When Victoria first walked by the bouncy castle, she thought she was literally seeing Hogwarts for the first time in the middle of Diagon Alley. Again, she is clearly not a Ravenclaw.

As she got closer, however, she was struck with the realization that this could not possibly be Hogwarts. Hogwarts had to be like, waaaaaaaaay bigger, right? And why would people be taking off their shoes to go inside?

With a laugh at her own silliness, Tori bounced up to the bouncy castle and kicked off her own sneaks. OMG this was going to be SO MUCH FUN! She jumped inside the castle and started bouncing toward the Great Hall.

Or at least, she assumed that's what the room with the giant ceiling was.

Proceeding with caution: usually a very good plan.

With a sigh, Sabel followed Morrigan to the entrance. It might be awesome, but he was absolutely certain that it would be weird. Hogwarts didn't bounce. Pillars and walls occasionally blew up or fell down. But it never bounced. Weird indeed.

Without really waiting for him, Morrigan charged into the castle and launched herself into the air. She tucked her feet up as she went and held them, landing cannon-ball style before being bounced airborne again by the rubber.

"I would never have skipped class if my school were like this!" True say. And it wasn't like her teachers from across the ocean were here to hear that she hadn't been sick, after all.

"I know, right?!" Yes! Finally, someone actually agreed that she was cool. For some reason, others usually began listing off the reasons why she wasn't. They were mean people indeed. LOL WAT. He was agreeing to taking her potion. Paulie Foster needed to start learning the ways of Ainsley Piper, so that he could tell when she was kidding! "It gives ya bad eyesight, obviously, and I think it makes ya smarter." She tapped her head, insinuating that she had actually gained a few brain cells from it. Muahah.

Ainsley laughed a bit more audibly as opposed to her previous little giggle fits. Looks like someone was proud of their hardcore name.

Whiplash, yeahhh, sure. Ainsley sat, still holding her head, and frowning slightly as Paulie went through his babbling explanation of concussion. Something told her that he didn't have a clue. "Right, right. You know what, I'm sure I'll be fine." She grabbed hold of Paulie to pull herself back on her feet. A bit forward for a first meeting but she wasn't particularly bothered. "Let's go bouncing. Maybe it will make my head feel better." Orrrrrrrrr 10 times worse....

Giiiiiiiiiigggle......
"Had ya fooled, though, didn't I?" She really was amazing at the whole lying/playing tricks on people thing. Perhaps that should be her new specialty at Hogwarts. A form of entertainment for herself.

"26? That's not old at all. Nowdays, it seems like even 50 is young." Alex grinned. Ah, she was right. He was just four years older than her. She responded to his question with a small smirk. She was going to turn 22 in a couple of weeks but hey, it wouldn't hurt to tease him a little. "Of course, I don't mind you asking. I'm 30." Alex said, with a straight face. She managed to keep the grin off her face. She wasn't sure if he would actually believe her..but yeah. She wanted to just have fun.

Um. "You're welcome." Alex gave a smile. "I'm sure there are many who think that what you're doing is right...." Unlike a few. Like the minister, for example. How on earth did he get elected as the most powerful wizard on earth!? Shocking.

"Ah. I'm glad you understand. You seriously should talk some sense into them. That would be fantastic." Alex said, with a laugh. Her smiled faded when she realized that what she just said..might make things a little awkward. Ugh. Why did she speak without thinking!? "Um..sorry. That was a joke..I mean.." She muttered, feeling really stupid. Um. Moving on.. "They think..especially my dad seems to think that I'm totally irresponsible. Like, I wouldn't be able to manage things on my own." Which was ridiculous! C'mon, she was nearly 22! She nodded at his advice. "Yeah, I guess that's what I'm going to do. I just hope that at some point they realize that I'm an adult and NOT a little kid anymore." Ugh. She was just so upset and annoyed. Ugh. "Let's just not talk about this anymore, yeah? I don't really want to spend my time feeling depressed. We are here to have a good time, right?" She smiled, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.

Alex snorted. "I'm not really sure there are any rides around here that aren't youthful." She looked around to find that there were kids. Everywhere. In fact, Damon and her seemed to be the only adults around.

Damon turned to look at Alex when she said she was 30. Even though Alex was keeping a straight face, he was sure that she had to be kidding with him. After all there was no way that she was older than him. "Oh, wow, don't you make me feel little," said Damon, playing along and keeping a straight face as well. "And here I thought I was the oldie between the two of us," he said, keeping his eyes on the bouncy castle as he spoke.

Damon wasn't sure why Alex looked embarrassed, like she had said something she shouldn't when she suggested that Damon should tell them that. "Well, if you think it would help the situation at all, I'd be more than happy to share my feelings with them," Damon said with a smirk. He was sure her parents would greatly appreciate some random guy they'd never seen or met before in their lives coming in and telling them how they should view their daughter. Perhaps if him and Alex were an item...wait, he wasn't even sure if Alex was looking for a relationship let alone being already with someone, so it was best if he didn't let his mind stray there. Damon gave Alex a little nod of the head as she said she didn't want to talk about it anymore. He could understand that...after all he hated talking about the problems with his mother. He was firm believer that maybe if he just didn't mention her she would magically disappear...or he could just magically make her disappear himself...perhaps a good confundus charm?

"I know what you mean," Damon said, looking around at all the younger kids inhabiting the area. This was partially his fault...he had picked the place for them to meet after all. "We could check out the freak show if you want?" Damon hated that it was called a freak show, given that it had such a derogative connotation to it, but he guessed they didn't mind if that's what they titled it.

"Hooooooogwarts?" she sang in curiosity.

This was a SHAM! CODSWALLOP! A STUNT DOUBLE. Lola immediately stopped petting her hair at the first sight of this replica with her mouth gaped and her head shaking in disbelief. She immediately clicked her heels and started walking towards the thing, watching as it devoured the young and old. "No no no! TAKE ME, YOU MONSTER!" she yelled at it. Walking towards the Hogwarts-thing, she saw an entire pile of shoes right beside it.

She glanced at her heels.

She glanced at the pile.

NEVER. These heels would eventually become into a historic artifact, placed into a museum and labeled as 'the heels Lola Jones wore before taking down this man-eating Hogwarts.'

With a brave and heroic expression, she took of her heels and firmly held it with her left hand. She entered the replica and gasped--she gasped again--and then again--it was EXACTLY like Hogwarts, with the exception that everything was basically bouncified. With heels in hand, Lola quickly maneuvered into the bouncy castle (of course, fearless, as ever). She hopped and hopped and hopped, finally spotting someone.

"POOR, INNOCENT, LOST CHIIIIILD!" she said, pointing a finger of desperation and plea. She was bouncing to her death. Quickly, she offered her right arm. "Hold on! I'll get you out of here!"

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE this was just SO MUCH FUN!!! Tori was having the TIME of her LIFE in this bouncy castle. She was bouncing so much that her gum had almost flown out of her mouth a dozen times.

She had just started bouncing up to one of the towers when this CRAZY girl (lady?) carrying shoes in one hand and wearing a hat made of cotton candy started pointing at her.

"I'm not lost!" Victoria declared, bouncing right up to -- and over -- the cotton candy head. "You have something in your hair by the way!"

For yes, this bounce had been the bounce that caused Tori's invisible gum to pop out just as she soared over the other girl's head.

WAS IT TOO LATE?!

"OH, IT'S ALREADY TAKEN OVER YOU!" Lola frantically said as she tried helping the girl out. She was obviously possessed by now from all the madness in this madhouse. In her drastic attempts to show some sympathy and pity, the girl slowly started sobbing. "I could have done something! I could have come sooner! It's all myyyyyyy faaaaault." The fake tears started drooping out of her eyes.

This girl was gone from the real world, her spirit lies in the bouncy house forever. A sad story. She would be included in her future autobiography.

No words to say. Lola only stared at the girl so dramatically and put a hand to her mouth when she mentioned how 'unlost' she was. Such a spirited child, so young, so brave! "WHAT?" HER WIG! HER PINK COTTON WIG. Something on it?! "Oh no no no NO!" she shrieked. Lola couldn't see what was on it. She could only feel. A STICKY SUBSTANCE... "THIS WIG IS PRECIOUS! You can't! HAVE MERCY, YOU POSSESSED DEMON," she said as she desperately tried pulling it off. The wig shan't be damaged.

Clearly, this thing on her head was a biological weapon or some sort that flew out of the girl's mouth. Lola would die within five minutes. She'd read stories like these. The wig gets possessed. And then it takes over.

She started bouncing around the girl, suddenly taking one of her heels and threateningly pointing it at her. "This heel is high class, girly! " Was she scared now? She ought to have been. Lola bounced around the perimeters, her other hand so desperate but daring not to touch her hair. It had been attacked. "What type of poison did you bestow on my wig?! I MAY SPARE YOU." And to think, she was trying to help the poor child.

"What's taken over me? WHAT?" Victoria stopped dead --- well, stopped as best as she could in the bouncy castle --- and STARED at the girl with the cotton candy hair. "I think YOU are the possessed one, lady!" She shook her head and bounced in circles around the girl circling her too.

Was she seriously threatening Tori with one of her shoes? "Well I'M a PRINCESS, so regardless of your shoes' class, they're below ME!" Tori cackled and bounced straight at the cotton candy head, reaching out and snatching one of the shoes right out of the girl's hand.

"HEEEEE hee heee!" she squealed evilly, holding the shoe out so that the heel was like the blade of a sword. "En garde, you cotton candy head!"

Mental, this girl was. She didn't understand how Lola had been desperately trying to save her. Well, that was TOO LATE now. Second chances weren't given to evil, possessed bouncy-house demons--especially one that used her certain little spitfire to ruin her wig. Lola was about to tear up. This cotton candy wig was the first of many. It didn't deserve this.

"I must," she sniffed, "AVENGE YOU!"

Lola ululated with a tribal war-cry and bounced and bounced. This was a battle THAT HAD TO BE WON!!!!1111

Princess? PRINCESS? "And I am a QUEEN, m'daaaarling," she said, scrunching up her nose. She wasn't like this. Lola Jones was a HUMANITARIAN. But what was she to do?! The wig was damaged. This girl was mocking her. This princess was not a role model to the little, ickle children--UNLIKE LOLA JONES--FIT, STRONG, GRACEFUL. She gasped when this devilish delinquent bounced up and stole her other heel. "HEY!!!" First, the wig? Now her heels???

Where in the world were her parents?! Not to worry--LOLA JONES will take that spot.

"You infectious maggot-worm! BACK! Control yourself! Lola jabbed at the girl with her shoe, as if it was a sword. Her wig was a second priority now. Saving this girl's life... oh such a humanitarian she was. "DIE DIE DIE!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEK!" Tori bounce-bounce-bounced away from the insane cotton candy head. "You back off!" She brandished her sword-shoe as well. "Back! BACK, you crazy lady! Or I'm going to call in the ROYAL GUARDS!"

There was no way that this girl was a Queen. "Who ARE you?" she jabbed at the girl. "And why," jab, "are you," jab, "ATTACKING ME?!!!"

Sabel found his enjoyment in watching Morrigan assault the castle with a rather impressive cannon-ball. He couldn't help but smile at her. She knew how to have fun, it seemed. There was a vague recollection of when younger days used to be like that, and he had to admit, he missed it.

Following behind at a much slower pace, Sabel climbed up through the entrance way. He bounced a little as he walked, but made no extra effort to gain extra spring. Just being back in Hogwarts, or something that looked remarkably similar, was overwhelming enough.

"VENGEANCE!"

Jab.

"AND DISCIPLINE!"

Jab jab jab jab.

She had to do something! What if this girl was brutally murdered by the possible bounty hunters at the end of this fake Hogwarts. Or BOUNCY hunters... "Hehe. I made a joke." She stopped bouncing to take in a nice giggle and immediately took her bouncy-attacking form again. En garde!

What? Did she just? "Royal Guards?! PFFFFFT. DARLING OH STOP IT, POPPET," she said jokingly and then casually waved her hand at the girl. Lola was the Drama Queen and holding that title meant that she was far superior than anyone else. This girl was a PRINCESS! A PRINCESS! She would claim this child as her own--move her away from this delinquent and wild life--teach her proper manner and etiquette, she could see a bright tea party in their future. "You have no power over them! It is the QUEEN'S right, m'darling! But of course, a Mother like I need no such authorities!" WHEN YOU'RE TRAINED IN THE ARTS OF HIGH HEELS!

"Who am I? Who am I? It is I, Lola Jones--Queen of the Drama and the Arts, actress--future wizarding celebrity," cough cough, "Lead role in Babbitty Rabbitty and the Cackling Stump, you know, that top number one play riiiiiiiight down the corner over there," she pointed and winked. Now was obviously the perfect time to advertise. People needed to see her perform! To see her play as that scrumptious old bunny lady. "Fifteen, Slytherin at Hogwarts, further information will be held in my future best-selling autobiography book." It was bound to happen, right? Right.

Jab.

"I'm ATTACKING YOU," she jabbed again, "BECAUSE I CARE VERY MUCH FOR YOU!" Her motherly instincts were setting in! THIS POOR, DERANGED GIRL--Lola felt it was her duty to fix her.

Ravenclaw that she was...NOT, poor Tori did not understand.

"You ain't no mother of MINE!" she shot right back at the delusional Drama Queen. Jab. Jab. "My mom is in California!" Jab. "And she doesn't have wild and crazy PINK cotton candy hair with GUM stuck in it!"

Tori had to admit, she did like the color of this Lola Jones' hair. "I've never even HEARD of that play," she added, bouncing further and further away from Lola, still holding her shoe like a sword. "AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND."

WHY was this girl trying to MOTHER her? She was more likely trying to MURDER her. That's when Tori decided to turn to outside help.

"HELP, SOMEBODY, there's a CRAZY GIRL attacking MEEEEEEEE!"

Pfffft. 'I know, right?!' "Yeah, yeah. Well.. don't let it get to your head, or I'll just have to knock it back out!" Paulie raised his fist menacingly, only to diffuse any - if there was any - illusion of toughness a second later by allowed the ends of his mouth to curl up slightly. Her potion gave bad eyesight? EHHH. "Bad vision? No way, Jose. I'm out, then. I have 20/20 vision, you know." Mhmmm. Another thing he was proud of. Inherited that from good ol' Pop. "I guess you must have needed this potion, then, huh? In need of more brain cells." Hah! Score for Paulie!

He lifted a single eyebrow as she openly laughed at him. "What's so funny?" There was nothing wrong with his name. Nothing at all! She had just agreed that it was cool, for cryin' out loud.

Eye-rolllll. Fine? She just complained of a concussion! But the boy didn't verbally argue because maybe she was lying and maybe he was wanting to get on with this bouncing thing, too. Ainsley Piper suddenly grabbed hold of him to yank herself up, and although the gawky boy almost crashed down on top of her until his instincts caught up with him, he didn't mind acting as a support system. Nope. 'Cause she was a pretty girl and she was holding onto him. "Maybe - there's only one way to find out, huh?" And that was bouncing!

Okay, so maybe she had had him fooled. But not now! He shoved her shoulder and rolled his eyes again. "Oh, be quiet, Piper Pooper." Eh, he wasn't sure why he added on the 'pooper,' but it was a quasi-comeback to her 'told ya so' sorta remark, so he bounced forward without waiting.



Paulie suddenly tumbled forward to a halt. Wha-wha-wha-whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Who was yelping and yelling and causing such a ruckus?

He turned and blinked as he saw a sight before him. Some CRAZY-haired girl was attacking that ginger princess from the food stand! What the-? O______o Paulie looked puzzledly to Ainsley, then bounced over to where they were.

"UNHAND HER, YOU!"

Not that Paulie was much of a knight in shining armor, but hey - he was in a castle, and Victoria here was a 'princess' being accosted by a............... pink-haired dragon. The boy flopped all over the place on the uneven ground, trying - and failing - to separate Victoria from the grips of her attacker.

Hehehe.

If they were in the real Hogwarts, Caroline would have been in a boat load of pain. But they weren't. Nope, they were in a BOUNCY Hogwarts, so if she was hurt, it shouldn't be too bad. Right? RIGHT? Dear Merlin! What if she was in PAIN? What if..

She didn't have a chance to think of another 'what if', Caroline was sitting up and Destiny rolled right off her friend. If she was in pain, she wouldn't have been able to do that.

Sitting up, Destiny bounced a little before glancing around at the castle. She wondered what they carnies were going to do with it once the carnival was over.. maybe they would give it to her!? She'd put it in her back yard! There was a grin on her face as she turned to face Caroline once more, and missing the fact that the other girl was rubbing her forehead, probably something that she caused her to do, she slowly began to stand up. There were little bounces as she held her hand out to help Caroline up.

"I'm going to the Great Hall, too!" She was rather excited, and probably just a little too loud. "Do you think there is food in there!?"

OH.MY.GAWD.

All awkwardness faded away from me. I mean, there was a frikkin bouncy Hogwarts. If all Brits were like this, then man Hogwarts would bow to my iron toe pretty soon. Yea right.

Onward came the expulsion of shoes on and sock. I was gonna FUNK this bouncy castle if it was the last thing I would do.

And then I dived.

And with my wonderful dramatic personality, I went pounding and ranted all over and around these poor, lost, un-inspired people.

"THE TOTALITARIANS WILL FALLLLLL!" Pound.

"YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE--"

California?

GASP.

CALIFORNIA. Why couldn't she have seen it before? The clothes, the accent; her raw and feminine accent. It was too much for Lola to bare--too much to handle! She mustn't let this girl get away! TOO VALUABLE! TOO PRECIOUS. "Come on, now daaarling," she said mercilessly after this giant revelation, "We can work something out." The drama gods obviously led her to this girl so she could study her and overall become a better actress.

"MY POPPET. Let us hug. Let us EMBRACE, MOTHER AND CHILD and rekindle a beautiful relationship."

"And she doesn't have wild and crazy PINK cotton candy hair with GUM stuck in it!"

There was gum stuck in he wig--er--hair. There was bloody gum stuck in LOLA JONES'S HAIR. That was far worse than acid or spit-venom. "It hurts me to do this, my pooooooooooooor poor Californian child," she said shaking her head. JAB! JAB! JAB! JAB! JAB! HER WIG WAS FOREVER RUINED.

"SHHHHHHH DON'T ATTRACT ALL THE OTHER INFECTEDS, I'VE ALREADY HAD ENOUGH CHILDREN."


SHE WAS CALLING FOR HER KIND.

For immediately, there appeared this boy who too had been poisoned by the bouncy house. Of course, her first instincts were to give pity and sympathy to this infected boy and mother him, but what was she to do?! He was foiling her plans! All of it. Soon enough, Lola expected dozens and dozens of these CREATURES swarming over her and performing cannibalistic acts.

"NEVER," she shrieked, "I'm saving her. You just don't understand, do you?! NONE OF YOU DO!"

With that, she jabbed at the incoming boy with her heel. Impaling these monsters would save them, yes? Yes yes yes! JAB!

"I'LL MAKE YOU MY SON." It was a done deal.

Well this was....entertaining. A Drama-Queen most certainly. And Pfffft. An actress of course. I didn't say she didn't seem a bit loopy, tho. A pause in my anti-totalitarian regime pounding left me bouncing happily like a child around in the beautiful work of art: The bouncy Hogwarts.

I assure you. I was quite content bouncing around in my own happy little bouncy world. And then she started screaming again and whatnot. Or someone did.

Nuh uh. No disturbed MY bouncy time without getting PAYBACK.

It really wasn't hard to find them. Follow the echoey yellsies and findsies the yellers. sies. And there, on the horizon, she was. She? I have no idea. But she was clearly dangerous. And pink. And rabid. I WOULD HANDLE THAT.

"WILD CREATURE OF YONDER!" I ventured my voice into the beyond. What would I say next....uh...

I was clearly stupefied.

"END YOUR TOTALITARIAN RULE!!!" umm....yea.

Morrigan could hear little kids screaming somewhere, and made a conscious decision to ignore it. For all she knew, they were just playing and having fun. She'd once tried to break up a 'fight' between her cousins, only to discover they were in the middle of rehearsing a play they'd written earlier in the day. Until there was blood or lots of crying, she was staying out of it. In fact, she turned and headed away from the noise.

Or at least, she would have headed away, if it weren't for a certain slow person, "Mr. Dakest, you're acting like an old man. I'm not about to pry into all your life's woes, but if you could at least fake being happy and excited that'd be great, thanks much."

"ARI!!" Melina called, knowing it was fruitless to try and yell over all the activity at the Carnival. She raced over and nearly knocked her friend down with a great big hug.

"Oh, I know it's only been a few weeks since we saw each other, but I've missed you! I just loved staying with you and your mom."

She was tickled to see that Ari was bouncing up and down like Melina usually did. "Hey, wanna go bounce?" she asked with a gleam in her eye.

louise walked around she saw the bouncy castle it looking like fun she ran onto it and started to jump

Victoria had just about given up all hope. She was cornered and still bouncing slowly, trying not to look as Lola the Loony approached her with her shoe!sword. She threw her hand over her eyes, dramatically anticipating her own demise when...

"My hero!" Tori gasped, literally jumping up up and onto to Paulie's back. He was her (formerly) shirtless Lemonade Knight, clearly here to save her from the evil Queen. "Get 'er, Paulie!" she encouraged from his back, piggyback style. "She's got cotton candy on her head and a shoe in her hand! Watch out for that shoe!"

Heck, Tori had a shoe in her hand too. She threw it at Lola, hoping it would bounce onto her head and knock her out.



"The only thing we're gonna work out is YOUR SURRENDER!" Tori declared, much, much braver now that she had Paulie as a human shield. "YOU'RE NOTTTTTT my MOTHER."

And. "What do you THINK you're saving me FROM??!" Merlin, she needed to be a part of the freak show!



And look, another guy was on Tori's side!

"Gedder! Attack the pink-haired cotton-candy head!" Tori gestured with Lola's shoe, directing the new knight toward her enemy. "Onward, troops!"

Wow, she was like a REAL princess now! Here were her royal guards and everything!

Aha! Orders!

Wait. Orders?

Loopy girl versus Princess. I must admit, this whole affair seemed strangely hierarchical. This must take ponderment and considerationalsonni. Yea yea, yell at me later.

And then there was this, Idunno, like, thrill: ya' know? It was like Ohmygawd. And yea. And attack!

Bounce. Bounce. Bounciddy bounce and I was flying through the air. At someone. Ohhh.....