Hogwarts Story: Part 11
Dec. 2nd, 2005 12:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unforthLong, long day...I spent a big chunk of it on research, and, though I didn't get my paper done (a pity, cause I really wanted to have it finished by morning, but not a big deal given that it isn't due until next Friday) I did finish my presentation (much more important, since it's tomorrow morning) on that paper. Over all, life is pretty good, I think my presentation is awesome, and I'm really looking forward to the game tomorrow, which is a very nice feeling - it's been a while since I really looked forward to a game. I also am enjoying my school work much more, for, for the first time in about 2 years, a lot of MY music is on my computer - up to now I've mostly had Jay's, due to much hard drive shuffling - and there are so many things I've missed listening to! I love music...
In other news, I'm pleased to announce that peer pressure has once again proved successful, for Jason has been prevailed upon to start a LJ! His account name is![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
deadmanwade and hopefully, he'll post something soon. ;) ;) (and I hope that link works, too ;) )
Thirdly, there is almost no chance I'll get any writing done tomorrow - between my presentation, my plans to write the paper I didn't write today, and the interlude, I'd say it's pretty much locked up. I'll try, but consider yourselves warned! Be warned, darn you.
Fourth, and, I think, lastly, a note on tonights writing. As was inevitable, I finally found something that was important that I'd forgotten (I have remembered several unimportant things that I left out, these I've made notes of and intend to add in later drafts) and so there is a paragraph of retcon, that actually goes some place in last posting, I believe. Sorry!!
The activation of mighty RET-CON power inserts the following at a point during the time after the Quidditch Try-outs and before the Gray Lady shows up...I haven't quite added the connecting language yet, but it goes in there someplace. ;)
That evening, too all of our great consternation, there was a great hubbub that interrupted all of our studying. Furious, Professor Lestrange barged into the common room, dragging Dimitri Rashad Demzhera, a (insert year here!) Ravenclaw student, by the wrist. “Not only do you show up TWO DAYS LATE for school, but you have the poor taste to not even be wearing your robes,” Professor Lestrange had a gift for seeming to shout without actually raising her voice. At this moment, her voice dripped rancor and disdain, and she conveyed her annoyance thoroughly despite her moderate tone. “I suggest, Mr. Demzhera, that you find some robes, and then I suggest that you reflect on your actions while you serve detention.” Without another word, she left. Dimitri, shrugging slightly, walked casually up to his dorm room.
And now, when we last left our intrepid heroes...
The disappearance of the Gray Lady was followed by several moments of intense, encompassing silence. Looking around at my companions, I couldn’t help but notice some things that worried me greatly, though. Lycia had a glow to her eyes, an eagerness that I don’t think I’d ever seen in her before. Celestine, on the other hand, look thoroughly distressed, while Eileen and Galatea didn’t seem to know what to think. Wondering how I must look, I started mentally preparing the list of reasons that going down into the dungeon in the middle of the night on our second day of classes was an absolutely terrible idea that should not under any circumstances be undertaken.
“So…what do we do?” Celestine asked finally, her accent heavier than normal due to a slight nervous undertone.
“You heard the ghost,” Lycia said, starting to stand. “We go down to the dungeon and take this book.” I think, up to that time, it was the most words I’d ever heard her say at once.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I interjected, trying to sound confident and in control. “The ghosts, after all, are not the most reliable of information sources – she said herself that she cannot get close to the book, cannot turn the pages, and that the head master drives her away whenever he is actually down there working. For all we know, she has completely misinterpreted the situation.” I paused, and then added firmly. “I don’t think Headmaster Nigellus would do the things she has claimed he is doing.”
“But…if he is, someone needs to stop him, right?” Eileen spoke up timidly. Nodding in reply, Celestine added, “good people cannot allow such things to happen.”
Nodding also, though for drastically different reasons, I resolved to be done with the matter. “If you all feel that you must go, then go, and I will not report you. Nor, however, will I aid you. I do not think it’s a good idea. I think the dungeon is dangerous, I think the Headmaster is innocent, and I know that students who are caught out of their dormitories this late at night will be severely punished, because the groundskeeper went out of his way to describe some of his new dungeon devices to the prefects.”
To this day, I cannot give any adequate explanation of how, less than an hour later, I found myself in the dungeon along with Celestine, Lycia, Dimitri, (Marc playing an NPC) and the Lunari twins. It is one of the bizarre twists that happen sometimes, I suppose. First, I strictly forbade the first years from accompanying us, and, with mild protestations, I hustled them off to bed. While I was taking care of that, though, Lycia and Celestine conferred quietly for some minutes, and when I returned they had a plan for their approach. They had been joined by Dimitri, who seemed very enthusiastic about the adventure. Listening to their plan, though, it occurred to me that if the two of them went down there alone and something caused them not to return, I would never forgive myself. While I am not, I suppose, a person who cares deeply for others, still I was already coming to feel a great deal of responsibility for the well being of my house mates. My duties as prefect made it my duty to help to protect them, I remember reasoning, ignoring the obvious fact that they were both my equal or better in terms of years of study, and so I must risk my own safety and accompany them. It was, looking back, very hollow reasoning, yet I believed it just as firmly as I believed that going to the dungeon was the worst idea I had heard in some time. On the way down, we encountered the twins standing near the door – part of me still believes that they were waiting for us – and soon we found ourselves standing before the broad, heavy, iron-bound door that opened at the base of the long, dark, dank stair case that led down into the depths of the catacombs beneath Hogwarts Castle.
In other news, I'm pleased to announce that peer pressure has once again proved successful, for Jason has been prevailed upon to start a LJ! His account name is
deadmanwade and hopefully, he'll post something soon. ;) ;) (and I hope that link works, too ;) )Thirdly, there is almost no chance I'll get any writing done tomorrow - between my presentation, my plans to write the paper I didn't write today, and the interlude, I'd say it's pretty much locked up. I'll try, but consider yourselves warned! Be warned, darn you.
Fourth, and, I think, lastly, a note on tonights writing. As was inevitable, I finally found something that was important that I'd forgotten (I have remembered several unimportant things that I left out, these I've made notes of and intend to add in later drafts) and so there is a paragraph of retcon, that actually goes some place in last posting, I believe. Sorry!!
The activation of mighty RET-CON power inserts the following at a point during the time after the Quidditch Try-outs and before the Gray Lady shows up...I haven't quite added the connecting language yet, but it goes in there someplace. ;)
That evening, too all of our great consternation, there was a great hubbub that interrupted all of our studying. Furious, Professor Lestrange barged into the common room, dragging Dimitri Rashad Demzhera, a (insert year here!) Ravenclaw student, by the wrist. “Not only do you show up TWO DAYS LATE for school, but you have the poor taste to not even be wearing your robes,” Professor Lestrange had a gift for seeming to shout without actually raising her voice. At this moment, her voice dripped rancor and disdain, and she conveyed her annoyance thoroughly despite her moderate tone. “I suggest, Mr. Demzhera, that you find some robes, and then I suggest that you reflect on your actions while you serve detention.” Without another word, she left. Dimitri, shrugging slightly, walked casually up to his dorm room.
And now, when we last left our intrepid heroes...
The disappearance of the Gray Lady was followed by several moments of intense, encompassing silence. Looking around at my companions, I couldn’t help but notice some things that worried me greatly, though. Lycia had a glow to her eyes, an eagerness that I don’t think I’d ever seen in her before. Celestine, on the other hand, look thoroughly distressed, while Eileen and Galatea didn’t seem to know what to think. Wondering how I must look, I started mentally preparing the list of reasons that going down into the dungeon in the middle of the night on our second day of classes was an absolutely terrible idea that should not under any circumstances be undertaken.
“So…what do we do?” Celestine asked finally, her accent heavier than normal due to a slight nervous undertone.
“You heard the ghost,” Lycia said, starting to stand. “We go down to the dungeon and take this book.” I think, up to that time, it was the most words I’d ever heard her say at once.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I interjected, trying to sound confident and in control. “The ghosts, after all, are not the most reliable of information sources – she said herself that she cannot get close to the book, cannot turn the pages, and that the head master drives her away whenever he is actually down there working. For all we know, she has completely misinterpreted the situation.” I paused, and then added firmly. “I don’t think Headmaster Nigellus would do the things she has claimed he is doing.”
“But…if he is, someone needs to stop him, right?” Eileen spoke up timidly. Nodding in reply, Celestine added, “good people cannot allow such things to happen.”
Nodding also, though for drastically different reasons, I resolved to be done with the matter. “If you all feel that you must go, then go, and I will not report you. Nor, however, will I aid you. I do not think it’s a good idea. I think the dungeon is dangerous, I think the Headmaster is innocent, and I know that students who are caught out of their dormitories this late at night will be severely punished, because the groundskeeper went out of his way to describe some of his new dungeon devices to the prefects.”
To this day, I cannot give any adequate explanation of how, less than an hour later, I found myself in the dungeon along with Celestine, Lycia, Dimitri, (Marc playing an NPC) and the Lunari twins. It is one of the bizarre twists that happen sometimes, I suppose. First, I strictly forbade the first years from accompanying us, and, with mild protestations, I hustled them off to bed. While I was taking care of that, though, Lycia and Celestine conferred quietly for some minutes, and when I returned they had a plan for their approach. They had been joined by Dimitri, who seemed very enthusiastic about the adventure. Listening to their plan, though, it occurred to me that if the two of them went down there alone and something caused them not to return, I would never forgive myself. While I am not, I suppose, a person who cares deeply for others, still I was already coming to feel a great deal of responsibility for the well being of my house mates. My duties as prefect made it my duty to help to protect them, I remember reasoning, ignoring the obvious fact that they were both my equal or better in terms of years of study, and so I must risk my own safety and accompany them. It was, looking back, very hollow reasoning, yet I believed it just as firmly as I believed that going to the dungeon was the worst idea I had heard in some time. On the way down, we encountered the twins standing near the door – part of me still believes that they were waiting for us – and soon we found ourselves standing before the broad, heavy, iron-bound door that opened at the base of the long, dark, dank stair case that led down into the depths of the catacombs beneath Hogwarts Castle.
