Once Ollie had his things settled in his dorm, he decided to stick with the "being less shy" thing and made his way down to the snake pit. If he was going to meet any more housemates, or make friends with the ones he met at the feast, he'd have to actually be around and not holed up in his room. This was going to be a successful year for him!

He was kind of surprised to see no one else was around, but he figured people were still getting their things settleld. He took a seat on the longer couch and put his legs up, getting as comfy as possible. Let the wait begin.

Coming down the stairs real quick she glanced around "where is everyone" Jumping down the last step she had some feet come into sight. Not knowing who it was she went and jumped on the couch were the feet were placed.

"yoooooo" she said while in mid air. it was a sight to see her brown hair flying around and her eyes lighting up "OOOOLLLLIIEEEE" she squealed, they have come fairly close... well he was one of the people that didnt annoy her and they both made each other laugh.

Ollie's eyes grew wide when someone jumped on his couch and then squealed his name. He tried recognizing the voice but really, how do you recognize anything in squeal form? It wasn't until her hair finally settled and he could see her face properly that he realized it was Echo. He should've known.

"Echo!" He sat up so she could take a seat next to him. "Long time no see!" Well really, he had seen her at the feast but she was busy and then all of the poltergeist stuff happened and then there was food and so they didn't get much time to talk. "Did you miss me??" Oliver knew he was one of the few people Echo seemed to get along with, which made him even happier to see her. He just wished he had thought to see her over the summer...hopefully once they graduated they'd be able to see each other more.

yeah dude" crossing her legs on the couch she leaned back on the arm. "of course i missed you, sorry that i didnt owl, parents had me on lock down during our "family vacation" it was all about family, happy to be back now...... a bit sick of it really... too much family time" she laughed.

"did you miss me?" she smirked.

taking out some chocolate she popped a frog in her mouth.. "oh you want one?" she dangled one in front of his face.

Oliver raised his eyebrows as Echo talked about her lockdown family time. If anyone needed to be put on lock down and forced to hang out with their family...clearly there were a few issues going on in that household. Ollie was one of the few Hogwarts students who actually always wanted to go home. He had siblings he needed to bond with! Even then, he enjoyed hanging out with his friends during the breaks. Too much family time could be suffocating.

"Wow, I can imagine. I mean, not being able to do anything but hang out with family? That can be a bit much." He shook his head in disbelief. Why would any parent pull that move? "Hopefully you can leave the house for winter break and next summer." By then, they'd be out of school anyway.

Then he smiled at her question, because he was sure she knew the answer would be yes. "You know I did, it's hard not to. You entertain me." Was that a weird way to say he enjoyed their friendship? He really hoped not...

"Oh, no thank you." Ollie had already eaten two scoops of ice cream that day, and the last thing he needed was more sweets.

Carlton was wearing his bright green christmas outfit, matching sweater and pants, his grandma had made him. His outfit was completed with a green santa hat and of course all the jingly bells that decorated his sweater. They jingled annoyingly loud as he walked into the common room.

Ah. Home.

He beamed and trotted over to the announcement board. Jingle, jingle, jingle. It was only Christmas once a year after all, and he would wear his loud and bright christmas outfit as much as he could before the holiday season was over. Unlike some of the other students, Carlton liked the sound the bells made when he entered a room. HO HO HO!

Carlton stood bouncing little as he scanned the announcements. Occassionally shaking his upper body to get the bells to jingle merrily.

Jingle, jingle, jingle

Skylar made her way down to the common room from the dormitory, hearing jingle bells before she saw them. She supposed she should be used to the bell noise; after all tis was the season, but somehow hearing it as it was, just sounded off. That was until she saw the everso adorable first year boy from History of Magic. The one who was on the verge of tears about the prospect of being evil. He didn't seem so upset now though, which Sky decided was a good thing.

Approaching him as he scanned over the announcements, Skylar found herself placing a hand on his shoulder in sort of the caring way. "Happy Christmas! I haven't formally met you, but I was struck by your sweet innocence in History of Magic. I'm Skylar, by the way." She said by way of introduction. "Welcome to Hogwarts. And Slytherin." Only like four months late, but better late than never.

Carlton beamed. "Happy Christmas!" He did a little shake for the bells to jingle. Then he suddenly got all kinds of embarrassed. His 'sweet innocence' in History of Magic. "I- Well- Uhm, yes." He fingered on his sleeve, self-consciously. "Yup, I know who you are." Not creepy at all. "I'm Carlton."

He shone up when she welcomed him to Hogwarts. No one had officially done that. So that was nice. "Thank you! It's nice, the professors have cookies in class and there are house elves." Of course, Skylar already knew this, being older and all. "And Slytherin isn't so bad. The house colors matches my outfit." Shaky, shaky, shaky. "But... I didn't know those things Kitty said about the founder." Honestly, he was still quite shaken about that. She'd used the word murderer.

The Slytherin had run as fast as she could, shedding layers of winter clothing as soon as she had reached the castle. THANK GOODNESS for Healer Reed's seminar. It had shown her the proper way to be fast on snow. During the way she had considered where to go to get help. The Headmistress seemed to be the most obvious choice but would the woman even be in her office? And honestly, Daisy wasn't even sure of what she had seen. Sure, at the time it had seemed like a hole had opened up at the bridge and swallowed two students but .... WHO WOULD BELIEVE THAT??? It was starting to feel like a dream to her -- and she had been right there.

That was why she had run the familiar path to the Slytherin Common Room, yelling the password as soon as she was within sight of the entrance. NO TIME TO LOSE NO TIMEEEEEE TO WAAASTE. As soon as she was within the familiar dark room in the dungeons, the fifth year stopped for a minute, hands on her knees, and tried to regain her breath. Right. Help, she came to get help.

"HEEEAD GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRLLL NAAAAAAAAAAAAAATALIAAAA!!!"

Sure, the seventh year was intimidating but she was also able to handle this, right? RIGHT!

Please say she was around!!

Natalia had been staying low key after her accident. So it wasn't a surprise she had camped out in her room yet again. Her friends were being amazing letting her stay there when she didn't have to be with Healer Reed or in her classes. So when she heard someone screaming for her she got alarmed and slipped on her shoes before grabbing her wand off her dresser and heading into the common room.

What was going on? "Daisy, what's wrong?" The girl looked frantic and she couldn't think of what would cause that except peeves or was it the portal on the sixth floor. She hadn't been on patrol since coming back. Had it been an issue while she had been injured? She kept watching the girl though wondering if she was okay.

What if the Head Girl wasn't heeere? Should she just shout for Colt as well? Maybe she should've gone to get a Professor, even if they might think she was insane. Also, screaming at the top of her lungs in the middle of the Common Room probably hadn't been the brightest of ideas since now there were a few people looking at her weirdly. Okaaaaaay, maybe she should go check the dormit-

OH THANK GOODNESS.

"Yes, you're here!" Daisy let out a mumbled breath and ran closer to the girl just about resisting the urge to throw her arms around the seventh year. YES, relief was awesome but Natalia was still the Head Girl. Authority and all that. Right. Not to try and explain what had happened. Daisy had had no time to properly think her words over so it all came out pretty much like word vomit. "The wooden bridge ... there was this noise and a light... then a hole appeared out of nowhere next to the railings and started to get bigger!" The girl extended her arms, trying to show the older girl how the hole in the ... air????? had grown. She stopped and looked at the Head Girl, gnawing at her lip worriedly. This was the worst part and Daisy really REALLY hoped she had made it all up, despite the fact that she knew she hadn't. She leaned closer to her fellow Slytherin and lowered her voice. Ickle firsties needed to be protected from holes who kidnapped students!! "There were two girls there. When the light and the hole disappeared ... they were gone."

Gone.

Daisy squeezed her eyes tightly shut and shook her head, trying not to think of where those girls could be. "I know it sounds crazy... I sound crazy, but I saw it all happen!" She did! The memory felt a little hazy, like a dream after you wake up, but there was no doubt that it had really happened.

Natalia watched the girl and her eyes grew bigger and bigger. Words that came out of her mouth next probably shouldn't have come from a badge person, but it just came out. How on earth was this happening again? This couldn't be good at all. "Just gone?" This could not be happening, yet the head girl had called it. She was sure that stupid thing they were watching on the sixth floor wasn't going to just stay there.

"It's a portal. We've been guarding one on the sixth floor and now it seems to have moved. The wooden bridge." She was torn, the girl had just got back from the horse kicking accident so she knew she had to listen to Healer Reed, but students were in danger and she still had her badge. "Alright this is what I want you to do. Calm down firstly, take a few breaths." Hyperventilating was not going to help. "Next I want you to go find a professor and tell them that the portal has moved. I'll head to the portal and try to keep everyone else from it." She thought about what her father said, but she couldn't just ignore this.

"I'll head there now. You get a professor and get there as quickly as possible." No one else needed to go in there if they worked fast. She turned without another word and headed out of the commmon room.

WHAT? A portal? Daisy had been expecting the Head Girl to dismiss her words as side-effects to some potion or whatnot, not just take them at face value. But apparently, she took them at face value because THIS HAD HAPPENED BEFORE!!!!! What was wrong with this castle????!!

Despite being freaked out, Daisy couldn't help but to begin to calm down as Natalia took control of the situation. Tasks, she could handle those. Calm down, get a professor, tell them that the portal -- portal to wheeeere, though?? -- had moved, get to the bridge. OKAY. Did she have to? The Slytherin did not want to go near that bridge EVER again, but apparently to the bridge she would go.

Wait ... keep everyone else from it??

"But Natalia, the portal is ..." WELP, no use. The girl was gone already. That Head Girl sure knew how to handle things, eh? ANYWAY .. she needed to find a Professor. She took a few deep breaths and darted out of the common room, following the path the head girl had taken.

Portal. Honestly. This school sometimes...

Oops? Perhaps that wasn't the most appropriate way to address someone, seeing how easily embarrassed he just got, to which she bit her lip. Also, wait, he knew who she was?! Now was HER turn for her cheeks to flush everso slightly, cause well, he knew her. And she was just stunned. "You do?" she finally said, slightly flabbergasted.

Also, she wondered if she should break his innocence in and let him on her secret to not be so trusting of the cookies. "It's a nice gesture, but to be honest, I never consume the food given by the Professors. It's just, my parents both attended Hogwarts and there were stories I've heard of food being poisoned or something." Yea, so she didn't trust them. "What Kitty said about the founder though, it's a skewed perception. Salazar Slytherin lived in a different time, where he was just trying to look out for his people and the future of wizarding kind. And while, it might be a bit of an extremist view, it wasn't to intentionally murder muggles. Witches and wizards were equally prosecuted at that time for having magic blood, so really, he was just protecting his kind."

And then, all of a sudden, Daisy rushed in and Skylar couldn't help but hear her speak of a portal and two girls disappearing and Skylar felt her throat closing up in worry. Who were the girls who were taken this time? And ... well Skylar just couldn't breath and looked after the two older girls as they departed from the common room and then back to Carlton. What could she do though that the older girls couldn't? Wouldn't crowding be worse? Although she was curious . . .

Okay so this curfew stuff stunk. Like really really stunk for everyone, but there was a reason for it. Natalia didn't want anyone else sucked up into this portal. Merlin, it was bad enough that three students were missing. She hoped they'd figure out a way to get out soon, but for now, she was in charge of this area. Who the heck knew where the Head Boy was hiding. She figured he got scared and ran to his bedroom.

So she decided it was time to get the snakes to have some cheering up. So with her wand out, she charmed part of the common room floor to be bouncy like a trampoline and then the other half she had asked the house elves to bring in some snacks and drinks. With her keyboard in the corner charmed to play music, she set the mood to have some fun with the snakes.

Now to get all their attention.

"HEY SNAKES PARTY IN THE COMMON ROOM!!

Junia liked to party. Or, well, she liked to sit at the top of the stairs at home when her parents had parties and she'd listen to the music and pretend she was on the arm of some very handsome, very romantic gentleman. This wasn't that type of party, of course, but the thought of home made her smile and she did need to make some Slytherin friends. She was lacking in the department save for a very select few. Hm.

Stepping onto the bouncy floor, the third year considered the feeling. Hey, this could be entertaining. Also, head girl person. She was important so she'd be getting a greeting of sorts. "This was a good idea." The party. "Less chance of being the one snatched if we're all together in a big group." Which was obviously why the head girl had organized this little get together. Not to entertain, but to provide people optimal survival probability.

PRIORITIES.

Seriously?! Someone was going to throw a party? SWEEEEEEET. Brent had been waiting all year for somebody to throw a wild one. He'd never experienced a Hogwarts party before, but he had really high expectations. He walked in to a bounce house, a spread of food, and some music going. Not a lot of people were here yet, but there was always time to get the party started!

"What's up, Junia? Nat?" he asked, walking into the room and giving both girls a grin. Things were kind of worrisome right now at the school, but he figured everybody could use a little cheering up. "The place looks good, Nat. Thanks for getting this together for us." Then, just like most other teenage boys he knew, he headed straight for the food. He was STARVING.

He decided not to mention the three missing students or the weird happenings at the school. If somebody else brought it up, he'd be all ears and chime in a thought or two, but not now.

The Gryffindors got a welcome back to Hogwarts party. The Slytherins got a 'We Are All Probably Going to Die, But Let's Ignore That.' That was actually pretty Slytherin-ish, at least it felt like it to Daisy. When the Head Girl's voice had reached her in the dorms, she had made her way downstairs as quickly as she could, just in time to hear Junia's words.

"That's probably why we have to travel in packs." She told the girls as she approached the bouncy area of the common room. Alright, that was cool. The firsties would love it. But yes, the Professors probably realised that one of them was going to get snatched -- as Junia had put it -- so they were probably trying to give them all a chance.

Of course that this could also get them ALL snatched but hey, this was no topic of conversation for a party. With an apologetical smile, the fifth year waved at the seventh year. "Hey, Head Girl Nat. This is really cool. Than-" She was going to say 'thank you' ... but then she saw the food and quicker than it should have been possible, Daisy was next to that table.

SWEET. They had food!

Grabbing a chicken leg and taking one large bite, she finally noticed that someone had the same priorities. HELLO great mind who thought alike! "Hey, I've seen you around!" This year, at least. She couldn't remember if she had seen the boy around in previous years. "I'm Daisy Carden."

Once she had yelled loud enough the snakes started coming, which Nat was grateful she didn't have to use a spell to make her voice any louder. Singing was awesome but yelling, no thank you. Slipping off her shoes and getting comfortable the seventh year started bouncing on the trampoline-like floor. Going higher and higher as she bounced Nat smiled as she saw Junia come in. "I was hoping it could help with the curfew and stuff." Plus she was glad just to see the snake after her small disappearance. She knew they had to stay in groups and stay together so Junia's next words went without saying really. "Want to bounce with me?" She could get some food too if she wanted.

"Hey Brent, Hey Daisy!" They came around the same time and both seemed super into the food. "It was nothing really. Just thought we could have some fun. If you think of anything else that could make it even better just say." She started bouncing to the beat of the music.

Ahhh Dead Kneazles just when she needed them most.

Dalton was only making his way down from the dorm to see if he could find Kelly or someone who could lend him a book. As worried as the seventh year was about those missing kids - yes, even Henry - he was hoping they got some extra credit when it came to their NEWTs. Usually, being restricted to their Common Room wouldn't have bothered him, but not being able to go to the library as and when he wanted to was providing somewhat of a struggle. He didn't really understand why they had to be accompanied everywhere by Prefects: one had already been snatched, yet they were still expected to protect everyone else?

This school made less and less sense the more time he spent here, as proven by him falling over almost immediately as solid floor gave way to trampoline.

Really? was all he could think, rolling his eyes as Nat bounced high above him.

What a time to have a party. When there were people who had been sucked into the portal and the school was on lockdown. Not morbid at all. But Olly had to admit that he was kind of glad of it. If they were going to have to stay in the common room for the foreseeable future at least they had something to do. He was bored of studying and had already painted a lot. But he wasn't really in the best mood for a party. He was grumpy. He wanted his boyfriend. He wanted his sister. He wanted his person. He did not want to be stuck in the common room.

"How do we know the portal won't appear in the common room?" From what he'd heard about the incidents so far, the portal had appeared out of nowhere and sucked people in. There hadn't been any real pattern to it. People had disappeared from all over. They didn't know where it was going to strike next. He was also skeptical about the girl - Junia's - remark. "Or since we're all in one place it will just suck us all in." He knew he should try to be more optimistic, but he couldn't help it. He was in a bad mood.

This was soooo pointless, honestly. Yes, she could understand the reason for the curfew, was to not get anymore student sucked in. But, the fact of the matter was there were THREE boys - one of whom was her ickle first year, Carlton and then there was Henry too - and well, really SOMEONE should be going to rescue them and make sure they are safe, instead of LOCKING them in here. Yes it was dangerous, but wasn't even MORE dangerous having three underage students all alone?! Why was no one concerned with rescuing them and bring them back to safety too?

Sorry, Head Girl, she kind of wasn't in any mood to party. She did, however, take a cup full of juice hoping that just maybe it would calm her anxiety. Taking a seat on the couch, she gave a haphazard smile towards Junia and Daisy and Brent. Yes, even knowing the little bit Junia had filled on her experiences, well Skylar still wanted someone to go help the underage boys.

Also, Oliver had a good point. The portal could truly appear anywhere, so if they were all in the same spot, then they might all get sucked in which be counter-intuitive to what staff and prefects were trying to prevent. However, then her plan could be put to action. "Maybe the portal will suck in a whole pack of people, cause then a whole pack could gang up and defeat what's within. Isn't there some sort of thing like power in numbers?" Or maybe she'd just been studying Arithmancy too much lately? Seriously though, there was something to said for MORE people ganging up on dangers, rather than leaving three alone; one of whom was a first year... What the heck were they training for in dueling club if not for real life practical examples?

Declan Kenning did not party.

He read. He threw bones. He hosted awful seances. He couldn't mind his own business and followed Whispers everywhere. He thought he could solve every mystery at Hogwarts.

But Declan Kenning did not party.


Declan Kenning did like food however, and so he was busy gnawing at a chicken drumstick while everyone got in the festive mood. His gnawing was anxious, and his eyes jumped from Slytherin to Slytherin in a sort of mental roll-call. Hopefully this wasn't the kind of environment that welcomed a sudden portal that would suck up the entire common room somewhere he had no idea what was like.

"We don't know," Declan voiced his opinion around the chicken bone he had picked clean. "We don't know anything, that much is obvious. The portals don't seem to have a rhyme or reason so for all we know we could be sleeping minding our own business and it could still suck us up."

Brent raised his eyebrows when a girl about his age (Daisy) just walked up to the food table and owned a turkey leg like a boss. "Food looks good, huh?" Brent asked, not really expecting an answer to that. It was just one of those awkward conversation starters someone used when they didn't really know the other person. "I'm Brent, by the way."

He thought he was doing good starting up random conversation with a girl, when the talk turned to the portal and all the weird stuff going on around the school. He took one more bite of his food then turned around to face the others. So he had come here to have some fun and forget the portal for a moment, but who could miss the current conversation going on?

He turned toward Skylar when she got all Gryffindor on them and suggested they just hop on up in the portal and attack whatever was within. He'd heard people refer to it as a monster, and he'd even been in that portal once upon a time. "...but how do we know there's just one of them in there? What if they gang up on us, too?" he asked. What was it with this school and monsters in the wall? Didn't they just clear the walls of some beast a hundred years ago or something? Was it back or something?

...also, he should step away from the wall now. He was good with the center of the room, bouncey floor and all.