The dungeon corridor might be known for its cobwebs, green molds that makes you think of too long kept cheese and dark green tinged light, but off late it has because lack of any cleaning whatsoever become excessively muddy, wet and a rat colony has even migrated into living in the damp dungeon shadows.

Where is that grumpy caretaker? Why is Flynn neglecting his duties? We can't have a wild rat colony living in the castle!

Oh no, no, no! This would not DO!

Schmoop knew that Grumpy McGrumperson was no here... but HOW haD the dungeon corridor gotten THIS bad! The poor house elf made a hissing sound as he snapped his fingers, thus conjuring sponges already equipped with soap to start scrubbing the tippy tops of the walls. Oh woe was Schmoop!

The elf would have leaned on the wall had it not been for the slime. More slime than usual, that is! He watched as sponges sponged, and cleaners cleaned, but his little elfin self put some elbow grease into those floors, too!

SCRUB!

SCRRRRUUUUUBBBB!

S C R U B!

Art was leaving the office and walking through the Dungeon Corridor. For once he didn't have a letter in his hands, or paperwork he was reading, and he really noticed the state of the corridor. He wasn't all that FOND of Flynn, but he never thought the man was bad at his job. But why was it so filthy? Spotting Madame Curie on the floor, he bent to pick her up.

"Ouch!" he said, jumping back. It took him a moment of feeling quite hurt to realise that WASN'T Madame Curie. Right, she was in his pocket. Her head poked out of it, and looked around. She was in a frenzy! Her people were here. It was as he realised the rats were FERAL rats that he REALLY noticed the state of the corridor.

"Great Scott," he said, feeling rather dirty all of a sudden. He walked on a little further and saw Schmoop, who was cleaning. Poor elves. "Schmoop, might I help? I have a free hour."

From the Kitchens to the potions lab, Katerina had to make the trek down to the dungeons to get there. It was dark, damp, and cold but that didn't bother her at all. She had just left the kitchen she had baked a bunch of cupcakes and was waiting to let them cool so she could ice them. In the mean time Kat was going to make the trip down to the lab to work on a some potion making.

Was it just her or did the dungeons seem dirtier that normal. Or more cobwebs and mold then normal. She continued down the corridor until she seen a rat? Was that a rat? She was pretty sure that was a rat. She walked a few more up when she seen Mister Professor Newton and Schmoop. The poor elf was working his little elf self up a storm. Approaching the two, "Hello, Schmoop and Professor Newton sir." She nodded to the both of them. "I can offer some assistants too. But why has it gotten this bad?" Mean Mr. Flynn as mean as he could be was still good at keeping this castle spotless. He was surely slacking this term.

Oh no no no no! Schmoop only looked up from his scrubbing long enough to shake his head vigorously, big ears flapping as he did. No, no, no. This would not do!

"Schmoop cannot allow Master Newton and young mistress Delgado to clean. No, no. Schmoop will do it by himself." He wished maybe another elf would come along, alas.

OH AND THERE WERE RATS ABOUT!! Stopping his cleaning (other things still moving of their own accord) Schmoop stood up and snapped his fingers with PURPOSE! No rats were going to bother the Professor! The little elf stood, eyes blazing as he vanished the MEAN rat colony.

NO RATS SHALL LIVE HERE TODAY.

ASide from pets, that is.

The pair of them had made it down to the dungeons from the hospital wing, and with no trips by the way.

"Healer Reed worked deftly," Sam commented as they walked. "It was also very nice of you to tell him how he was doing such a good job. 'Impressive.'" There was a grin present on his lips because, yes, he was teasing her. Only a little. He couldn't help himself after having heard it.

Junia blushed the tiniest bit and fought a smile because there was absolutely nothing wrong with complimenting a professional, gosh! "He's just...well, he's really very good at what he does!" There was also the small fact that he was extremely handsome, but she wasn't going to share that part with Sam, especially not now. "Besides, you were probably thinking the exact same thing." So they could change the subject now, thank you.

"You didn't have to walk me, you know. It's kind of out of your way." But she appreciated it all the same, she did.

Pfft, he caught that blush! "Oh, yeah, uh huh. That's all." But Sam had to fight a grin, too. After all, the Gryffindor himself bore his own deep, dark crush on the old Transfiguration professor. Insert heart eyes here.

He smirked and lifted one eyebrow at her. "I can assure you that I was not thinking the exact same thing."

But he glanced over at her when she spoke up again, and this time his grin was more of a smile. "I don't mind. More time with you, then." So, no, he didn't mind one bit.

It was weird having this arm in a sling. Sam was really only realizing now how often he put his hands in his pockets because it felt awkward just having the one hand pocketed. It was uneven and he didn't like it. So, he let his good arm hang and sway gently as he walked.

Annnnd more blushing. Why did Sam insist on doing this to her? The thirteen year old felt incredibly flustered and she was tempted to shove him, she was. Luckily his lone arm swaying beside her was enough of a reminder that to shove someone who was hurt was not the best idea. Instead she was just going to...play cool here. Wait-she didn't have to play cool, she was cool. She was Princess Junia L. Botros. Yeah. Mhm!

"More time with me is pretty lucky. I'm fun." Which was only one of her many many appealing qualities. "Speaking of spending time together-are you going to Hogsmeade with anyone? You did say you were going." At least it had sounded that way to her.

No reaction, hmm? Well, the red on her cheeks hadn't quite faded. Sam chuckled inwardly and didn't press it any longer.

But she was right - Junia was fun to be around. Somehow, he felt like he was the least grumpy when he was around her, so that must be saying something, too. Right, Hogsmeade. It was actually convenient that she happened to bring it up again because he likely would have been more nervous about asking her to go with him if he had had to muster up the topic out of nowhere.

"Well, not anyone in particular right now, but I was thinking that maybe we could go together, if you'd want to?" He looked over at her to get a better read on her expression now. She had definitely seemed on the fence about going in general when they were back at the hospital wing, so he was just as prepared for her to turn him down as he was for her to accept.

"Yes."

She hadn't meant to respond that quickly, but somewhere in the back of her mind Junia wondered if Sam was going to change his mind and she didn't want to give him time to take it back. Someone else she liked spending time with had changed his mind without warning and it had crushed her, so she wasn't going to feel that way again. It had been decided. It had also been decided that seeming too eager about this might make the whole thing weird so she smiled some and then added, "Because going alone isn't much fun and because Astrea will be there with Sam and I want to make sure things go well on their date. Not spy or anything, but check in, you know?" That's what friends were for.

...

"Also I think it'd be nice-going with you. So, yes."

Sam's mouth split into a grin when she answered. Okay, yeah! Hey, that wasn't as hard as he thought it'd be. She hadn't even needed to think on it.

Except the further they walked and the more he heard Junia talk, the less pronounced his smile became. Because going alone wasn't fun and she wanted to check in on Astrea's date? He got this unpleasant sinking feeling inside him, and suddenly felt rather thick. Ew, Sam did not like feeling stupid. Nor like a sink-hole, mind you. His cheeks tinged red in embarrassment, but it was hardly noticeable and he gave off no other outward signs of disappointment.

Aah. Also, it would be 'nice' going with him. It almost made it worse that she said this as an afterthought, and he thought it best to change the subject. "Cool," he closed. "So, is this Sam and Astrea's first date?" He remembered the last time Astrea mentioned Girl-Sam to him, the Ravenclaw hadn't been into the idea of a proper date for some reason.

Yeah, cool.

Only, was it? She watched him for a moment, wondering why he'd changed the subject so quickly. Questions of where they were meeting and what they'd be doing in Hogsmeade swam in her mind, but they could talk about it whenever they went, she guessed.

"It's their first, yeah. I helped Ast with her outfit and everything. She's really excited." And Junia was excited for her. Her best friend hadn't expected to have her feelings returned, but Junia had always hoped they would be. Astrea was one of the best people she knew. Anyone who didn't see how lucky they were to be liked by her was simply daft.

"Sort of grown up, isn't it? Going on a date in Hogsmeade." The brunette smiled a little, eyes on her companion. "Bit scary, too. You ever worry that no one will like you enough to want to take you on a proper date like that?" She chewed her lip, thoughtful. "Sometimes I do."

Sam nodded. He was happy for Girl-Sam and Astrea, he really was. But at the moment, he was also still glum about the fact that Junia wanted to go with him just as a friend, it seemed. Therefore, it was harder to get as excited about two other people going on a date. "I'm sure Astrea is delighted."

Junia's next comment earned her a perplexed look from him, though. Why did she say that? It almost felt like she was rubbing it in that they weren't going as anything more than friends, but at the same time Sam knew that Junia would never do that. Hence the perplexed look. He slowed to a stop, still looking her way. "But I.. just asked you on a proper date like that about one minute ago.." Clearly he was bad at this. And seeing as he'd already embarrassed himself, he ought to at least make sure that Junia realized what exactly he'd been asking her. There was a glimmer of hope now that she had just gotten the wrong idea, that he had intended to go casually, as friends. "I guess I should have been more explicit because I'm hoping you didn't realize it before, but when I asked you to go with me, I was asking for a date with you. A proper date."

He watched her unsurely. Had she known this and had he now made the situation even more awkward? Or did this change anything about her thoughts on going with him?

Junia looked equally puzzled, realization setting in as she watched the Gryffindor. "I thought you just wanted to hang out," She admitted, feeling shy all of the sudden. "I didn't want to assume it was more than that and then feel stupid if it wasn't, but it is more, and I must have made you feel..." Her eyes widened slightly, realizing how her reaction before must have come off. "I'm sorry." For the misunderstanding. Boys were confusing sometimes, did he know? Being a teenager was. Merlin.

"So, I can just have Astrea update me after her date." The third year smiled a little, cheeks a bit pink. "Because I'll be on one of my own." With him. If he still wanted. A real date.

So it was a misunderstanding.

Okay, that cleared that bit up, but Sam was still anxious to hear her actual answer. He shook his head when she apologized. "I should have been more specific." If he had, there wouldn't have been any mix-up in the first place.

Astrea would update her after the date, and... Merlin's beard, it was a yes. An actual 'yes' to a date with him. Sam's grin returned, a little crooked this time. "I'll try to make it worthwhile." She was making sacrifices for this date, after all.

Junia liked that crooked grin quite a bit, actually. What she liked even more was that she was able to inspire it. He seemed happy and his happiness allowed her to forget any doubts and be excited. REALLY excited. Also nervous, BUT EXCITED.

Grinning now, she gave his free hand a little tug. "I'm sure it'll be great." Pretty sure, anyway. "And I'm looking forward to it...and thanks for asking me." Also she still had his hand, so she let that go for now. She was by her common room, after all. She wanted to find Rula and tell her all about this.

Sam was happy.

Even more so when he felt her tug on his hand. "It will be," he agreed. "Thanks for.. going with me." Not the smoothest response, but hey, give him a bit of time to register the fact that he'd asked out Junia Botros and she'd said yes. Smile still present, he plucked up the nerve to lean in and give her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

That...he'd just...what?

Junia's brain went a bit fuzzy and her heart was definitely beating faster and-louder. Merlin's beard, he couldn't hear that, could he? She hoped not.

Wait, he'd said something. Words, Junia, use them.

"Tomorrow. Good. Yeah. You. I mean-see you."

...Nailed it.

And with that, the brunette turned on her heel and ignored her burning cheeks as she disappeared into her common room.