Year/Job
SECOND YEAR
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.” - Captain Jack Sparrow |
Blake
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Post by Ralph Sagewater on Jan 22, 2024 15:17:29 GMT -8
It was getting dark, and Ralph was getting more and more nervous. Since the term started back up, some of the second and first years had been testing the limits of how close they could get to the entrance of the Forbidden Forest. The goal was to actually make it inside the Forest. Ralph was convinced that one of them was going to get killed, yet here he was, tagging along. "This is a terrible idea," he told Aisling. "What if someone sees us?" He was scanning the ground for the coin the last person had placed. "Revelio," he whispered, wand in hand. The coin was lying off the path in a patch of grass. "Found it! Let's see if Bethany Lovelace was telling the truth about being the last person." Yes, he thought this was a disastrous game, but it was a little exciting. He tapped his wand against the coin. "Aparecium." The initials B.W.L were written on the small coin. "Gryffindor is full of madmen and women," he huffed. Glancing anxiously towards the castle, he held the coin out for the Ravenclaw. "Here Liny, you take it. Just don't go in there, okay? It's getting super dark and we're bound to get caught or killed, or maimed or...," he trailed off, heart pounding in his chest. Aisling Dempsey
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Year/Job
Second Year
rouch
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Post by Aisling Dempsey on Jan 22, 2024 16:27:40 GMT -8
Aisling didn't know who started the quest they were on, but she was excited for the challenge. Honestly, if the professors didn't want students to go into the Forbidden Forest, they should have called it the Permitted Forest. It was like adults didn't remember what it was like to be a kid. Or maybe they didn't kid right to begin with. Following Ralph, she'd been a little surprised he agreed to go with her. He seemed so attached to his brother his first year, she was still getting used to his more outgoing side. Still, having a partner on an adventure always made it better. When she heard the uncertainty in his voice, she picked up her pace to encourage him.
"Isn't it a terribly wonderful idea?" she asked, agreeing with Ralph. "It's almost dark, we won't be seen unless we make too much noise," she whispered. She wanted to get farther than Bethany Lovelace. Not just because she wanted to win, but because she was dying to put a toe inside the Forbidden Forest. Ralph found the coin and confirmed the Gryffindor was currently winning. After his assessment of Bethany, Aisling nodded enthusiastically, "I know they are, isn't it amazing? We'll show them you don't have to be a lion to be brave," she said. "Badgers are fierce and eagles are sharp-eyed." She took the coin from Ralph and pressed forward. "We're supposed to go in there if we're going to see what's in there," she whispered at him and took another step. "Look, it's just a couple hundred feet away. What do you think could possibly be just a couple hundred feet away that will kill or maim us?" she asked, turning toward him, excited to brainstorm what savage beast could be within the darkness.
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Year/Job
SECOND YEAR
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.” - Captain Jack Sparrow |
Blake
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Post by Ralph Sagewater on Jan 22, 2024 18:02:41 GMT -8
What had he been thinking coming out here? That's the thing! He hadn't been thinking! He'd been far too worried about being called a scaredy cat to think about the consequences of his action. Ralph was determined to be more than the little Hufflepuff who clung to his older brother to keep from drowning in the masses. Ralph was all too aware that year after next, he'd have to fend for himself. He didn't want people to think he couldn't stand on his own too feet. These were thoughts he never dared to voice aloud. It would make it all too real. Like any boy his age, he enjoyed a good adventure, but nothing that would leave him permanently scared or dead. Maybe he was just a bit afraid they'd get caught and he'd have to explain to his parents why he'd done something so insanely dangerous. Yeah, they're not going to buy the whole, I was peer pressured into it, he thought to himself with a small shake of his head. Merlin save him.
"Terribly what? How is any of this wonderful?" Not that he needed to ask, Liny was already explaining the benefits of the dark. Ralph couldn't agree. It just made the forest look all the more ominous. "Liny, I'm pretty sure we can both hear my heart beating. That's enough noise to attract any Professor or predator." He was most positive that the whole of the forest could hear it. It was worrisome that Liny didn't seem daunted by anything he said. In fact, he was sure she took every word as a challenge. "I think I was put in the wrong house if badgers are fierce...." Ralph Sagewater knew he wasn't brave or fierce. He was admittedly a coward. It took everything he had not to race back to the castle. Loyalty to his friend kept him here. He wouldn't leave her to face this alone. Not yet, anyway.
When the Ravenclaw started forward, he reached out to stop her, but dropped his hand back. Don't be a kill joy. Just go right up to the entrance and call it a night. He took a hesitant step forward, sweat starting to bead up on his forehead. "Centaurs. Vampires. Werewolves. Acromantulas."
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Year/Job
Second Year
rouch
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Post by Aisling Dempsey on Jan 23, 2024 6:06:46 GMT -8
Even though Aisling was thoroughly enjoying herself, she did understand they were way outside Ralph's comfort zone. She didn't want him to never take a risk again. His live would be so terribly boring if the only danger he faced was a paper cut from an exploding snap card that went astray. Facing him as he ticked off the things he was concerned about, she saw her opening. "Ralph centaurs will fire a warning shot; vampires just woke up are you ready to kill and maim first thing when you wake up? No. It's not a full moon so any werewolf will be just a boring person, and I heard the acromantulas are really deep inside the forest. We're just going to go to the edge," she ticked off each one of his concerns, hoping to change his perspective. She really wanted him to be the one who put the coin inside the forest. He'd experience the thrill of overcoming his fears and the exhilaration of being a legend. And if he were the one to deal with the coin, she could see even more.
"Now come on. The most ferocious thing we'll see this close to school grounds will be rabid bowtruckle," she said taking his hand and pulling him gently forward while she imagined what a rabid bowtruckle would look like. A tiny little stick foaming at the mouth. It made her laugh. "Or maybe a bored fairy. We outweigh them by like thirty kilos," she continued, looked him over. He was pretty skinny. She shook her head, "I'm pretty sure a fairy can't lift you," she commented and then wondered how much a fairy could lift. How could she test that? She'd need to find a fairy first. Then maybe some sandbags...
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Year/Job
SECOND YEAR
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.” - Captain Jack Sparrow |
Blake
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Post by Ralph Sagewater on Jan 23, 2024 8:26:16 GMT -8
He was dealing with a Ravenclaw. Of course, she had an answer for everything. No matter which way he looked at it, Aisling was going to have a counterargument. You would think he'd be used to it by now, especially considering his own brother was the exact same way. He might have mumbled that sometimes he was cranky if he didn't eat a proper dinner the night before, but she might start throwing odds at him. "Fine," he finally conceded. "Have it your way, but if we die, I'm chasing you through the castle as a ghost for all of eternity." He turned up his nose and let her drag him forward towards their inevitable demise. Her comment on rapid bowtruckles made him snort with amusement. "Oh please, I'm not that much of a coward. Bowtruckles are more scared of us than we are of them," he mused. "Which is odd saying, because they're not even scary."
He glanced down at her hand that was wrapped around his. It was kind of lame considering she was braver than him. Embarrassing really if he thought too much into it. "You sure are well versed when it comes to creatures," he commented, making small talk to distract from her hand and the forest. He took a few steps to catch up so he was walking beside her. No point in letting her drag him along when they were going to the same place. "I wonder how in we'd have to go to deter anyone from ever trying to beat the record," he pondered aloud.
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Year/Job
Second Year
rouch
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Post by Aisling Dempsey on Jan 24, 2024 17:16:51 GMT -8
Aisling did her very best to walk with purpose when her entire body was vibrating with anticipation and anxiety over what Ralph was going to do. She'd go on ahead alone. It would be better with her friend. When his concession finally came out of his mouth she laughed a loud and slapped her free hand over her mouth. The crack in the night as her palm hit skin had her ducking for cover. He was threatening to haunt her if they died and she nodded even more vigorously. "Oooh, can you imagine how much fun it would be to be haunting each other for eternity? It would be like the a fairytale. We should totally be ghosts together," she rambled, noticed he had caught up. "And I never said you were a coward, I wouldn't come out here with a coward, would I?" she asked and turned back toward the tree line.
They needed to keep moving before he changed his mind. He was right, he wasn't a coward, but he wasn't dumb either. The longer they were out in the open, the more chance they had of being spotted. Suddenly away she still had a hold of his hand, she dropped it, looked at him with delight. "I've read the monster book of monsters twice already. Do you ever wonder how so many of those magical creatures came to be? Like did witches and wizards make them or did they just happen. Like us?" she asked him, only slightly away that she was bombarding him with the whirlwind of thoughts. Her mum always told her some thoughts should stay inside ones head. But then how would anyone know what was in there? Finally standing still, hands on her hip, she considered his question. "We better do it right. Or we'll be back out here next week," she said wishing she'd be out there again next week. Liny put the coin back in his hand. "I think you should do it. Show up that Gryffindor and show them not to mess with a badger."
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Year/Job
SECOND YEAR
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.” - Captain Jack Sparrow |
Blake
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Post by Ralph Sagewater on Jan 25, 2024 9:21:04 GMT -8
The trees towered over them, casting long shadows. His heart leaped into his throat at her laughter. He quickly placed a finger to his own lips and looked around cautiously. "We'll have detention for a year," he told her. They had to be quiet and they had to be careful. Only she would think it fun to live as a ghost for the duration of their afterlife. He wrinkled his nose. He didn't want to be a ghost. He wanted to go wherever his mother and father were. Being a ghost would ruin any chances of that. "Liny, you've got bees in your brain," he teased her with a friendly smile. "I wouldn't even be out here if it weren't for you."
He had agreed to follow wherever she led, but still couldn't believe he was going through with this. No sane person would have walked right up to the forest and dared enter it. The word 'Forbidden' was obviously in front for a reason. He hadn't even written a goodbye letter. A nervous laugh escaped him at the thought. He was going to be in hysterics soon. The closer they got, the more menacing the place looked. When she released his hand, he double checked to make sure she wasn't going to ditch him. Still there. Good.
"For fun," he asked with wide eyes. That book was huge! Ralph only looked at it to see the stuff he liked. There was no way he would ever read it cover to cover. "Umm, I don't know. Maybe a little bit of both," he responded with a shrug. "I can see people using magic to make creature a new creature to make them a fortune. Like a circus." He didn't mind her rambling. It distracted him from their mission.
She gave him the coin and he stared at it blankly. "I don't know...it was your idea to come out here." It would be cool to have bragging rights though. He raised his gaze to the forest. "I think five steps inside will do." He was well aware that someone else would push the boundaries and take a nice run up the trail, place the coin, and win game. It had to stay unclaimed for seven full days in order to win. Five steps wouldn't cut it.
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Year/Job
Second Year
rouch
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Post by Aisling Dempsey on Jan 27, 2024 15:58:11 GMT -8
Bees in her brain! Why did he have to say things like that? She closed her eyes and tried to determine if there was buzzing. How would bees get inside a brain. She wiggled her ears with her fingers. Bees! How terribly horrid to think about them in her brain. Ralph seemed to be getting into the spirit, imagining a circus of magical beasts. "A magical circus. Good one Ralph. Maybe we can organize our own circus. I bet Professor Greer would help us. She has that bowtruckle. He can be the conductor," she said, already imaging a ring of fire for him to jump through. Fairies riding beetles. Nifflers doing magic tricks. She wondered how to get permission and how to make sure the creatures had fun too. She didn't want to exploit them after all, that would be terrible.
Liny looked from the coin and up at Ralph. "I'm not sure five feet will do it," she started not wanting to push too hard. They could run in as far as their feet would go, drop the coin and run back, she was thinking when a large push right on the edge of the forest shook. Aisling let out a small gasp in surprise and looked at Ralph. She wasn't sure if he saw it. She kinda hoped he hadn't. "Did you see that?" she asked in quiet whisper.
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Year/Job
SECOND YEAR
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.” - Captain Jack Sparrow |
Blake
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Post by Ralph Sagewater on Jan 28, 2024 8:02:26 GMT -8
"Only if we can get a Phoenix for the final act," he told her with an amused smile. "That's how we'll wow the audience." He was happy to talk about fun stuff. "Hmm, what would we call it? It'd have to be something fancy and unique. And there'd have to be a different act every night so the fanbase doesn't get bored. There will always have to be something new." He was giddy with the idea.
Of course, Liny confirmed his worst fear. Five feet wouldn't suffice. Ralphie made a face. He didn't want to go wandering around in a creepy dark forest with no lights. They couldn't even cast lumos because it would serve as a beacon to anyone who was out and about. Or worse, it would attract the monsters! He had to steel his nerves. "Okay. How about we-" He stopped talking as she gasped. Looking around wildly, he turned large doe eyes to her when she asked if he'd seen something. "What? Where? What did you see?" He was already taking a precautionary step back. "What was it?" He had already drawn his wand. Breathe, he told himself. Your survival depends on keeping a level head.
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Year/Job
Second Year
rouch
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Post by Aisling Dempsey on Jan 30, 2024 17:35:15 GMT -8
Liny subconscious was working on Ralph's contributions to their potential future circus. She like the way he was thinking. Fancy. Unique. Fresh. Exciting. She should probably have stayed in the castle with him and brainstormed grand plans. Instead, they were on the edges of the Forbidden Forest and there were red glowing eyes staring at them from a bush. Not wanting to move too fast, she put her hands out to stop her companion from moving forward.
"There's something in the bush. With red eyes. What has red eyes?" she asked sorting through the list from the Fantastic Beasts book. "Hodag, Dugbog, Ashwinder, Absconder, Clabberts... maybe a Murtlap if the moonlight his it just right. Red caps?" That didn't sound right. Her sister told her about the old caretaker's cat with red eyes. Liny thought that was just a story though, to scare her. They should probably run. But what if it was just a clabbert. Were they going to quit when they were so close to going further than anyone would dare. Because a frog stopped them? She took a step forward. If they had a story of a furious beast guarding the coin they'd win for sure. She just had to figure out how to convince Ralph. And to do that, she had to figure out what was staring them down. Maybe it could be an act in their circus if it was tame... tame-ish.
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Year/Job
SECOND YEAR
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.” - Captain Jack Sparrow |
Blake
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Post by Ralph Sagewater on Jan 30, 2024 20:19:31 GMT -8
Why did it have to be red eyes? Why wouldn't it be blue or yellow? Red eyes were menacing. This would have been a perfect time to tell her, 'I told you so,' but first they needed to escape the danger. Why had he assumed she'd say something reasonable like, 'Drop the coin here and we can leave.' No, Liny wanted to run down the list of creatures that were liable to land them in St. Mungos. Red Caps were nasty buggers, but he remembered in DADA that they could be stopped with the Knockback Jinx. He shook his head. There was no way in Merlin's name that they were going to take on whatever was staring them down. If anything, they should count themselves lucky! Had they waltzed in a few moments earlier, their exit would have been blocked! "Aisling, I think we should go before it gets the idea to come out of the bushes," he told her. It was a long run back to the castle. He was still scanning the darkness, wand at the ready.
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Year/Job
Second Year
rouch
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Post by Aisling Dempsey on Feb 8, 2024 16:26:52 GMT -8
Knowing it was a matter of seconds before Ralph was insisting they leave, Liny crouched down. If she could identify the creature quickly they could move passed it and set the coin on the closes pile of leaves inside the forest. The form seemed to be hovering within the bush. It was odd. She stepped an inch closer. It was small. The two balls of red lights seemed to come together and pull apart. "That's really odd. Ralph, look," she whispered. "I think it's a fairy." But fairies didn't have red eyes. "What in world is that?" If it was just a fairy, it was no big deal. They could get by a fairy. Putting her wand out, she wondered if she should risk a wand lighting charm. It would certainly get them found if any professor was in the area. Looking back at Ralph, her eyes grew wide. Lining up behind him was a half dozen fairies all holding some strange glowing red light. Reaching for his hand, she tried to pull him way from the creatures. Unfortunately the only direction they could go was into the forest. Fairies could be mean if they felt threatened. Maybe they were protecting those glowing balls. Were they eggs? She tried to remember if fairy eggs glowed. What was most important though, was not panicking. "Don't panic," she whispered, to herself as much to Ralph.
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Year/Job
SECOND YEAR
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.” - Captain Jack Sparrow |
Blake
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Post by Ralph Sagewater on Feb 9, 2024 12:39:31 GMT -8
"I don't want to look," he complained. "I want to leave." The only reason he hadn't bolted already was because Liny was still hanging around. He was no longer interested in matching her courage. He just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible. The goal was to stay alive, not die by some mystery creature that was allowing them time to rethink their life decisions. "Liny, stop," he begged as she moved closer. There was literally no reason to prove they were braver than Gryffindors. If that was the case, the sorting hat would have put them in Gryffindor! It was never wrong!
When Liny finally looked at him, he was frowning. His frowned turned into panic as he saw her eyes grow wide. She was reaching for him, and he took her hand. Something was behind him. He knew better than to look behind himself. That's how people got murdered in the movies. He hurried to her side. "Liny, what are we going to do," he asked, voice quivering with fear. He didn't want to do this anymore. He wanted to go home!
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Year/Job
Second Year
rouch
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Post by Aisling Dempsey on Feb 13, 2024 16:46:46 GMT -8
"It's going to be okay. No sudden moves," Liny said to Ralph, pulling him slowly away from the bush and the fairies behind him. "They're just fairies. I think they're guarding something." The beings behind him buzzed as their wings flapped dangerously. "We're not trying to bother you. We'll go over here. We're not trying to take your red things," she said at the angry faces.
As she backed them up, her foot his something hard. Glancing behind them, it was a large tree. Looking down, Liny realized they were officially in the forest. "Brilliant. Ralph, sign the coin and put it down. I'll distract the fairies," she said. What an amazing adventure! Liny's brain was buzzing like the tiny wings with all the stimulation around her. The fairies were really miffed. She wanted to understand why. "Are those your eggs?" she asked, sidestepping away from Ralph, hoping they would stay focused on her. "Do you need help hiding them? I can make a nest. I'm really good at that spell."
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Year/Job
SECOND YEAR
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.” - Captain Jack Sparrow |
Blake
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Post by Ralph Sagewater on Feb 14, 2024 16:12:21 GMT -8
"Are you hearing yourself right now," Ralph asked, his voice going several octaves higher with panic. How could she even fix herself to tell him he shouldn't make any sudden moves? Ralph was sure they could make a run for it. He was sure they could get through the line of fairies and make it to the castle unharmed if they just ran for their dear lives. Was that not the logical thing to do!? Ha, he sounded like Liam. His eyes watered in the dark as he thought of his brother. How was it that Liam and Liny were both Ravenclaws, but his brother never dragged him into this sort of mess? "Just fairies? Liny, they look like they're ready to go to war." He moved closer to her, trying to make himself smaller as the creatures buzzed around them.
They were forced to keep backing up, and when they crossed the boundary, Ralph's breath caught in his throat. They were in the Forbidden Forest. He wouldn't leave the castle ever again if they made it out of here alive. Liny told him to sign the coin, but all he could do was scan the ranks of fairies. "I don't think they're listening," Ralph whispered in a panic. He didn't care about the stupid coin anymore, but if he didn't sign it, Liny would want to stick around. He scribbled a quick R.S and A.D on the coin and dropped it near the tree's roots. He was not leaving her name off the coin. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw could reign supreme together.
"Can we go now," he asked.
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