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Post by Sirius Black on Jul 27, 2011 23:10:48 GMT -5
(Continuing from Mischief)
Before Hogwarts was founded and established as a school, it had, for a brief period in the eighth century AD, been the castle of a particularly brutal and vengeful Scottish warlord. Or so Sirius had heard. Maybe it was all a lie.
But the secret passageways, the dark, cavernous hallways, and the dank, dungeon-like rooms that Sirius had found in his explorations, all seemed to lend a little credibility to that claim.
There was a particularly creepy corridor in an abandoned area of the sixth floor, and it was here that Sirius decided to lead Evalyn first.
"Watch your step," he said, as they made their way up a winding staircase that led to this abandoned hallway. "The third step from the top is kind of a trick step, so stay close to the wall.
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Post by Evalyn Chambers on Jul 28, 2011 20:22:36 GMT -5
Eva had allowed herself to be led away by this boy, and the steps to the ever-more-quiet parts of the castle made her glance at him suspiciously. She subconsciously placed her hand on his shoulder as she hesitated before the third step from the top before carefully climbing near the wall.
They made it to the top, and Eva peered down the hallway. "Uhm, Sirius, where are we?"
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Post by Sirius Black on Aug 1, 2011 16:47:04 GMT -5
Sirius looked back at her and shrugged. "It's an old abandoned hallway. I think it used to lead to where the old king kept his treasures, back before this was a school. It leads to a really cool room with lots of old magical items now... most of them are broken, but it's still pretty cool. But before you get there, this hallway is pretty creepy. Stay close to me... I'll protect you."
This last part he had to really try not to grin as he said it. Yes, he'd brought her up here for a reason. Though he and James hadn't really found it that scary, he knew others might. Peter hadn't liked the hallway, and even Remus had seemed a little nervous. Sirius had never brought a girl up here before, but he was pretty sure she'd be scared... which would be the perfect excuse to get her to hold his hand.
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Post by Evalyn Chambers on Aug 1, 2011 18:51:57 GMT -5
Eva hid a grin. "Protect me from what?" There wasn't much to be protected from...unless there were ghosts, but she knew all the ones at Hogwarts already. "The room sounds cool though. What kind of old magical items?"
She wasn't scared, but it was kind of dark. And abandoned. She glanced at Sirius and wondered if he had planned this. Get her scared so he could come to her rescue? She supposed she should be flattered. Though it hadn't been a bad plan; Eva stayed within a good distance close to him in case anything should happen. He was a boy, after all; she would most certainly not be doing this by herself.
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Post by Sirius Black on Aug 4, 2011 21:48:26 GMT -5
Sirius couldn't help but grin. Girls could be so predictable. Either they got nervous just by the hint that there might be something they needed to be protected from, or they tried to play like they were tough and didn't need protection at all. And yet still they walked a little closer, just in case.
It was true, there really wasn't anything dangerous in this hallway. Mostly it was just creepy, with the narrow passageway, low ceiling, dim lighting, and cobwebs. Oh... and further along, there were skeletons lining the walls. And they moved. Sirius hadn't yet determined whether they were haunted or enchanted, but they were actually quite harmless. Just a little freaky, especially the first time one encountered them. He and James, when they first discovered this hallway, had actually been scared enough to run away the first time.... but of course they had to come back another time, just to check it out. Now the skeletons that waved, saluted, or even danced a jig, were all something of a joke between the four friends. Sirius was very interested to see how Eva would react to them.
"Oh, you never know what might happen up here," he said. "I hope you're not afraid of spiders."
He almost laughed. Yes, there were a lot of spiders up here, but that was nothing compared to the skeletons. And he wasn't going to tell her about them. It might have seemed a little bit mean, but it really was all in good fun. If they were genuinely mean or dangerous, he wouldn't joke about something like this.... but the skeletons were really harmless.
"Oh, all kinds of things. Most of them are broken, like I said... but there are some pretty cool amulets and things. Talking books, even a harp that plays itself. And there's this really strange mirror... we haven't been able to figure it out, but it seems to show us getting things that we want."
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Post by Evalyn Chambers on Aug 5, 2011 9:46:06 GMT -5
Eva felt like the hallway was getting more narrow. Maybe that was her imagination. She turned her attention back to what Sirius was saying. "Spiders? Please. Unless they bite, they're innocent enough."
She listened to his explanation of the objects, but her interest was particularly taken with the mirror. It showed what you most wanted? Eva didn't even know what she wanted most. How would a mirror do that for you?
As they turned a corner, Eva came to a standstill. There were skeletons lining the walls. Was she scared before? Well, no, not really. But skeletons meant...Had someone(s) died here? "Are you sure it's safe here?" she asked, pointing at one of the pile of bones. Then the pile of bones moved. She backed up a few steps, eyes widening. As it got up and made a motion as if to stretch from too much time spent curled up, more of the skeletons seemed to wake up as well. Eva panicked and accidentally screamed. She knew she would probably be embarrassed about this later, but she turned around and started to run.
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Post by Sirius Black on Aug 7, 2011 22:34:53 GMT -5
This was a possibility that Sirius hadn't considered, but he should have. After all, Peter had run away when he and James brought him up here the first time. Quickly, Sirius ran after her, stopping her just before she reached the winding staircase to go back downstairs.
"Wait, wait," he said. "Hey, I told you I'd protect you, didn't I? I wouldn't have brought you up here if the skeletons were dangerous. I should have warned you, and I'm sorry... but I promise, they're totally harmless. They won't even touch you. Come on back, and you can hold onto me if you're scared."
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Post by Evalyn Chambers on Aug 7, 2011 22:47:33 GMT -5
Eva ran back down the hallway, feeling frightened as well as embarrassed. When she reached the stairs, she felt a hand stopping her, and she jumped--but, of course, it was only Sirius. And he was informing her that the skeletons were completely harmless; he had obviously seen them before. She slapped his arm. "You knew there were skeletons and you didn't tell me? What if I had tried to hex them? I was completely terrified!"
Crossing her arms, she felt herself start to relax again. The small amount of yelling at Sirius had released her feeling of terror somewhat; instead Eva just glared at the boy. Silly boys. She would probably go back with him, but it was only because she wanted to see the room of enchanted items. Really, she had no idea why she was blushing.
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Post by Sirius Black on Aug 11, 2011 0:06:06 GMT -5
"OK, OK," Sirius said, trying very hard not to laugh. "I'm sorry.... I should have told you about the skeletons. I was a git. I thought maybe you'd get scared and try to hug me or something. What can I say? I'm a guy, and you're a pretty girl."
Yes, Sirius knew that no girl could resist when a guy told her she was pretty. Of course, he wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true. But he also knew that such a simple statement was enough to soften most girls.
"I promise, I'll warn you of anything else that might happen. And I won't let anything happen to you. Just come with me."
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Post by Evalyn Chambers on Aug 11, 2011 20:53:05 GMT -5
Eva blushed again. He thought she was pretty? How could you not want to go back with someone who called you pretty? She was only 13; she didn't even think of the concept that he might just be saying that. But she kept her arms crossed. He had tricked her, after all. "All right, I'll go back. Just--warn me next time, okay?"
They began to retrace their steps back down the hallway. Eva found herself accidentally stealing glances at him. Stop doing that, he's just a boy. But then again, she couldn't remember someone calling her pretty before...
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Post by Sirius Black on Aug 13, 2011 23:15:50 GMT -5
Sirius grinned, knowing that he had won. Yes, he seemed to toss around compliments like that to a lot of girls--Amy, Kris, Emme, Penelope, and now Evalyn. And he knew the effect it had on them. But he didn't think he was doing anything wrong... it wasn't like he was lying to them. He did find them pretty, and there wasn't anything wrong with telling them so. It would be different if he was complimenting someone like, say, Dolores Umbridge. Even if she was kind of cute in appearance, her personality pretty much ruined it. He had a feeling she'd end up looking like a toad.
"OK, I promise," Sirius said, holding up his right hand in a solemn pledge. "Marauder's Honor... no more surprises."
He walked on ahead, this time keeping his pace slow so that she could walk next to him. As they approached the skeletons again, they began to stretch and move. One bowed to them, and another saluted.
"We haven't figured out yet if they're ghosts, or if they're enchanted, like the suits of armor," he said in a conversational tone, trying to keep her from getting afraid again.
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Post by Evalyn Chambers on Aug 14, 2011 8:02:46 GMT -5
Eva wished she hadn't run away. She felt so awkward now. He probably thought she was the most girly-ish girl ever. At least he had sworn not to make any more surprises; though it had been on Marauder's honor. Were you supposed to trust a marauder? She supposed it would have to do.
"Probably enchanted," she replied, as they came upon the skeletons again. They were a lot less scary now that she knew they weren't dangerous. In fact, they were kind of...cute, in a way. "But why would someone charm skeletons? And why did they put them on this hallway?"
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Post by Sirius Black on Aug 14, 2011 23:39:35 GMT -5
It wasn't common knowledge yet that Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter referred to themselves as the Marauders. In fact, Remus and Peter weren't even used to it yet. It was something that Sirius and James had been kicking around, and they rather liked the sound of it. They had even made up an oath: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." But that was strictly top-secret... they didn't want anyone else to know about their secret oath. But saying "marauder's honor" was, to Sirius, as good as "scout's honor" was to the average muggle.
"I think they did it to scare people out of this hallway," Sirius suggested, waving at a skeleton that seemed to be doing its morning calisthenics. "Whoever put them here didn't want people to find the room I'm taking you to. I imagine back when this was an actual castle, the owner had much more severe traps set to keep out intruders... but Dumbledore wouldn't allow that sort of thing now. But you can see the outlines of old trap doors, and there are some remnants of an old spiked portcullis along the wall up ahead."
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Post by Evalyn Chambers on Aug 15, 2011 14:33:03 GMT -5
Now that Sirius had told her that this room was so important it had to be guarded, Eva wished she hadn't asked what was in it. Now, she couldn't be surprised. But why? Was the mirror and all of the other objects that important? She supposed she was about to find out. A skeleton walked up to her and bowed, then outstretched his hand. "Sirius, I think he wants to--" Eva's words were taken away as the skeleton started whirling her around in a dance. She laughed, and when they stopped spinning, she curtsied and smiled. It had waltzed her all the way down the hallway.
When Eva had gathered herself again, she noticed the portcullis that Sirius had referred to, and she shivered, remembering that she had probably just danced across trapdoors and other obstacles. But there it was, right in front of them--the door to the room beyond. She inched closer to Sirius again.
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Post by Sirius Black on Aug 20, 2011 0:28:09 GMT -5
Sirius let out a loud, bark-like laugh as the skeleton began to dance with Eva. The other times he and James had come up here, none of them had ever done that before, but then, Eva was a girl, and he and James were not.
Sirius followed her as she waltzed down the hallway with the skeleton, just watching to make sure she was safe. After all, he had promised that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, and he meant to keep that promise.
"I guess they don't see a lot of girls up here," he commented as the skeleton released her and walked back to its usual spot along the wall. "At least he was a gentleman, right?" he teased.
But now they were at the door. He turned and gave her a reassuring smile, then pointed his wand at the door. "Alohomora!" he said, and the door swung open.
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Post by Evalyn Chambers on Aug 27, 2011 21:12:45 GMT -5
The door swung open, and Eva let out a gasp. The room was filled with all sorts of amazing objects--she didn't know where to begin. "Sirius, this is amazing," she said. But then her eye was caught by a mirror standing in the center of the room.
Eva walked over to the object as if in a trance. What she saw reflecting back at her took her off guard. "I--I don't understand. What did you say this mirror did?" She reached out a hand and placed it on the glass, mesmerized.
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Post by Sirius Black on Aug 30, 2011 22:07:26 GMT -5
Sirius wandered over to stand next to her, but didn't look in the mirror himself. He knew from past experience that he wouldn't see whatever it was she was seeing, and there was no use even trying.
"We can't be sure, but it seems to show us getting what we want. Whenever I look in it, I always see myself eating lots of sandwiches. Maybe I should stop coming up here when I'm hungry."
He gave a light shrug, then gave her a sideways glance. "Why? What do you see?"
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