard them! Others! Students, and was that Professor Hirsch!? They were calling for them!! Simon wanted to yell, he wanted to tell them where they were, bring them here faster so that he can be saved.

Next he heard him, Abey!! Abey wasn't gone!! Abey was still alive and yelling for them both. Simon would try but all he could muster up was a weak "He...lp" as his lungs would not cooperate with his vocal chords.

He'll just hope Abey can bring their saviors to them!

DID HE SAY THE MONSTER WAS WAITING! NO WAIT DON'T COME...BUT DO! DO SOMETHING!!

They were yelling the names of the boys and her wand was up and ready. She stood with the rest of the group close to Hirsch and Chris on her other side. She hadn't let go of his hand since they started and she was probably squeezing it hard as her anxiety started to rise. She saw the headmistress move and moved with the group along with the woman. Her eyes darted from one end to the other. The thing could jump from anywhere and even though they were close it could just appear and would they truly be ready?

She froze for a moment hearing a boy's voice. Which boy was it? They were still alive! This was a good sign, but would the monster be ready to attack them for the noise? They had to get moving the right way. Turning her head the way the headmistress pointed she started down the corridor the way she headed with the entire group.

Her wand flickered off again and she sighed, though. This was awful how much their magic truly didn't work.

"IT'S WAITING! IT'S WAIT-"

Abey was still mid-screech when he found the monster roaring directly into his face. He stopped suddenly, all but frozen in fear, tasting the creature's saliva on his own lips and feeling his stomach churn in utter revulsion. A whimper escaped him.

"It's w-waiting..." he choked out a sob, his voice just above a whisper, and shaking just as badly as he was. No other words would come to him; his mouth just kept moving, repeating the same thing, over and over. "I-it's waiting... it's waiting..."

Her heart jumped into her throat at the sound of one of the boys screams. They were alive, thank Merlin. She couldn't tell which one of the boys it was (not knowing either very well) and she couldn't quite make out what he said. "Did he say they'rewaiting or it's waiting?!" she asked urgently as they hurried in the direction the screaming had come from, wand out in front of her...

Char didn't add her voice to the clamour of yelling, preferring to stay ready to cast a spell it needed without the risk of tripping up on her own tongue. This was a strange journey, like a bad dream, except that the people around her weren't wispy or insubstantial in any way, despite the dimness. Char paused for a second and took a kenaz rune out of her pouch. it would make a better light than a wand because if she used her wand for that, she wouldn't be able to use it defensively. Walking again, she chanted under her breath and activated it and watched it light up. Not as bright as it should be, but still at least as good as lumos.

"Would duplicating a runestone work?" she sort of directed her question at the headmistress. Probably not, right? you couldn't duplicate a wand either, after all. Char scanned the ground for any little stones that she could maybe use to make more lights for others, and tried not to think too hard about what they were doing.

Oh she could hear Abey!!! Wait. What was that? Its waiting??

An ambush?

So they were going to try calling for the boys. Olly let Noelle pull him along to their spots in the circle, their wands in front of them. He wasn't really looking forward to meeting the monster but would rather it be there, up against the whole group, than holding those two first years. If they only succeeded in drawing the monster to them, well, that would technically be a success. And they were prepared. Olly lent his voice too, calling for the boys, and it didn't take long before there was a response in return. The yell wasn't coming from far away now.

"They're close. It sounded like they were on that very floor. He had also noticed that there was only one voice and he tried not to think about why. Whether or not something was waiting they needed to get to the boys, or boy, quickly.

Chris continued to walk with the group making sure to keep his eyes moving and very much aware of just how hard Nat was squeezing his hand. He wasn't going to say anything though as far as everyone else was concerned the Head Girl was strong. His eyes widened as he heard one of them call back. "That's them!" Where did it come from? He searched around trying to pinpoint but the Headmistress did it for them. He turned and moved quickly with the group.

Wait...what was that? He turned almost pale and glanced at Nat. "It's....I heard it's waiting...." They needed a plan before they went rushing over there that was for sure.

Zelena's short-lived relief of hearing one of the boy's cries for help was soon dashed when she could've sworn that she heard something about something waiting. How close were they to the monster? She continued to move with the group, her wand at the ready. Time was running out and with each passing second, dread filled Zelena.

The shouting suddenly decreased as they turned around another corner. In between moments of quiet, sobbing and wheezing could be heard. The boys were alive ... and the beast that had taken them was not far away. The woman brought the group to a halt when the sobbing and Mr. Botros's soft repetitious whimpering echoed down the hall.

She wished that she had not heard the tone and saw the paleness on some of the faces beside her. Instead she focused her attention, for the moment, on Miss Kettleburn's question about whether or not duplicating a runestone would work. "I'm afraid not," the woman stated quietly, looking at the light that was coming from the girl's rune. "Duplicating the runestone would only make a copy of the stone, not the magical energy within."

Following that Horned Serpent response, Regina focused her eyes on the end of the corridor and then back at the group. In her head, she was planning strategy. It was easier said than done, considering they were totally out of their element in this unfamiliar world.

Nonetheless, she was able to think of something. The headmistress gave the Defense professor a look, inviting him to add onto what she was about to say. "Yes, it -- the monster -- is waiting for us, as Mr. Botros shouted out to us just moments ago. The fact that we haven't encountered it yet confirms that the beast is waiting for us to make a move first," she addressed the group in a whisper.

There was a brief pause, mostly just to take a second or two to listen. The sobbing and the whimpering could still be heard. It was coming from where the music classroom would be in their world, yes?

"The purpose in coming through the portal was to return Mr. Botros and Mr. Rockefeller safely back to Hogwarts, and that is exactly what we are going to do," she continued on. "We need to work together in order to make that happen. The moment we step through that doorway at the end of the corridor is the moment when we will be attacked. Because of this, we need the majority of us to collectively create a barrier. This will separate us from the monster, keeping it from harming and getting past us. I need two of you to get the boys out while we hold the monster back. Then we need to get out immediately, all of us casting spells to delay the monster while we make our escape."

Regina took in a deep breath and raised her wand up, taking the first step forward as the beginnings of a barrier took shape. Was everyone else ready?

OOC: Basically, there needs to be a group of us who are collectively producing a barrier. The barrier group will be the first to go through the doorway, so that the monster will bounce off the barrier should it attack, and use it to prevent the monster from having its way with us. While this is happening, there needs to be about two people freeing the boys. Once the boys are free, everyone has to get through the portal -- casting spells like crazy and, quite literally, running for their lives.

Zelena listened attentively as the Headmistress discussed the plan for the rescue of the two boys and the safe return of everyone. She raised her hand and spoke quietly, "I would like to volunteer myself for the rescue of Abey and Simon." She was undoubtedly nervous about the task at hand but she was prepared to do whatever it took to save them. She wanted to make sure that everyone made it back safely.

Oh, no caging? Well, sometimes plans had to change, Char could roll with that. She listened as the headmistress answered her question and also outlined the new plan. What would she help with?

Sure she was zippy and fast and could probably volunteer to rush in to help free the firsties, and she was good with her wand and could help with the barrier.... it was just that if everyone was going to be casting a barrier spell or trying to get the first years, they would be without light. And they needed light.

Char had light.

"Headmistress, Professor Hirsch, I'll work on making this light bigger, because if you're all casting a magical barrier, and there are people running ahead to free Abey and Simon, nobody will be able to use lumos and we still need to be able to see- you'll all need your wands free." And ... she was pretty sure the kenaz rune, the beacon light and torch of it, was brighter anyway. And she could make it brighter still. With a bit of her blood to freshly invoke it.

Something else was niggling at her about it too. Like a little idea brewing, about a less exciting rune than kenaz, but still useful. Humm.

Oh and that Zelena girl was volunteering.

"Zelena, right? I can invoke the Algiz rune on your chest if you want some extra protection. Maybe it will help." She pointed at the one on herself, and on Henry. Only if the girl wanted her to, but Char wanted to help as best as she could.

Zelena turned to the Gryffindor fifth year girl that had spoken. It was obvious that the Gryffindor was very skilled in ancient runes. Not having great knowledge of ancient runes, the thought of invoking runes was rather intriguing. Zelena was going to need plenty of help and if this did work, then she was all for it.

"I think you invoking the rune would be immensely helpful, thank you." Zelena said with a weary smile.

With her wand held tightly in her grasp, Cami slowly made her way along the dark damp corridors with everyone else. Every time lumos faded out on her she would cast it again trying to keep the area as lit up as possible. With their magic not being anywhere strong enough inside here it was a feeble attempt but any light was still better then now.

Her voice rang out in unison with those students and staff around her as they first called out Abey's name and then Simon's. It was like music to the professors ears when Abey shouted back towards them confirming that both boys were alive. The boys sounded absolutely terrified and broken but they were alive. This was the force that kept driving Camilla forward. What else was that he was shouting? It sounded like he was saying... It's waiting...

Her heartbeat faster as she listened closely to Regina quickly explain what everyone was to do. "I'll work with Miss Holmes in getting the boys out safely." There was no telling if they boys were injured at all as of yet and if need be she would carry them out. She moved back to stand beside Zelena giving those that were going to be casting the barrier room to go first. It was within these brief moments that she ran through every spell she could think of that might be of use to them should she need to use them.

The most important thing for her now was get in there, get the two young boys and get back out without anyone getting harmed.

Nat looked at Chris as he looked at her with the words that Abey said. She nodded to confirm that was what was said. She gripped her wand tightly and tried lumos again. The faint glow allowed her to see. She still thought Char's bait idea would be best. Allow her to go first and when it attacked the rest could do what was needed and get the boys out. She bit her lip knowing it was so pointless to even try to say it again. None of her ideas ever seemed to go well with anyone,so she stood quietly until after the headmistress was done.

"I'll be a barrier against the monster. What spell should we cast first? If we are all doing the same one it might make it strong enough to hold him back?" There were a few different shield charms they had learned over the corse of their classes, especially in dueling so doing the same would probably be the best. She didn't want to just think of any spell if it was possible for all in the group to do the same one against it. For the first time since she walked into the portal Natalia let go of Chris's hand and moved closer to the headmistress and Professor Hirsch. She would do whatever it took to help out and protect the other's.

She watched as Char and Zelena discussed what she would do to help recuse the boys. Her eyes keeping on the spot that the voice had come through.

THEY WERE ALIVE!

A spring of Hope ran through Noelle's system as she heard the boys. Wait.. they were waiting?? Her brows furrowed a bit. Her heart hammered. They were getting close from the sound of their voices. Though.. one didn't seem very loud. That scared Noelle but at least she had heard his faint cry out for help.

They were coming!

Noelle's wand flickered. She recast her lumos spell as she listened to what the Headmistress had to say. Olly was on one side of her but Nat was on the other. She looked over at Olly first, giving his hand a squeeze before looking at Nat. She gave her a nervous... smile (if that's what you wanted to call it). They'd be okay right? ALL of them?

Her heart hammered as the Headmistress prepared them. This was it. Her mind raced to the boys, wanting to hear them speak still. Then it raced to Zelena going to get them. her nerves getting the better of her.

"Professor." Noelle said to Professor Stewart as she volunteered to go next. "Here. I grabbed these before we came in." She let go of Olly's hand and handed Cami the chains she had brought. "Just in case." She added. She gave her and Zelena both confident glances before taking a deep breath and taking hold of Olly's hand again.

The shield charm on her mind. Ready when they were.

Though the silence had been unnerving, or perhaps because of it, Henry hadn't contributed to the loud chanting of the boys' names. There seemed to be enough volume from the others that it probably didn't matter anyway, plus he felt he could only focus on one thing right now, and that was vigilance with his wand. But it seemed to be enough and he felt a relief mixed with that ever present anxious anticipation when he heard one of the boys shouting in response. That meant that they were still alive. Or at least one of them was.

His eyes naturally shifting towards the direction of the sound, he followed everyone else as they headed that way.

It's waiting.

Logically, Henry knew it would be. Having been in this dimension before and feeling like he knew what he was getting himself into, he knew that monster would be waiting for them. But the feeling of fear spiked in him again as the memories flashed through his mind. Doing his best to push them away and focus on the task at hand, he pressed on faster and more purposefully, driven by the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Wait... what happened to their plan about the cage and the runes to enforce it? Henry thought that was as good plan as any, but if they needed to change it then fine. They just all needed to be on the same page or nothing was going to work. He... was not sure he could get that close to the monster again, afraid he'd freeze at the wrong moment because of the fears he still had a hard time getting rid of. Maybe he shouldn't have come here at all. His fears were making him useless and he was going to end up being burdensome.

But he was rather decent with his wand, so maybe he could help with the collective barrier, especially since others volunteered for the rescue part. And Charlotte. Quick thinking there. As she conferred with Zelena about runes, he finally spoke up. "I'll help with the barrier." Sure, that meant he'd be one of the first to confront the monster and could be ambushed if it didn't go well, but hopefully he could rely on the others to help make sure their barrier was strong enough. "Protego Maxima? Or something stronger?" He looked to Hirsch again for his advice. He wasn't sure he could do a stronger version of that shield charm, but if everyone cast a shield charm of their ability at the same time, wouldn't that work?

Even if it was only effective to help someone out mentally, or even just to protect against a scratch or something, Char felt glad that she could be helpful in some way. She returned Zelena's smile and got to work painting with her wand the Algiz rune on the front of the older girl's shirt, right across the chest, invoking it at the same time.

This was why practical rune stuff was way better than the nerdy rune stuff.

"There." Char said after she was done. It looked like a capital Y with the middle line extended right up, and the invocation with the galdr had it glowing a dimmer-than-usual-but-still-visible red. "Get them fast, okay?"

Did Professor Stewart want one too?


Charlotte looked up at her incredibly brave boyfriend and gave him a quick smile of nervous but determined encouragement. It was okay. It would be okay. And she believed in him, in all of them really, but for Henry this was kind of a big thing after his last experience here in this horrible place. It was such a change compared to-- that was it! Wait a second! This place, this change of place, this new setting and this journey.... Raidho was the one! If she put that with Kenaz, if she invoked them both together, maybe it would be enough to account for the different way the magic worked here, maybe the light would be brighter, and bright enough to see by, as well as be a beacon to help them all on their journey home.

Paint probably wasn't enough though. Char got to her knees a little behind the barrier people, got the Raidho rune out, and held the two runes together in her hand, eyeing them. They would need fresh blood to be stronger, which she'd have to time right... because what if the blood attracted the monster? That could be pretty useful though too, getting it away from the first years, though not properly being bait given she'd be safe behind the combined barrier spell which she trusted all the adults and other kids would be able to do.

--------
ooc: right before the rest of everyone starts the barrier shield because I'll probably be at work:
--------

She used her wand to make a cut on the palm of her hand that carried the two runes and began the galdrs, exactly like she'd been taught maybe it would be on the OWLs.

"Kenaz kenaz kenaz
ku ka ki ke ko
kun kan kin ken kon
ok ek ik ak uk
kaunnnnnnnnn

raidho raidho raidho
r r r r r r r r r
ru ra ri re ro
rudh radh ridh redh rodh
(rut rat rit ret rot)
or er ir ar ur
r r r r r r r r r."

Not at all squeamish, she let the fresh blood from her hand re-stain the carved runestones, squeezing them in her palm as she invoked them. Raidho definitely seemed to help, to make up some of that difference of place that had brought them on this journey- the kenaz rune was responding to it, lighting up more. Enough to see much better by. Maybe not so gloriously as it would in the world they knew (where, she had in the past, set a desk on fire with her enthusiasm for kenaz), but enough that wands could be used for the barrier, and not for light....

Charlotte stood up and held her fist up, holding the runes up in hopes of better directing that extra light for everyone.

Chris listened as the Headmistress began talking about the plan and then people were volunteering themselves up.He watched as Nat volunteered to hold the barrier with a few others. "I think I could be of use to get the boys," He said looking at the Headmistress. He was strong and tall maybe it'd be useful.

He watched as the ritual for the runes took place and felt that need to help again that had brought him here in the first place. Maybe he was more like his dad than he thought. This seemed like something his dad would do. Maybe this was his new sense of purpose. He glanced at Nat who had let go of his hand and looked at the other two who had volunteered to grab the boys. He wasn't scared anymore. He could do this. He wanted to do this. He gripped his wand tighter with his new found resolution.

Kitty listened with wide eyes as the headmistress described the plan to them. At first she had been about to volunteer to go get the boys, but then three others volunteered. That left her to be one of the shields.

"Okay, I'm a shield then," she said, perhaps a little louder than she intended. "I'll follow everyone else's lead in what spell we cast." Because she really didn't feel like a leader right now, and the others probably knew better than she did what spell would be best for this situation.

Behind them, Char, brave Char, was casting the rune. Any moment now...