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Your teeth may or may not be chattering as you walk along a pathway that is covered in a layer of freshly fallen snow. The pathway soon comes to an end beside a large stone, a subtle warning that treading any further will mean putting oneself at risk. Standing before you, in all of her glory, is the Whomping Willow. Currently the tree remains still, icicles glistening from her branches. But something about them seems a little off...
What is your next move? Dare you take a closer look?
OOC: Post in this thread for your challenge to begin. You will have until June 20th @ 11:59 PM GMT to complete this challenge. Good luck!
Although there was, to be sure, an element of ominousness to the path he followed, there was also something to be said about the nature of the first challenge back in November and what it'd left on its wake. Levi was fully confident that the organizers of the event could find numerous ways to put them all through hell--a fortunate thing for them as there were two more challenges to go outside of this one--but there were certainly some perks to having had survived a dementor. To face down something that quite literally made a living out of feasting on souls had proven to be, after some pondering, very invigorating. In the worst way possible, really, but still. And with his victory had come confidence, one which had slowly but surely wrapped itself around him on the two months that followed.
It was pretty great. That unforgiving January weather hit him the minute he left the warmth of the castle wasn't great, but that was easily dealt with an insulation charm. Henshu kept him from slipping down the pathway by adding traction to his dragon hide boots, and by the time Levi made it to where a large stone stood, the boy was left with no choice but to look around and over his shoulder. Then he faced forward and saw with both curiosity and a touch of confusion that the Whomping Willow stood before him in all its century-old glory. Which made it a baby compared to other trees, to be sure, but its history surely had to be acknowledged. It'd seen and gone through more than anyone currently at Hogwarts had, certainly, and there was a respect and status that came with that, too.
He could not be sure if it was one of those World Heritage Sites but if it wasn't, it was probably close enough to being one.
But he had no clue what any of the Whomping Willow's importance had to do with the challenge, and the boy had to fight the urge to keep his eyes from rolling heavenwards. He understood that the tightly kept details of the task were part of what made them a challenge; to see what they could do in the face of--for lack of a better way of putting it--danger. To see how good they were at improvising, how well they functioned under pressure. And it also added an air of mystery and excitement to it, too, sure. People were watching this, after all, including press; it was all part of putting on a good show and giving them something to talk about.
Levi understood all of that but that didn't keep him from growing increasingly annoyed at the complete lack of instructions and clear goal; which was evident by the way the Gryffindor huffed. He supposed torching up the tree and be done with it was always an option--a thought that made him grin despite himself--but that would be unfair. It was hardly the Willow's fault that there seemed to be an allergy to directions as far as the IMPS was concerned. Future Hogwarts students deserved to meet the tree the way he had. Which was to admire it from a safe distance, always, but he supposed that there was a first time for everything. And Levi always was up for trying everything at least once before formulating his opinions on it.
He moved from behind the stone and stood beside it, but made no further movement. Respect or not, there was a reason for the Willow's colorful name and he did not want to be at the receiving end of its preferred defense method. The boy muttered, "Locaritus," and felt the invisible armor spread over his body protectively. A temporary protection from possible Willow attacks, sure, but one that could slow him down if he lost focus, so Levi quickly countered it by casting featherlight.
There was a strange quality to the branches that wasn't missed, and the boy frowned, wondering then if this really was the Whomping Willow the same way those muggles from the first challenge really were dummies. The icicles on the branches looked problematic and gave the tree an additional level of danger that wasn't needed. sent a hot air charm to the tree in hopes of melting off the ice.
Having spent six years in Hogwarts, it did seem odd to see the Whomping Willow too still on a snowy day like today. If it is too stiff for your liking, then perhaps it would be wise not to trust the tree’s peaceful disposition.
It earned its infamous name for a reason, of which, you are most familiar with, my dear Hogwartian.
If only the tree had an ounce of gratitude, it would’ve been careful not to send bits and pieces of icicles your way. The hot air charm did its trick, setting the Whomping Willow in motion, as it fended off the warm air that tickled its branches. With a violent shake, more icicles flew in the air – a good chunk of ice hitting a cauldron nearby that was slightly covered with snow. Inside it, you will find a note:
“Well, this isn't a hat. Get on with it! Make your way to the passage beneath the tree!”
The moment you look up from the note, you will see various frozen potion ingredients in glass phials hanging from the Whomping Willow. Oooh.
Oooh. What should you do next, young man? A cauldron? Ingredients hanging from the Willow? Oh, and was that a workstation nearby?
OOC: You can decide which Potion your character will retrieve and brew.
The Whomping Willow's enthusiastic response nearly made him flinch, but Levi managed to keep himself in place as he saw icicles hit his arms, chest and shoulders. But with the invisibility armor still in place, they bounced back and shattered, landing at his feet. Though it was true that one of the smallest, sharpest bits managed to sting his bottom lip, and when the boy tentatively licked it, he tasted the warm, cooper-y flavour of blood.
It could have been worse.
Some of the chunk that landed elsewhere thumped against something nearby that drew his attention at once. Chancing a look at the tree, Levi headed over to the new discovery and noted it was cauldron. More interesting than the cauldron itself, however, was the note that lay within, which he was quick to retrieve. Levi grabbed the note with one hand and dragged the cauldron with the other, back to his previous and safe spot by the large stone.
He'd previously been asking for instructions and he'd received them, funnily enough. As dangerous as the instructions were, the note carried them and well--it still was not a dementor, so that was--fine. Finding the path beneath the Whomping Willow was not the sixth year's idea of a picnic but it was still okay. Bruises, a concussion, and broken bones were painful choices but better than a body without a soul, after all.
Levi moved to set the cauldron on a workstation nearby that he could have sworn wasn't there before but suddenly very much was. Not dwelling on it was difficult but there were more pressing matters at hand; understanding, for one, was slowly making its way to him. A cauldron, a workstation and what appeared to be potion ingredients were hanging off the tree, and it became clear to him that a potion had to be brewed. He supposed that he could easily just head straight for the passage; but disregarding what was clearly a sign for him to get to brewing would be unacceptable, and would probably cost him points.
There was a very slim chance he could get a hold of the ingredients, however, as long as the branches kept moving. Not only could they potentially be destroyed by the violent trashing, armor or not he would get caught and hurt by the branches as well. The invisible armor was only temporary and he could already feel it begin dull around his calves and lower back. Getting the Willow stop moving was the goal, but if he could ensure nothing--or no one, namely himself--could be hurt too badly if that wasn't achieved, then he'd work around it.
"Spongify," He cast at the tree's branches and fortified it by sending cushioning charms its way, too. But the only way to get the old tree to still itself was by finding the nod near its base. And it wasn't like he could just waltz in with his pretty face and carefully examine the whole base until he found what he was looking for. An invisible shield, cushioning charms and softening charms would hopefully keep fractured ribs at bay, but the violence and speed in which the branches moved would keep him from getting close.
He took a step forward, then paused. Levi supposed launching stones at the base's general direction with a levitation charm ought to eventually do the trick; but that would be time consuming and would cost him energy and focus he needed for more important matters. In fact, so long as the tree wasn't fast with its thumping, he could probably zig zag his way to its base and work as fast as he could to find the small nod.
So.
The softening and cushioned charms hopefully had worked, but the tree still needed to be slowed down and he needed to be fast. It was a gamble, sure, and he fully expected to be knocked down on his backside even if it worked, but as long as it wasn't anything brutal or that would incapacitate him--
He pointed his wand at the tree and declared, "Arresto momentum."
Spongify, Cushioning Charm, Arresto Momentum? Clever move, dear Hogwartian. You know your Whomping Willow, but the charms aren’t enough for it to fully slow down. The tree has no means to defend itself from the spells thrown at it, however, you can be sure that it can do more damage than you imagine if provoked further. The spells did its thing, but again, it wasn’t enough to stop the Whomping Willow from being violent. A quarter of it were in slow motion, but the rest was in full swing.
THWACK!
And there goes a good amount of smashed phials on the ground. The tree did not like being attacked...or tickled, or have a part of it slowed down and cushiony. Slow-moving or not, you must start summoning your ingredients and start brewing before all of it become useless for potion-making.
Unless you have another clever idea in mind to get past the Willow?
The tree didn't slow down as he'd initially desired, of course, but it was something. Some vials had shattered but there were a good portion of them in the area that moved in slow motion. Focusing on the positives was important. Cushioning and softening charms or not, it would be best to clear off the tree's way, and Levi's retreat was quick. If stopping the tree altogether wasn't a possibility just yet, then it was time to brew--a considerably more relaxing activity than thinking of ways to bypass a sentient school relic.
Levi got behind the work station, craned his neck to one side and then the other, slowly, and summoned several vials from the area of the Willow that moved as if struggling against molasses. Potions was the type of magic that required precision and concentration; and his penchant for hyper-focusing was the reason why he excelled at it. He scourgified the workstation, the cauldron and his own gloved hands. With only a slight pinch of concern, Levi watched the vials untangle themselves from the branches, flying directly at the table. He cast a cushioning charm over the work station, quickly, to keep more vials from shattering on impact. Only one containing what appeared to be frozen ashwinder eggs did, a line of breakage appearing on the side, and the boy cast a quick reparo before setting it aside.
A dubious glance was sent at the potions tools that had come with the work station, and the boy sent them to levitate to the side before summoning his own. There was absolutely nothing wrong with school-provided kits, but Levi always felt more at ease with his own. He manually sharpened the blades, cleaned the entirety of his kit regularly and in truth, it felt a lot like the Irish scissors were his lucky charm. Cuts were just never as precise as they were when he used his own blades, really. While he waited for his kit to arrive, the boy examined the ingredients and went over in his head the potions he could brew with them, one that could be time-effective and useful. A pomegranate rolled over the table just then, and the boy stopped it right before it knocked over a vial of shrivelfig juice. He passed the fruit from hand to the other, as if juggling, smiled when he noted case of glitter had made its way to the table, too. Levi supposed that the invisibility potion from Professor Canterbury's class early on in the term could be a possibility; but it was unlikely that invisibility would fool the Whomping Willow or would prove to be beneficial to this particular task. He looked down at the pomegranate and made his decision.
He was not a violent person; he preferred to use his mind over his fists or and his wand. Despite the general assumption that Gryffindors were simply stupidly brave, impulsive, hot-headed, quick to anger individuals, Gryffindors could also think and calculate and scheme like the best of them. It was the beauty of being human, really; people were just not one thing or another. The complexity of mankind was the ability to possess many qualities, both positive and negative and even those lay somewhere in between. It kept life from being boring, it made people human. And this Gryffindor was very much a human about to exercise a healthy dose of calculation and scheming with a slight dash of some signature Gryffindor bravery.
Levi caught the potions kit deftly with one hand when it came flying down from the castle, and set down the pomegranate. The boy scourgified his kit, just for good measure, before slicing down in the dragon heart and adding slice on top of slice to the scale until the two kilograms were acquired. He turned on the heat and used aguamenti on the measuring cups then poured the two liters inside the cauldron. Levi reached for the unicorn hair, and used his tweezers to add them one by one before turning the heat to high. "Wingardium Leviosa," He whispered at the dragon heart he'd sliced and levitated the exact two kilograms right into the cauldron.
As he waited for the concoction to boil as needed, the sixth year used the phials of re'em blood and tilted them in the measuring cup until it filled to the line that marked the one cup measurement. Noting that the concoction had reached what appeared to be its boiling point, Levi added in the pomegranate and turned the heater down to medium. He had approximately five minutes before the blood needed to be added, so he took out his pocket watch and set the timer. The boy looked for a bowl and let the re'em blood to stream into it; then he added the needed salamander's blood to it. He stirred them in together five times clockwise and five times counter-clockwise. Levi uncapped a vial with two griffin claws; he took one, set the remaining one aside, and began to crush the claw with pestle and mortar.
The timer went off at the five minute mark, and the boy slowly poured in the blood mixture. When the last drop was inside the cauldron, he quickly set down the bowl and added the powdered griffin claw. He set the timer again, this time for ten minutes, and began to clean up the station as he considered his next move. Only the snake fangs were left and after that--what? Drink the potion, he supposed. Then figure out a way that wasn't quite so primitive to get through the Willow. Though he had the sinking feeling that in the end, he would have to come to blows with the tree, so provided the potion worked as needed, he'd at least be ready for it.
Levi cleaned the measuring cups and his potions kit with his wand and slid everything back into the onyx vinyl case his parents had gotten him two Christmas prior. He tapped it with his wand and minimized it enough for it to fit inside one of his pockets, then tucked it in at the same time the timer went off. The sixth year added in one snake fang, put the fire out, then added the other one before stirring the bright yellow concoction one time, counter-clockwise. And after pocketing his watch, he was all done.
The Strength Potion didn't look particularly appealing to drink but he had very little choice in the matter. The bright yellow color reminded him of raw eggs, a fact the boy thought unfortunate, as he streamed some of it into the cup. He eyed it, the distaste on his face clear, and drank the hot liquid in one go. It burnt as it went down, and he shut his eyes as the metal taste of it clung inside. Levi took the after-taste as a good sign, and flicked his wand lazily on the workstation to make room for himself. He sat down, blinking rapidly, and waited, looking at the Willow through narrowed eyes. A few minutes to let the efficacy of the strength potion to settle in were needed, and he intended to use them to plan.
Despite the spells and charms casted towards the Willow from earlier, the tree began to creak as it slowly regained its natural movement, as if to test if its branches are a-okay. One by one, the ingredients started to fly out from its branches, making the Willow unusually steady this time. It was clear that it did not like the sensation of plucking.
It was a good thing that you have decided to brew your potion of choice, young Hogwartian!
Now that you’ve downed it one go, perhaps you should put it to the test?
CREAK CREAK FLICK!
The Whomping Willow is ready for you now, young man.
Levi felt no different than he had before drinking the concoction but he knew potions enough to know that meant very little. The tree was shaking off whatever remains there were from his previous charms, and with some trepidation, the boy stood up, a few minutes after drinking the potion. He stored the remains of the strength potion on vials that he would hopefully be able to come back for, later, and looked at the tree.
If he was being honest, it was a little daunting. The strength potion gave him the ability to lift up a ton without any problems, but that didn't change the fact that it was the Whomping Willow. Aptly named and with a reputation to carry him through for over a century; equal parts hated, feared and venerated. He flicked out his wand, reinforcing locaritus where it'd dulled or disappeared (mostly everywhere but in his head, strangely enough). Then he applied featherlight again, to counter the effects of an invisible armor slowing him down. The large stone he'd stood next to upon arrival? He summoned it and let it land next to him, and Levi shot the restless tree a look before walking around the stone, once.
"Engorgio," He muttered at the stone until it stood as tall as Levi's own five feet with eleven inches. Then he cast spongify on the side of the stone that'd be in near contact with his body. Levi used mobiliarbus on the stone, making it levitate next to him, and tested it. He flicked it to one side, then the other, and stopped it on his right. Using a large stone as a shield wasn't ideal, but the Willow had branches everywhere, and he could not possibly protect every single part of him with his wand only. And there were so many charms he could cast on himself before one started to conflict with another and it call just came crashing down around him.
His walk to the tree was simultaneously the shortest and the longest of his nearly seventeen year old life. Aresto momentum had only worked in one portion of the tree, and he felt now that it was possibly because he'd been too ambitious by trying to stop it completely. So, Levi cast it again, this time directing all his focus of Aresto momentum at the left side of the tree. At which point he lowered his wand and started running towards the base.
The closer he got the louder the creaking of the branches became, and when a branch swatted at the stone flanking him to the right, it collided with his side and he lost his footing. Levi scrambled up in time to catch a particularly thick one from flicking him across his other side. He sent the branch flying elsewhere; it didn't hit him just then the amount of strength he'd just used until he was already running again, zig zagging through the tree's violent's attacks.
Levi started laughing, either the result of adrenaline or something else entirely. Skidding towards the left area where he'd cast his first spell, the boy shouted, "Impedimenta!" at the right area of the willow before continuing to trudge on.
If only the Whomping Willow could hear the laughter, it would’ve responded in kind by giving the young man a loud roar of disgust. Instead, it flicked the boy off to the side with its stone armour, and a good branch slam a few inches away from the fallen figure only to be swatted away. Enraged, the same branch backed away to give the boy a final sweep to knock him out completely, but strangely, the quick sweeping motion turned into a slow one.
Sensing with its roots, the Whomping Willow could feel the intruder’s presence zig-zagging his way to the other side. With it’s cursed branch still moving slowly, the right branch quickly backed away and curled up, missing the immobilising spell. The Whomping Willow slammed its mobile branch on the ground crushing all the remaining potion ingredients it held, ready to sweep the boy off of his feet and into the distance.
Surely, you have the strength to stop this incoming attack, but if you’ve been paying attention, you just might see a dark hole at the base of the infamous tree, and the knot right above it.
As a Hogwartian, you definitely know what to do...right?
A particularly mean looking branch was coming his way and there were two things he could do:
Meet it head first and grab it between his hands to really give the stands something to talk about, or--
Take the opening that presented itself and head for the knot.
It shouldn't have even been something he needed go give any thought at all, yet the nagging thought was there; and Levi would doubtlessly blame the precious wasted time on the reckless side of being a Gryffindor, later. He sent purple and red sparkles with his wand to the opposite area where he was, as if to distract the relentless branch, and then sprinted for the knot. Levi kept the stone he used for shield close and when he reached the base, he pressed down on the knot with both of his hands. He slipped inside and down the tunnel, and thought he heard the branch brutally slam away his former shield.
Sparks? If only it had eyes...perhaps it would’ve been effective...nevertheless, the Whomping Willow was distracted enough with its slow-motion branch that instead of sweeping the boy, it was able to scoop up the stone shield he carried.
The Gryffindor was successful in depressing the right knot, and instantly, the Whomping Willow ceased to be violent.
In fact, the sound you heard was your stone shield crashing right into the Whomping Willow, breaking a few, centuries-old twigs. Oops?
You can always explain things to Professor Myers, but for now, you must move on to your next challenge. As you go deeper into the tunnel, you notice that it was harder to see the path, making it a challenge to navigate. However, you must pursue this tunnel and see what’s in store for you at the very end.
It was a steep way down and Levi did not go about it gracefully; the last few steps were particularly rough. Somewhere along tumbling down the stairs, the sixth year lost the invisible shield, and something warm trickled down his chin. Standing up took a moment and some effort, and he allowed himself to courtesy to groan. Dark as it was, it was difficult to spot if bruises were somehow appearing faster than humanly possible, but it felt like it did. His tongue darted out, licked his bottom lip and the boy tasted blood again; no doubt the scratch from before had turned into a full blown split lip by now.
Blindly, he reached for his wand and pointed it what he hoped was his face. He thought of tissue coming together to seal and heal, and muttered, "Episkey." Whatever pain there was began to dull and Levi didn't think it would be incorrect to assume that the spell had been successful.
Lumos was cast afterwards to light the way, and the walk to what he could only assume was the Shrieking Shack felt quite eternal. There was no point on imagining what he was supposed to find in the ancient structure other than mots and dusts and maybe even a boggart or two. Neither of which were particularly exciting options, to be sure, but all were easily dealt with. Or perhaps that was it; perhaps finding the Shrieking Shack signalized the end of the second task and inside there'd be a Ministry official with a portkey to instruct him to use to get to the stands.
Surely dreaming was not a sin.
But the end of the tunnel was near and Levi could see what appeared to be a door. For whatever reason, his heartbeat sped up and he reminded the traitorous organ that after a dementor and a murderous tree, anything else would be as easy as stealing a cauldron cake from a toddler. Not that he would or had any experience on the matter, but.
Well. If he was sufficiently hungry and left with no other choice, he probably would still half of it.
Anyway.
Instinctively, he looked over his shoulder and pointed his wand at the darkness he was leaving behind. That he couldn't see anything was irrelevant; a Ministry official had fooled him with an impressive disillusionment charm for the first task. But there was some comfort to be found here, at least--for one, he didn't feel like he was being followed or watched.
With his empty hand, he grasped the ancient door knob and pushed, hoping it would open, revealing what waited for him inside.
Sure, the walk towards the end of the tunnel felt like eternity. If you’re well-versed with your History of Magic, you would know exactly why. The long walk however shouldn’t be taken for granted. Although you could still walk, it was an opportunity likewise to gather your remaining energy for the next task.
As you reach the end, you open the door before you and within it is a flight of stairs that will lead you up to a trapdoor. And as you make your way upwards, you push the door above you, and find yourself in the historic Shrieking Shack. The floor is literally covered in dust, the place didn’t smell pleasant at all, walls were deteriorated, and the windows were boarded up. The place was dimly lit however, but it would be wise to keep the light in your wand on.
You welcome yourself and notice an artefact that looked new. On top of the dining table was an elegant scroll.
Remember: things are not always as they seem,
And with odd trinkets this shack does teem.
In the time remaining, you must find your way
And locate two items that have gone astray;
One is held dear to our pigletted friends.
It can’t build a home, but a house it does amend
To every boy and girl cherished at the castle,
But you won’t find it without much hassle.
You’re looking for a lever that unlocks a door,
But to find the item you might need a particular score.
Try them all, and you will see. Something is off.
Dust covers this place like an infernal cough.
Now, our next item is from across the seas.
It can attach and reattach as you please.
It doesn’t write; it surely isn’t a quill,
And it’s small in size as well as beautiful.
Twist clockwise and nothing you’ll get,
But counter that, and you might regret
The noxious gas that fills your space
If you turn it too quickly, wood it would deface.
Good luck, champions. Find them both here.
Look with your eyes, hear with your ears.
Search up and down, and then high and low,
But don’t be too hasty or too slow.
OOC: Here is a floor plan provided OOC to make it easier to RP your character exploring the shack. Feel free to be as creative as possible.
Well, it was worth of a try. At the very least he'd done what Hirsch always suggested--the whole constant vigilance thing and whatnot.
The inside of the Shrieking Shack the exact sort of thing one would expect from a place that had withstood over a century of what appeared to be total neglect. Despite the evidently boarded windows, the place was somehow lit, however dimly; but it was enough to see dust caked over the floor and particles of it hanging in the air, thickly. Levi's sneeze was a direct response to it and he cast a bubble-head charm, effectively protecting his airways from any more dust.
He probably looked ridiculous but that was secondary just then. The walls had seen better days and he thought it a miracle that the furniture remained, somewhat, in one piece. What was surprising was that, among the dust and ruins, one thing stood out the most, and Levi automatically headed over to the table and inspected it. It was a scroll, and the message it carried made the boy's eyebrows raise in interest.
It was the fancy, slightly pretentious prose he'd attribute to Ravenclaws. The sort of thing that, probably, Ravenclaws were used to in order to get to their common room; or so was his understanding, given what Azura Snow had told him, once. The first riddle was easy enough, maybe; he was supposed to be looking for a key. The second one was puzzling, however, and the first thing that came to mind was, strangely enough, a burner. Fire sprouted out of those and fire could consume wood and fast. Burners were also small enough, too, though the beautiful part was debatable.
Levi focused on the first riddle, however, and went putting about the place. The dining table itself was the kind of display that would have made his mother gag; he had half the mind to vanish all the rotten food, but he was in the business of solving riddles now, and anything could be be a clue. Thankful as he was that the bubble-head charm kept him from smelling the rot, the boy nevertheless looked at in this disdain before heading for the kitchen.
Rust covered the sink and a quick examination with the lit tip of his wand didn't show him anything of interest. The stove was evidently defunct, grease and dust and rust all over; he placed one of his hands to its side and tried moving it, as if it were to reveal some kind of passageway. But it was pointless; it was hard to believe that a key would be hidden inside a stove. And though the second riddle nagged at him, Levi muttered a small--and distorted because of the charm, really--"I'll be back soon," before heading off to the living room.
Once upon a time it may have been an acceptable place to lounge around, but much like the kitchen, age, disuse and neglect marked the sofas. Moths had feasted and possibly through parties all over, and the fireplace looked like it hadn't been used in decades--which was probably true, come to think of it--and though Levi poked around and kicked at a carpet, no key was to be found. He went for the scroll again and re-read the first riddle, trying to make sense out of the rhymes and find the clues hidden within.
The boy took it with him upstairs, where the second floor waited, and just as he had before, he cast homenum revelio though yet again it seemed like no one else was in the room with him. Moths and bedbugs seemed to have taken room in the furniture there, too, and Levi used his wand to continue to light the way. There was what appeared to be the remains of a study area, and a piano, and yet another fireplace. He supposed that if all else failed he could always attempt a summoning charm, though he liked to think the people organizing this task would have been smarter than that. Surely charms had been placed to prevent summoning charms from working.
He continued to go around the place, squatting down and sliding his empty hands over flat surface. Dust stuck to his palms and when Levi reached the piano, the corners of his mouth tugged down. His had been an idyllic childhood, and the majority of his unhappy memories were tied to his mother's unsuccessful attempts to help him develop a musical ear. His mother's preferred instrument for him had been the violin, but after Levi had 'accidentally' dropped him down a flight of stairs, she'd switched him to piano. Yet another failed attempt, of course; he had learned to read music just fine, but the translation from his mind to the stroke of his fingers over the keys hadn't been a smooth one. Ultimately, he'd somehow convinced both of his parents to let him ditch music altogether and he was promptly enrolled in fencing. That had been significantly more enjoyable, though no less painful.
Some of the keys in the dust covered, old piano were missing, and a regretful smile tugged at the corners of his full mouth and one of his fingers slid down and sunk into the keys. It was less music and more of a groan and Levi laughed. Then, abruptly, stopped.
...Maybe it wasn't an actual key what he was looking for. Sitting down and disregarding the dust that spread over the stool, Levi tentatively sank his index finger in yet another key. Maybe it was just a different kind of key, maybe it was several of them, and together they could compose a score...? Tilting his head to one side, Levi wiggled his fingers over the piano and sank them down one by one over the keys.
Dust flew everywhere as you explore the Shack, and to use a bubble-head charm was a fantastic idea to keep the sneezing at bay. Keep it on, for it seems that you will be spending a good amount of time in here. Or maybe not?
The temperature within the shack was a comfortable one, but as you approach the stove you felt a little bit warmer. Maybe it was from disturbing the stove to see if it had a passageway behind it? Nevertheless, the sound of metal grating against wood echoed around the shack, and the slightest movement caused some of its parts to loosen. You are right about one thing though, you will have to come back for it later.
Moving on to the second floor, the state wasn’t that different from the floor below you. It used to be a habitable one, maybe even stately at some point but now it was left to collect dust, moths...and rats the size of cats. The only mobile residents of the shack went for their holes as you hit one of the piano keys. As expected, the sound was horrible. But maybe...maybe it isn’t so bad after all because again, the extra warmth you felt earlier was back.
You are close, Hogwartian. So very close.
And as you tickle the ivory keys, Ding...clang...blong...pffff, said the piano strings as the hammers make contact. Perhaps at this point, you can thank your mother for at least attempting to make you play the piano. Musically trained or not, you just know that the last key didn’t sound right...even if the whole piano was out of tune.
Ding...clang...blong...pfff.
Curious...hmm. Try the keys again...explore this item if you must. And while you’re at it, why don’t you give the riddle another go?
Musical ear or not, Levi could indeed identify when something was off.
And he wasn't imagining the fact that it felt warmer than before, right?
His heartbeat sped up and holding his wand with lumos on it over the keys, he used his empty hand again to stroke across the keyboards. There was nothing particularly beautiful about the way the piano sounded; it was horribly out of tune and the sounds resembled groans more than anything else.
But one stood out the most, almost like it was--releasing air? Or like it didn't belong there at all. It was hard to tell, but it was irregular in a way that the rest of the old keys were not. Levi pressed down on it with his index finger, several times, careful not to overdo it; after all, his strength potion was supposed to last him for half a day and it hadn't even been an hour.
The sixth year leaned in close. The scroll had mentioned a lever, had it not? A lever to open a door, specifically. Quirking one of his eyebrows, Levi used his thumb and index finger and pulled, trying to lift the last key.
Ah. Perhaps, you should’ve listened to your mother after all. Being familiar with the piano would have benefited you greatly. Pfff...pfff...pfff went the piano string as it got hit by the hammer once more. Was it...a muffled sound?
As you try to lift the ivory key off the board, you’d notice that it wasn’t loose enough to snap off. Oh dear, you wouldn’t want to destroy an artefact, really. That wouldn’t look good, on top of what your stone shield did to the Whomping Willow.
How about we take a look at the riddle again, my dear.
You’re looking for a lever that unlocks a door,
But to find the item you might need a particular score.
Try them all, and you will see. Something is off.
Dust covers this place like an infernal cough.
You’ve tried the keys, and you knew that something was off. If you were in the shoes of a muggle piano tuner however...what would you do first to figure out this off-key problem?
Levi gave the key a harsher tug before giving up, frustration beginning to settle in. He stood up, the stool making a horrible noise against the wooden floor, and began to pace around the piano. There was a chance he was wrong about focusing on the musical instrument but too much about the first riddle pointed towards it; the key, the score, the dust that covered it. Not that dust didn't cover every other surface of the room, but it was certainly stark against the lid of the piano.
Chewing on his bottom lip, he slid a finger over the surface of the lid.
He opened it, probably not nearly as carefully as he should have, but open he did. What he saw inside meant little; strings and the hammers which looked nothing like the tool muggles used, but whatever. Levi used his wand to illuminate inside, unclear on what he was looking for. There had been a peculiar muffled sound to the way that one key had sounded every time he hit it.
So. Maybe it wouldn't be crazy if something was stuck there, somehow.
Presumably, this was where the riddle came in handy.
Cherished by everyone in the castle. Can't build a home but can amend a house. And didn't it also say that it one had to go through some sort of hassle to find it? His trip to Ollivander's the summer before his first year could certainly qualify as a hassle; it had taken over an hour for his wand to find him.
Levi leaned in, fingers tracing down the strings, the tip of his wand trying to get light in every corner of the insides of the grand piano.
And wands could also open doors.
When his spoke, the bubble-head charm made his words somewhat distorted. "So it's either a wand stuck in here or..." ...What? It fit all the clues. Except there was something curious about the way they seemed to circle back to houses. Can't build a home but can amend a house--and then there were the piglets and their house. House not home. And all the dust--maybe it meant more than just a mere description of the neglected shack? Maybe dust represented something else; like age or... old? Ancient.
House. Cherished. Ancient.
"...The... sorting... hat?"
He liked the wand theory better, however.
The sixth year blinked, touched the irregular key again and saw its respective hammer strike the string. Frowning, Levi lowered his empty gloved hand inside the grand piano. He reached for the string, hoping to feel for whatever it was that could be keeping the key from sounding as it was supposed to.
Hammers...coiled and rusty strings...and a family of rats jumping out of its temporary home? Don’t freak out now Hogwartian, because you’re looking in the right place!
Now that that has been cleared out of its inhabitants, you push the lid further, putting it in place by using the lid prop, you reach out with your other hand to strike that weird key...and puffff, it goes.
Feeling the affected string with your fingers, the rusty texture then turned into something soft, like cloth. The warmth you felt became more intense as you pull the artefact out, and realised that your second guess had been right.
A house it does amend; The Hogwarts’ Ancient Sorting Hat.
Well done, Gryffindor.
Dust it off, and keep it with you. It’s time to unfurl the scroll once more and read the riddle.
The second item should be easier to find...and figure out.
Having no love for rodents, the family of rats made him jump back. His verbal response to it was low and relatively colorful, the kind that would have made his mother have a few choice of words either with him or at him. When he stuck his hand back inside the piano, something under his fingers became soft, almost like cloth. Or perhaps exactly like a cloth. He used the lit point of his wand for illumination and his heart's beat sped up, again.
The warmth from before was potent this time, and his fingers wiggled twice over the object before they hooked themselves to it and pulled. The Sorting Hat in all its ancient glory slid off the insides of the grand piano, easily, and the Gryffindor boy laughed. Whether or not it was relief, surprise happiness, nerves or all of the above was another matter entirely. Something to ponder on, later, when he didn't have a deadline breathing down his neck.
That the bubble-head charm distorted his words didn't occur to him, not that it would have mattered. The Sorting Hat could read minds. "Mate." He closed the lid of the piano and rested his wand atop of it. "Sir." That sounded better, maybe. Levi used his hands to dust off the hand a little, then rubbed it against his chest for more coverage. "If I were you I'd be a tad offended about this."
The Sorting Hat. Shoved inside a dust covered piano--one that had housed rats.
It was a strange state of being, surely. To think, to reason, to decide, to remember. Yet still a piece of ancient cloth. Never given the option to do anything but what you were created to do.
Levi shook his head. Now was not the time for that.
"Sorry, but," He said, putting on the hat on for the first time since it had sorted him into Gryffindor, "I'm in the middle of some riddle solving business, here. Ravenclaw stuff, y'know. And there are no Ravenclaws in this competition anymore." Levi unfurled the the scroll and went over the second riddle again, eyes lingering on every line, trying to verify if his previous guess about the stove had been correct. "I s'ppose that makes sense, sort of." He furled the parchment and grabbed his wand, sounding a little distracted. Chewing on his bottom lip, he walked to the stairs and started heading back to the first floor. "They do solve riddles every day, right? To get to their common room." It wasn't a question and his next statement confirmed why. "Azura Snow told me that. That's a lot of practice. So, this would have been easy for them. And a bit unfair to the rest of us, maybe."
Going down the stairs, Levi recalled the warmth when he'd approached it, not exactly dissimilar to the one he'd felt upon approaching the grand piano. When he reached the kitchen area again, Levi paused in front of the stove and considered the scroll again. Stoves could produce fire, sure, but only if it was lit first. And it usually came out of the burner and said fire could and would ruin wood. Or deface it, to borrow from their own vocabulary.
Levi looked down at the ancient appliance, covered in grease and rust and dust. Unconsciously, he'd begun to frown. The problem here was that though he was fairly certain whatever it was he was meant to be looking for was in the stove, he had no clue what it was, exactly. It came from across the sea, and it could reattach. It was beautiful and small in size, and... what?
He scratched a side of his head.
The first riddle had been about Hogwarts. A modicum knowledge about history and passable deduction skills had been required. He supposed, too, that the riddles didn't have to be connected in any way, but it would be hardly fair, surely, that Hogwarts competitors would have the knowledge of their own school to their advantage while the Ilvermorny ones did not. It stood to reason then, perhaps, that whatever item it was that came from across the seas originated from--if not Ilvermorny itself--the United States.
The Gryffindor boy stared down at the stove, mildly irritated at his inability to figure out what the object was. What beautiful thing could have possibly come from Ilvermorny that was beautiful? Okay, that was a factually incorrect way of phrasing it; plenty of beautiful had come from Ilvermorny. He'd seen said beautiful in different shapes and forms prance around the halls and the library and the great hall and the grounds. He'd spoken to some of them and they'd smiled at him and he'd smiled at them in return. All perfectly innocent, of course; Levi did have a Daisy. But just because he had a girlfriend didn't mean his eyes had suddenly stopped working. He could see.
So. Plenty of beautiful from Ilvermorny. Just not the sort of beautiful that could be hidden inside a stove, surely.
With his free hand, he moved all the burners counterclockwise and did the same with the stove knobs. That he was unable to figure out the object behind the riddle didn't mean he couldn't find it. The naming part could come in later, when he had in between his hands.
After all the sorting it had done for the past century, it could really use some downtime-- rats or no rats. Do not worry, concerned Gryffindor. No damage has been done to our beloved hat.
“Who’s there?!” said the Sorting Hat as it made contact to your head. “Oh...oh. I remember you. Greetings, Levi Kenning.” it continued as it adjusted itself on your head trying to get a good angle to read your thoughts further. “I wouldn’t know, Gryffindor. I do not have legs or eyes to see what Ravenclaws do. All I know is that they have a clever mind, and has a deeper understanding of life channeled through their various skills and talents. Riddles would simply be child’s play to them, correct. Something to tickle their clever minds on a daily basis to keep their waking hours...interesting.” Did that answer your indirect question, Gryffindor? Perhaps not. “I’m afraid I cannot help you directly with your riddle, Levi Kenning.” There. Perhaps that will clarify a few things. “You may not be in Ravenclaw, but that does not give you an excuse to doubt yourself.” the hat continued.
If you could only see the Sorting Hat right now, you certainly would be annoyed at how smug it looked. It was proud of itself for placing you in the right House. “Patience, child.” its voice seeping in your thoughts. “And do not get yourself distracted.”
Look with your eyes, hear with your ears. You have seen the people from across the sea, yes, but have you been paying attention to their uniforms aside from their lovely faces? On top of your head is the Sorting Hat. What could possibly be attached and reattached that might be equally important to your American friends?
Careful now with the knobs. Look with your eyes, Gryffindor.
Ilvermorny? Can be attached and reattached as they please?
It was easy to forget that there was a sentient hat resting on your head when you were too busy trying to figure out a riddle that appeared to be impossible. But it was very easy to remember once it started moving as if to get comfortable and talking. Or thinking back at you--same difference, in the Sorting Hat's case. That it remembered him made something like warmth twinge inside his chest. This would be something Levi would be hard pressed to admit to anyone, but it wasn't like he needed to; it was The Sorting Hat. Reading minds and whatnot sort of took care of that.
He began pacing about the kitchen, writing down the riddle in the air using his wand. "I'm a teenager," He said, candidly, "I thought self doubt and adolescence were a package deal."
Though the Hat was right, of course. That he was momentarily stumped with the riddle was cause for not only irritation, but also doubt. Levi prided himself for preferring the mental sort of dilemmas over the physical ones; his inability to solve this one was a direct hit to his ego and one he had not expected.
Balling up his empty hand into a fist, he rubbed it against his chest.
"I'm right for thinking that the second riddle is about something related to Ilvermorny, right?" Levi leaned against the defunct sink, unconcerned with the rust and dust and general decay that clung to it as it did to the rest of the shack. "Don't answer that, I do not think I want people saying I had help from you--not that you were going to, of course." Obviously. Mostly, he was using the presence of the Hat to bounce off ideas. The same way he would with his siblings, though his siblings would likely be more helpful. "The person who wrote the riddles--it's a story, kind of, I think. And if it's a story then there's a--uh, narrative. Obviously." Levi flicked his wand lazily at the letters hanging in the air, highlighted across the seas, small, beautiful and reattach. "There has to be a connection between the two. A similarity? Some sort of... bridge... like... like..."
Though his mouth continued to move, no sound came out at all. Levi remained still, and despite keeping his wand directed at the words, they began to vanish as he lost focus. He blinked, several times, tucking his tongue behind a molar and looked back at the stove. "Say, Ilvermorny has four houses, like we do. Thunderbird, Wampus, Horned Serpent and Puckwudgie." Levi had not meant to whisper, but anticipation and nerves had made him drop his voice. He walked back to the stove, and one by one turned the knobs clockwise, returning them to their original state. "That means there's sorting and for the sorting... they use..." He began turning turning them counterclockwise, slowly, his heart slamming against his chest. He swallowed. "They stand on that... ornament, right? The..." ...it was Greek, thing. Alexander the Great? "It's a clip. They use it on their robes. I suppose you can say it can attach and reattach them."
When he reached the last knob, he pulled his hand back, almost hastily. Then with his index and thumb, he turned it counterclockwise. "A brooch. It's the brooch and they all have it. It's small, it's pretty." Levi paused, then flashed all of his teeth and dimples as he grinned. "The Gordian Knot."
Busy with your riddle, the Sorting Hat remained silent until your remark about adolesence was brought up. “It’s the same excuse for centuries, Gryffindor. It too, shall pass. Hopefully.” Aside from sorting young witches and wizards, it has been used by Headmasters and Headmistresses from centuries ago to the present, to seek the wisdom that has been passed on to it by the Founders. It can tell that most of the students it had sorted turned out to be successful individuals. They wouldn’t be helming a school as famous as Hogwarts for nothing.
“You need to trust yourself more, Levi Kenning. Do not be afraid to try.” The Sorting Hat knew why it had put him to the house of the brave. Although the young man could easily pass in Ravenclaw, the hat knew that he’d do greater things if his adventurous streak would be developed with the right peers under the banner of red and gold. The Sorting Hat simply chuckled...as if...it saw a glimpse of the Gryffindor’s future.
“Interesting…”
You turn all the knobs, and with the right thought, the middle knob started to glow. Without a doubt, you solved the riddle.
You pull out the middle knob and behind it is the golden brooch that belonged to Isolde Sayre’s mother; The Gordian Knot. You reach out for it, and as it sensed your presence, it flew right into your hand. The warmth you felt doubled, and as you wrap your fingers around the brooch, you feel an invisible hook lift you off the ground.
You see a blinding white light before you, and by instinct you shield your face with your arms and close your eyes.
Take a deep breath, we’re taking you back to your friends.
***
Moments later, you find yourself in a white room, lying on a bed. The whole challenge had been a powerful modified daydream. A few moments after you wake up, a ministry official walks up to your bed and greets you. After checking that you are okay to go, he gestures you towards a door and instructs you to head for the Viewing Area to get your score.
Well done, Levi Kenning. Welcome back to reality.
OOC: Please post your character waking up, and post him at the Viewing Thread for the announcement of scores.
The excitement and relief didn't last long. Levi had opened his mouth, ready to engage in some sort of either celebration or debate with the ancient hat when something tugged at him, and he was blinded by white light. His response to it was an instinct, shield his face with both wand and hand instead of bracing for a fight; something he figured he'd mentally chastise himself for, later.
But later never happened.
He came two in a white room and found himself facing a stranger.
"I--"
He had some questions. None of which would probably be answered by this person, but. Though daze and overwhelmed, it was evident on the set of his jaw and frown tugging between his brows.
"Never mind. Thanks." He tried not to sound too curt before stumbling out of the room, but. Well. The important thing was that he'd tried.
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IMPS Challenge #2 :: Levi Kenning 
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