Olly had been told to go to his common room, so that's what he was doing. He assumed the other Slytherins were still behind him as he made his way down from the seventh floor. He was keeping his eye out, of course, in case he ran into the monster that was still on the loose. But his ears picked up a disturbance first. Someone was screaming. He looked toward the source of the noise. There were two people on one end of the corridor but as it seemed that neither of them had screamed he didn't pay them much attention and turned toward the other end of the corridor. That's when he saw the monster. And the two boys it was dragging behind it. For a moment Olly was frozen in shock and terror. That was the actual monster right there in front of him. What could he do? He couldn't just stand there and do nothing. There was no way he was going to just continue walking back down to his common room now.

"Stop!" That had been mostly instinct. He didn't really think the monster would listen to him of course. He had to make it stop. How could he do that? His brain was not thinking very quickly because it was terrified and under pressure. He remembered that he was still gripping his wand. But before he could even do anything it was already gone.

Following after Olly, Rula was hoping they'd all be able to get to their common room without running into any trouble. It was several floors down, but maybe the monster was gone already. Or maybe the other professors had already found it and defeated it or banished it to the portal or something. Anything that got the danger out of here. She just wanted everyone to be-

...Was that screaming? And there...

There was the monster. It was fast, too fast to get a solid look at it, but it was there. And there - there were two others being dragged along too, two students. One of them very familiar to her, a face and voice she'd recognize anywhere, no matter how fast he was being moved.

"ABEY?!" No. Oh Merlin, please no.

She didn't notice Rooney and Liv further down the corridor, and she forgot about Olly being there too. The only thing that filled her mind now was that that thing had her cousin, her family.

She had to do something to stop it.

Brent was on his way back to the dungeons with a mixture of emotions. On one hand, THANK MERLIN he didn't have to face the monster. On the other hand, though, he had WANTED to face the monster. It was real life DADA, dude. He stuffed his wand back into its holster and headed off toward the stairwell that would lead him down. He had no idea if his bro had followed him, but one thing was for sure...

If Kane hadn't, and if the younger Westwood was still out running around somewhere, Brent would have to go all BIG BRO on him with this was all over. That was assuming this all ended well. He had near about reached the stairwell, when he heard it...

"DUDE!" what was THAT?! He exclaimed, assuming Kane or anybody really had followed him down from the seventh floor. That did NOT sound good, and it didn't sound like somebody just playing around. "Did you hear that?!" He was suddenly aware of a girl's voice nearby, and he turned to see Rula. "You think that's Abey?" They had to help him! "Come on! Let's go!" He could get into so much trouble for this. But, well, you know what they say...

Well behaving dudes rarely made history.

Frantically Rosalyn made the trek from the Fifth Floor corridor to the Sixth. There had been only one floor to go up, and hopefully she and Kaysha would make it in time.

Except... they were nowhere to be seen. Instead there was a group of students. "No one is to go into the portal," Rosalyn said, trying to get a hold on her emotions. "This is for staff ONLY." Anyone who thought to try disobeying her would be facing point loss. This was serious business. "I know you want to save the boys, but it's just way too dangerous. Head back to your common rooms where it's safe." As they should have done before now. This was not a request, and they would have to be foolish to try her. "We will rescue Abey and Simon."

Rosalyn's attention shifted to Kay. "The Headmistress needs to be notified right away." Quickly she sent off a ferret patronus saying that the monster had taken two boys and headed into the portal.

Kay was rather upset about the stupid mistake she and Rose had made but this was not the time to really think about it. They had to get those two back and not let it get at any of the other students. She was hardly out of breath as she made it to the sixth floor, just behind her best friend.

"Rose is right. But if any of you would like to stay to help in anyway, you're most welcome to. However, we need the Headmistress and the other professors and if you do stay, you'll have to follow our instructions without complaint.''

Her heart was still thudding and her palms were all sweaty, not because of the run up to the sixth floor but because she was afraid for Abey and Simon. She was barely keeping it together and barely registered that Rose had sent a patronus off. Instead, she turned to look at the portal. She had half a mind to climb into it right now.

But what good would that do when her defense skills were mediocre? She'd just end up being the victim. A fat lot that would do to help anyone except just fill the monster's appetite if it fancied adults.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

Brent was on his way back to the dungeons with a mixture of emotions. On one hand, THANK MERLIN he didn't have to face the monster. On the other hand, though, he had WANTED to face the monster. It was real life DADA, dude. He stuffed his wand back into its holster and headed off toward the stairwell that would lead him down. He had no idea if his bro had followed him, but one thing was for sure...

If Kane hadn't, and if the younger Westwood was still out running around somewhere, Brent would have to go all BIG BRO on him with this was all over. That was assuming this all ended well. He had near about reached the stairwell, when he heard it...

"DUDE!" what was THAT?! He exclaimed, assuming Kane or anybody really had followed him down from the seventh floor. That did NOT sound good, and it didn't sound like somebody just playing around. "Did you hear that?!" He was suddenly aware of a girl's voice nearby, and he turned to see Rula. "You think that's Abey?" They had to help him! "Come on! Let's go!" He could get into so much trouble for this. But, well, you know what they say...

Well behaving dudes rarely made history.

This time it was KANE following his bro around, still all BITTER about being turned away a floor above. FROWNY FACE. Why were these professors just so stubborn about receiving HELP!? True, the logical part of his brain reminded him that they were just being protective, and he WAS just a second year and hardly an experienced fighter. But still, he wanted to HELP. He hated feeling helpless. Kane was a student and could be in danger and they expected him to just sit around waiting for the monster to find him, like prey. NOPE. Kane Westwood did not just sit around and WAIT for things.

He couldn't even wait for a cup of tea to warm up, let alone WAIT to see how this whole battle turned out. Patience was NOT one of his virtues.

Still stewing over all of this, he barely even noticed when Brent stopped and he walked right in to him. He was about to ream him out for just STOPPING like that without any warning, and that's when he heard it - the SCREAMING. It sounded familiar, SO familiar...but it wasn't until Brent pointed it out that he recognized it.

ABEY!

"IT IS! That's his voice! And that other yelling...that's Simon!" Kane said in a frantic rush. He hadn't talked to Simon much, but remembered meeting the quiet boy at the feast...HAD THE MONSTER GOTTEN THEM!? That had to be why they were screaming! OH NO! IT WAS OUT FOR BADGER BLOOD!

As suspected, a small crowd started to amass in the area, including...more professors. UGH. Just as Kane was afraid they were about to be sent away AGAIN - Professor Stewart showed up. HIS SAVIOR! SHE SAID THEY COULD STAY! He tugged Brent's arm in excitement and walked right up to her, pulling his wand out of his holster as he did.

"Professor, I know it's dangerous but...if those ARE some of my fellow Hufflepuffs -I want to help. Please, don't make us go back to our common rooms, we could be just as in danger there as here..." because seriously, they had no idea HOW this monster operated. It could get past the Hufflepuff barrels and snatch all of them up, and they'd just be there WAITING for it to happen! How had it gotten back up here this fast anyways?! "Hufflepuffs are supposed to be loyal and I want to HELP," he added again.

THERE. FOOT. DOWN.

Having been on the moving staircases while in the middle of scoping out potential nesting areas for when he DID find himself in possession of a dragon egg - he already had OTHER things in his dormroom and he wasn't sure how much he could get away with before his dormmates noticed and he was already running out of room in his enchanted suitcase with everything else he had collected over the term - the first year's ears had done more than twitch when he had heard the UNMISTAKABLE screams of TWO of his BEST FRIENDS.

He had a keen ear, you know? Studying the various creature calls and learning - in the process still, obviously - to identify them JUST by sound alone. He had made Simon scream SO MUCH over the course of the term because of all the dirt and poop his shoes would track into the room...along with his jars of dirt to house his worm collection...and need to collect the various creature feces and identify them and their magical properties when homework just could not hold his attention. Each time eliciting the sort of scream that the Hufflepuff USED to think meant that his life was in danger but this was SO different.

As if that wasn't bad enough...the cries of Abey, HIS Gryffindor, had only quickened the first year's feet further. So much in fact that he had faceplanted on his way and he had now arrived with a bloody nose. But he did NOT care.

His stomach dropped and all color drained from his face when neither Abey nor Simon were present. Those HAD been their screams, he KNEW it, but WHERE WERE THEY?! He felt like a swarm of dementors had descended upon him and he dropped his enchanted suitcase to the floor with a dull thud and, despite all the talking going on around him, the only noise this first year heard was that of his heart drumming in his ears.

"Where...where are they?" he wibbled pathetically, eyes watering. "WHERE ARE THEY?! WHERE ARE ABEY AND S-SIMON?!"

Dude. What was up with the professors popping up from out of nowhere? Literally everywhere Brent went, somebody was there to tell him to go back to his common room. He got it. He understood. It was all about safety. He just wanted to help, though even though he could very easily get himself killed in the process. He glanced up at his History of Magic professor. "Yes, Professor. I was just heading that way," he said. His common room, he meant.

Then Professor Stewart came along and said they could stay as long as followed what the professors said to do without complaining at all. So he had one professor telling him to go and another telling him to stay. Did this mean he could pick which answer he liked best?! If so, he wanted to stay! "Thanks, Professor! You have my word. I'll do everything you tell me to," he said. He'd do everything both professors said, because no matter what, he wasn't a disrespectful rule-breaker.

..and then SMACK, something walked right into him, and before he could manage a frown of annoyance, he heard the sound of his lil bro's voice. Good. He had 'The Wild One' at least following along. "Dude. Watch where you're going. I mean it. It's not safe right now," he said. He stood awkwardly by, waiting for instructions, until he heard the pitiful wails of poor Derf. Brent's face fell. See. This is why the older kids needed to be out and about. "Little Dude," he said, walking over to him. "That monster is no match for us. I can promise you that." Actually, he didn't know that for sure, but Derf didn't need to know that. "There's hundreds of us, and there's only one little monster. No match whatsoever. I promise you. We'll have Abey and Simon back in no time." This was the hope, at least. "You want me to walk you to your common room?"

But no sooner had he got those words out of his mouth, he heard screams coming from down the corridor. This wasn't just any screaming either. Something bad had happened. Something really bad. A few seconds later, the Headmistress' announcement boomed throughout the castle, and just as she directed them to, he headed off toward the portal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanners

If this whole situation had not felt real before...it did now. Seeing his Liv in the way she was currently, spurred the Ravenclaw into protective action and he reached to hold her hand, kissing the top of her head quickly. "You're on the sixth floor. I just came from the stairs.." He pointed back in the direction he had just walked from. "Come on. I'll get you to your common room." And then return to his own and pray that the students he had got there already had stayed and not been idiots. He assumed that a handful were idiots and he'd just have to hit his head off a wall at some point to stop blaming himself for their lack of common sense. When the Headmistress instructed you to get to your damn common room, you got to your bloody common room.

BUT CLEARLY NOT.

With a sigh, the sixth year wrapped an arm around his Gryffindor lady friend and gave her a one armed hug, just as both of their attentions flew down the corridor. "It is............." And this wasn't a nightmare. It was here. It was in his castle. In his safe place. And he didn't feel safe still.

Actually, he felt sick once more.

Roo wasn't able to think more about needing to be sick because Olivia was crying and he was shushing at her in an attempt to be soothing, but.......it was not. He probably seemed to be begging her to shut up. He probably seemed to be so over all of the emotions. But he was just done with all of this. He wanted the year to be out. He wanted to be in Paris and then in camp and then taking his girl on a date again. Even the crying Gryffindor did not distract him from the shouts for help from down the corridor and even though he recognised the voices, he wasn't able to place them specifically. The churn in his stomach was too loud. The pound in his head was much too much.

"I should...go....go see..." And she should stay here. Safe.

Do what?! No, Rooney Bronwyn. NO. He needed to go with her to the Seventh Floor, where they could part ways to their respective common rooms and remain the safe Hogwarts students, who DIDN'T VOLUNTEER FOR THIS LIFE, OMG! Also, Olivia couldn't help her noisy emotions, okay?! THEY COULD NOT BE HELPED! She'd heard the screams of precious ickles, and though she hadn't recognized their small faces from afar, that mattered very little to her Liv!brain. THEY. WERE. BABIES.....which had only been confirmed when one of them HAD screeched out for help; the sound so high-pitched and heartbreakingly terrified... that she could only latch onto Rooney with both arms. Please help her remain standing, thank you... because between her own mental exhaustion and this entire creature situation, Liv had very little doubt that she was on the verge of dropping like a sack of potatoes. U G H... AND EVEN THE THOUGHT OF POTATOES WAS MAKING HER FEEL NAUSEOUS... When would this disaster end?!?!?!

Please don't vomit, please don't vomit...

Quite suddenly, the corridor began filling up with people. Apparently, Rooney had been telling the truth about her location just off the stairs. Had the Gryffindor really allowed herself to get so upset that she couldn't see the stairs were literally just there?! It was embarrassing, but Olivia didn't allow that vulnerability to show. Who could afford to at a time like this? And really, she could not even begin to understand these Slytherins. Were they really... talking about... going to...

Wait. What? Had... Rula just said Abey?! As in Abraham Botros Jr.?!?! Of course, the screeching voice had sounded familiar before, but then again, the blonde loved spending time with all the younger children.. and most of their small voices were very similar. Oh, no... Her legs, once again, felt weak beneath the weight of her body. This was all too real. This danger felt so much different from anything she'd encountered at Hogwarts thus far...

Olivia tugged Rooney with her, as she shakily moved closer to the group gathering just down the way. A pair of professors had joined the fray now, and the instructions were...conflicting, at best. Professor Newton, who she loved, admired, and respected, was instructing everyone to head back to their common rooms, but Professor Stewart, who she also had good feelings about, was telling them they could join in helping if they wanted to... Her heartbroken emotions aside, Olivia could NOT agree with that at all. How... on any plane of existence, would they be able to help this situation? Actually I N S I D E the portal?! More like get in the way and possibly get themselves killed! It'd be different if it were just around the castle. That would probably be safe enough (given that the monster was back in it's lair)... Otherwise, this was not the time to play hero... Nor was it about any of them! This was about two very frightened little boys who needed the staffs' undivided attention in getting them both to safety. Merlin, P L E A S E let them both get back to safety. Please let the professors get to them in time. Please, please, PLEASE!

Also, hello, loud ickle Hufflepuff.... Thank you for giving us a heart attack!

The noise levels on this floor were increasing and it was evident that they were not alone in the corridor. However, no one had called attention to them and Rooney wondered whether he and Liv were invisible. His heart was already torn up about how upset Liv was and how upset she was getting that he really didn't need to be overthinking a whole bunch of things. But he wouldn't be Rooney Bronwyn if he wasn't considering a thousand things that didn't need to be considered or even given the time of day. It was part of his personality, so it wouldn't be surprising to anyone that knew him. He only overheard little bits of what was being said before the Gryffindor girl was hauling him towards the group.

Yes, yes, thank you very much, Olivia Lynn.

It didn't seem at all professional for two Professors to be giving different instructions and so Rooney just raised his eyebrow and kept Olivia close to him. Protective best friend and all that. Couldn't let her get hurt or anything. He followed around the corner where it seemed the groups natural progression was going. Back to the portal, it seemed..... how annoying................ It really was, in his opinion, the best idea to be getting students to their common rooms.

Other voices joined her, but Rula was too upset at the thought of that monster taking her cousin that she only half-heard them. Her focus was finally momentarily broken when two professors appeared, one even reminding them to head to their common rooms. The internal conflict in Rula surged in that moment. She knew that was what they had been told to do, and the was what she'd wanted them all to do. But now with the reality of Abey being one of the ones taken, a new part of her demanded to help in some way, even if she didn't take on the monster directly - she just couldn't abandon them.

And then the other professor spoke and said they could help if they wanted, if they would listen. And then also came another announcement from the headmistress that supported that suggestion. And so she nodded, feeling unable to speak, and followed the others to join the group at the portal.