Hogwarts y1: The Light in The Dark [IC/Closed]

[CoraSpia]

Marcus

The ashwinder eggs had been rather easy to subdue actually, Marcus decided. Once it became clear that they simply stopped being a problem when you froze them, everyone including him just did just that. A few of them were bagged, and all in all it was not much of a problem; their were no injuries and they'd collected a very good ingredient in love potions, and he wasn't going to pretend that that didn't give him ideas...
When Henry an James weren't looking he removed one of the small eggs from the bag and pocketed it, giving very little away as a devious little idea took hold in his mind. Their was something that he was planning, which could either go very well or very wrong...only time would tell.

Ava
Under the barrage of attacks, the horrible green creatures attacking them retreated back into the pond and Ava was able to breathe a sigh of relief. She hadn't helped as much as she wanted to, however she was just glad it was over, and she could now return to the nice warm fire that seemed to be beckoning from the clearing.

timeskip, lunch

Gleen had cooked a bit too much meat. He had it in piles, kept warm by a heating spell, and their was still some more cooking over the warm fire that was visible for about a mile. He stood their as the students returned uninjured from their adventures, and smiled welcomingly.
"You all made it," he exclaimed, beaming. "Don't worry, it won't all be this easy. We'll be out here for a few days yet, dealing with things that make these guys look like cute little puppy dogs. Only one question," he appeared confused as he spoke "Timothy...what team are you in?"

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Sitting down next to Caitie, Henry began devouring a steak that Gleen had cooked to perfection. Wiping his mouth on a hankerchief, Henry pointed at the large troll laying unconcious in the middle of the camp. Telling her "Nice Troll, all I had were ashwinders. Speaking of which, watch out for any drinks anyone from my group gives you. I personally didn't take any eggs, but frankly I don't trust a lot of them and there is only two uses fo Ashwinder eggs. And given that the last I checked none of them had Ague..." Henry stared at the troll some more, before saying "I wonder what else Gleen has in store for us..." Dropping his voice suddenly and letting his face begin to slightly transform into it's psychopathic state, Henry whispered to her "Watch for a Snake outside your tent tonight... I have something very funned planned. Also bring the house elf, I want to try something with him..."

[Britanania]

Caitie: Group 3

The girl shrugged.

"He was a bit of a drag to take back, but thankfully we were able to manage. Womky helped too." Caitie looked around, having not touched her food, and leaned in to Henry to whisper.

"I'm sure you heard Avery tagged with us. I wanted to tie him to a tree and leave him for another troll," she said with a slight chuckle before pulling back. "And we'll see if I can do that," Caitie added nonchalantly in the open. "Womky will need to be vigilant tonight, though."

I can't trust any of these people, after all.

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

James Abbott
Team 1

James sat near Henry around the campfire, devouring his steak after a taxing day. It wasn't as good as some of the food he would have been treated to at home, or even at Hogwarts, but he had to admit that Gleen had done a good job with them. After every last, succulent bite had been downed, the Ravenclaw looked around the camp. It appeared that Team Three had managed to bag an enormous, ugly, hair troll, that was lying comatose and bound off to the side of the fire. Henry had proudly presented Team One's Ashwinder eggs to the Professor, and the sack containing them lay at his feet. Team Two, however, seemed to have produced no trophy of their success. Perhaps whatever confronted them had overpowered them.

James also took notice of Caitie, or more specifically, Caitie's seemingly sycophantic HouseElf, Womky. Most Elves were devoted to their families, so it was nothing out of the ordinary. Back at home, James' family had a House Elf as well, a pitiful creature called Beeney who served them faithfully. They had inherited her from their ancestors, even though the Abbotts were affluent enough to purchase their own House Elf if needed. James never really paid much attention to her, and had never considered bringing her to Hogwarts. He wondered what the rules concerning that were.

He noticed Cyrus sitting alone- as usual- and decided to ask him about his experience. "Hey, Cyrus! What did your group get?" he asked, flopping down next to the redhead.

[World Anarchic Union]

William Darkenstone
Team 2

William sat by the fire, devouring some of the food cooked by Gleen. He needed some rest after that long day and the magic he had conjured. He now looked around at the other teams.
Team 1 had brought back Ashwinder eggs,while Team 3 an unconscious troll. His team had managed to bring back some of the Grindylows that had been left on the shore, most dead but a few unconscious and tied up, near the troll.

He looked around some more, gazing at the other team members. He eventually sat near Henry and Caitie. He looked at the house elf that was present and turned to Caitie.
"Nice job with the troll. This house elf is yours, correct? I didn't know Hogwarts allowed someone to bring along their servants. Will a house elf remain obedient to its master after you free it? Or will it leave att he first opportunity? Don't have much experience with them. I have only seen them...a few times." he said, thinking about his trips to the Hogwarts kitchen to stash his forbidden books.

[Britanania]

Caitie: Group 3

The female House Elf regarded William with distrust, getting between the two sitting children.

"Womky is loyal elf. Womky has served House Glacies for over a hundred years now. Womy would never leave Lady Caitlin's side", the diminutive creature exclaimed. Caitie gave a wry smile and touched her elf on the head.

"It's all right, Womky. No one is questioning your loyalty." Caitie said proudly. "But yes, the school allows her to accompany me. It's an old rule that no one knows about, but still on the books."

[Skylus]

Caitie: Group 3

The female House Elf regarded William with distrust, getting between the two sitting children.

"Womky is loyal elf. Womky has served House Glacies for over a hundred years now. Womy would never leave Lady Caitlin's side", the diminutive creature exclaimed. Caitie gave a wry smile and touched her elf on the head.

"It's all right, Womky. No one is questioning your loyalty." Caitie said proudly. "But yes, the school allows her to accompany me. It's an old rule that no one knows about, but still on the books."

Derek
Derek was sitting off by himself, trying to get some sleep before the group headed off again, when he heard Caitie talking about her House Elf.
"My family doesn't exactly have House Elfs. My grandda thought it was wrong to have them, so he set those free that were still alive...but some stayed, anyway. We have some, but they're free, not...slaves."

[Miekzhemy]

Rachel Ackerley
Team 3

Rachel had been helping get the toll into the camp site. She and most of the other group members collectively used levitating spells to lift the huge mass and carrying it along before it was dropped to the ground with another loud thud off to the side in the camp. Rachel quickly joined her fellow students, primarily the Gryffindors as usual.

She silently enjoyed the wonderful steaks that Gleen prepared, quickly chomping into one as soon as she sat down. For a piece of meat cooked with fire and heating spells in the woods, it was certainly amazing. She had just finished chewing her bite before she remembered something. She leaned over towards Derek and asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"How did you do that transformation a while back? I thought stuff like that took forever to learn!"

[Talchyon]

Lunch
Cyrus MacGregor

James had come up and sat down. "Ah yeah, we were the troll group. Pretty simple really. Just a few paralyzing spells and something to conk him out. Actually, moving him back here was harder than fighting him. And what did you guys do?"

This forbidden forest was kind of creepy, though. Ominous cracking sounds came from various parts of the forest around them, from who knows what might make those noises. There were birds singing, but they were not cheerful songs. They were more like shrieks and alarms at the same time. Cyrus shuddered a little each time he heard them. The sky was overcast, and the cloud cover brought an even greater sense of foreboding and despair. The place gave him the creeps, and he was hoping they could leave as soon as possible.

[Skylus]

Rachel Ackerley
Team 3

Rachel had been helping get the toll into the camp site. She and most of the other group members collectively used levitating spells to lift the huge mass and carrying it along before it was dropped to the ground with another loud thud off to the side in the camp. Rachel quickly joined her fellow students, primarily the Gryffindors as usual.

She silently enjoyed the wonderful steaks that Gleen prepared, quickly chomping into one as soon as she sat down. For a piece of meat cooked with fire and heating spells in the woods, it was certainly amazing. She had just finished chewing her bite before she remembered something. She leaned over towards Derek and asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"How did you do that transformation a while back? I thought stuff like that took forever to learn!"

Derek
Derek turned to Rachel and grinned.
"Amazing, isn't it? My Da started teaching me around two years ago. Already registered, don't worry, I have my own thoughts, but I think why I can transform so "early" is because both my Da and Mum are Animagui too. They can both become black panthers."
He then stood up.
"Want to see me transform again? I want to see the Snakes reaction." He said this quietly so Caitie and the others couldn't hear him.

[Miekzhemy]

Rachel Ackerley
Team 3

Rachel had been helping get the toll into the camp site. She and most of the other group members collectively used levitating spells to lift the huge mass and carrying it along before it was dropped to the ground with another loud thud off to the side in the camp. Rachel quickly joined her fellow students, primarily the Gryffindors as usual.

She silently enjoyed the wonderful steaks that Gleen prepared, quickly chomping into one as soon as she sat down. For a piece of meat cooked with fire and heating spells in the woods, it was certainly amazing. She had just finished chewing her bite before she remembered something. She leaned over towards Derek and asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"How did you do that transformation a while back? I thought stuff like that took forever to learn!"

Derek
Derek turned to Rachel and grinned.
"Amazing, isn't it? My Da started teaching me around two years ago. Already registered, don't worry, I have my own thoughts, but I think why I can transform so "early" is because both my Da and Mum are Animagui too. They can both become black panthers."
He then stood up.
"Want to see me transform again? I want to see the Snakes reaction." He said this quietly so Caitie and the others couldn't hear him.

Rachel

Rachel looked around to the students around them, her gaze resting on the group of Slytherin students. She formed an amused smile on her face and turned back to Derek. She said back to him in a hushed tone, "So long as it doesn't get you bitten by that Henry kid's bloody snake that he cares about so much, go for it."

She eagerly waited for him to try and transform again, and took another large bite out of her steak.

[Skylus]

Rachel

Rachel looked around to the students around them, her gaze resting on the group of Slytherin students. She formed an amused smile on her face and turned back to Derek. She said back to him in a hushed tone, "So long as it doesn't get you bitten by that Henry kid's bloody snake that he cares about so much, go for it."

She eagerly waited for him to try and transform again, and took another large bite out of her steak.

Derek
"Great. Just watch and learn."
Derek stepped back a few paces and a few seconds later, a Dire Wolf stood were Derek had been.
The beast titled his head up at Rachel and wagged his tail.
"Woof?"

[CoraSpia]

((general post because I'm tired and ill.))

Marcus and Ava had gotten in at different times, Ava taking a little longer due to the fact that she had a truly impressive bite on her ankle from a grindylow which she still hadn't managed to heal. Though she'd bandaged it up, she was still quite visibly bleeding, and Gleen came over. Though healing spells weren't his speciality, a bite like this was relatively simple and she was able to relax and enjoy a large rack of ribs. Her and Marcus had done one thing similar though, they'd attatched themselves as usual to the group of slytherins and Ravenclaws.
"Did you know house elves can make broomsticks?" Ava asked, pitching into the conversation. "Anyone with a burnside broom...that's burnside xl, nimbus, cleansweep...you're flying on something that was made by a house elf, or a group of them."

[World Anarchic Union]

William Darkenstone

William tilted his head and smiled at the sight of the defensive elf.
"I am sure you would never betray your master. From what I gather, the most significant trait of house elves seems to be their loyalty and you have an abundance of it."

He turned to Caitie once more.
"Interesting. I hadn't heard of that rule. It must be left from the old days where only wizards of considerable fortune and status could enter Hogwarts. As I mentioned, I don't have a particular experience with these sort of creatures, other than a casual mention in the history books and some sightings down in the kitchens.
Anyway, what do you think Gleen will have us do next? The Forest casts a long shadow, one that we haven't even fully pierced. If you stay silent, you can hear sounds coming further inside the woods. One can only imagine what lies at the very heart of this forest."

[Miekzhemy]

Rachel

Rachel looked around to the students around them, her gaze resting on the group of Slytherin students. She formed an amused smile on her face and turned back to Derek. She said back to him in a hushed tone, "So long as it doesn't get you bitten by that Henry kid's bloody snake that he cares about so much, go for it."

She eagerly waited for him to try and transform again, and took another large bite out of her steak.

Derek
"Great. Just watch and learn."
Derek stepped back a few paces and a few seconds later, a Dire Wolf stood were Derek had been.
The beast titled his head up at Rachel and wagged his tail.
"Woof?"

Rachel

Rachel nearly choked on her bite of steak when, in the blink of an eye, Derek had suddenly turned into a wolf. It happened much quicker than she expected. She stared forward at the wolf staring happily up at her, an expression of pure awe on her face as her mouth was still full of food. She took a moment to chew her steak down. "Wow. That's bloody amazing..." she said as she gave the wolf in front of her a quick pet on the head.

[Britanania]

Caitie: Group 3

Caitie smirked slightly, allowing for a small showing of emotion.

This one enjoys the dark a little too much

"One might think you're not so afraid as curious. Perhaps there's something you're looking for?" the girl replied, thinking where her own curiosity took her.

The look on his face when I removed it...I don't know if I can ever replicate such a satisfying moment. House Elves are one thing, but human subjects are another. House Elves have no dignity to lose; humans have everything to lose.

[World Anarchic Union]

William Darkenstone
Team 2

William looked at the fire for a bit, warming his hands at the heat source in the middle of the clearing, before turning to Caitie, looking her in the eyes and addressing her.

"Curiosity is what moves this world and furthers our knowledge. There is always something to look for, especially in a place where magic and its arcane forms are widespread. There isn't something specific that I am interested in this forest although a number of things can be found deeper into it. Things related to the more forbidden side of magic, the one that holds much more potential. The thing I am looking for, however, isn't here. What can be found here, however, is knowledge. "

He turned to the fire and the other students before turning back at Caitie.

[Britanania]

Caitie: Group Three

Who the hell does this guy think he is? All this esoteric shit is starting to piss me off. If it weren't for the others I would love to see what he looks like inside out.

Caitie smiled politely.

"Knowledge is overrated," she said in an airy voice. "Who is happier, you or Womky? Womky never complains and does her jobs with all the happiness of a toddler, but you seem like a morose chap. What has knowledge done for you, I wonder?"

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Caitie: Group Three

Who the hell does this guy think he is? All this esoteric shit is starting to piss me off. If it weren't for the others I would love to see what he looks like inside out.

Caitie smiled politely.

"Knowledge is overrated," she said in an airy voice. "Who is happier, you or Womky? Womky never complains and does her jobs with all the happiness of a toddler, but you seem like a morose chap. What has knowledge done for you, I wonder?"

Henry walked up to the pair, beginning to sense some hate brewing. Clasping Will on the shoulder, he said "Will, mate, you're a smart fellow right? It appears Gleen has brought along a couple copies of the Monster book of Monsters with him. Why don't you help your group figure out how to open theirs. I need to talk to Caitie... Alone if you don't mind."

[True Christopia]

Andrew

The encounter with the troll had been close. Andrew would have been spaghetti had it not been for Rachel, and he was glad for it. But, back at the clearing, he was enjoying a heated stake laid out for them by the Professor - he always loved steak, but was quite the fan of Chinese food, too. His dad had gotten a few takeaways from a local Chinese place where he lived, and he quite enjoyed it all.

Wondering his way around the clearing, he eventually stumbled upon the Gryffindor group. Sitting down, he took another bite from his steak and said, once he had swallowed it "Hey, everybody."

[Britanania]

Caitie: Group Three

The white-blonde witch raised an eyebrow as Henry came over and interuppted her conversation with William. It wasn't that she wasn't grateful--something about William bothered her slightly--but the timing wasn't lost on her either.

Well, this better be important

"Yeah, sure Henry." she said, rising from the bench and walking with him to a secluded part of the clearing. "what's up?" Caitie said, popping her hip and crossing her arms.

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Caitie: Group Three

The white-blonde witch raised an eyebrow as Henry came over and interuppted her conversation with William. It wasn't that she wasn't grateful--something about William bothered her slightly--but the timing wasn't lost on her either.

Well, this better be important

"Yeah, sure Henry." she said, rising from the bench and walking with him to a secluded part of the clearing. "what's up?" Caitie said, popping her hip and crossing her arms.

Poiting to a tree near the edge of the clearing, where a tree appeared to have been sanded of it's bark on one spot, Henry asked "Do you see that. Spiral Sanding. My dad taught me to look for it last time we went hunting. They are marks of a unicorn in the forest. I heard my brother talking about this particular one. Ministry is in an uproar, because after their conservation program made them move a large population from here to Norway, this one became the last Unicorn in the british isles. Thus, it is a valuable target. Why not relieve the ministry of it's burden?" Henry rubbed his hands "Unicorn pelt can ake any robe impenetrable to magic, and it's horn can be used to make a wand of exceptional power, though it shouldn't be used as a main hand wand, more like a dagger. And the blood. I don't plan to drink it, but what poison is better than the one that destroys the spirit?"

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

James Abbott

James furtively grabbed one of the last steaks- a small one, mind you- as Cyrus told him of his group's escapade. The hunk of meat was lukewarm, but still delicious. James figured that the steak would stick to his ribs and keep him going tonight- he probably wouldn't be able to catch any sleep due to the overall creepiness of the entire Forest. Glancing at the troll over his half-eaten steak, James nodded his approval while still working his jaw.

"Even if bringing down that brute was easy, it was more difficult than what we had to do." Gulping down some steak, James continued: "Ashwinder eggs. Whole mounds of them. Thankfully, thanks to some quick thinking-" James was about to say "on Henry's part" but stopped himself- "we were able to dispatch them all before they could hatch." He pointed at the sack of eggs lying at their Professor's feet. "Even brought back a few."

Finishing the last of his steak and, noting that there wasn't a napkin to be seen, James licked his fingers clean, hoping Cyrus wouldn't mind given the circumstances. James didn't exactly have the best manners- being eleven- but growing up in a landed family did instill some basic etiquette in him. Sighing after the filling meal, the Ravenclaw asked, "So, what do you think we'll face next?". He glanced around as he heard distinctive clicks in the trees. "I hope it's not those bloody spiders."

[Britanania]

Caitie: Group 3

The young girl wasn't sure how to respond to what Henry told him.

Is there something in the water or the air? Is everyone losing their minds in this damned forest? First William and now Henry. This must be what Gleen has brought us out for, some kind of sick experiment or something

"Henry, have you ever seen a unicorn?" she asked. "Aren't like faster than werewolves or something?"

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Caitie: Group 3

The young girl wasn't sure how to respond to what Henry told him.

Is there something in the water or the air? Is everyone losing their minds in this damned forest? First William and now Henry. This must be what Gleen has brought us out for, some kind of sick experiment or something

"Henry, have you ever seen a unicorn?" she asked. "Aren't like faster than werewolves or something?"

Henry laughed, his face growing dark, his true personality coming to the forefront slightly as he said "When they are threatened. They tend to be quite peaceful when watched from short distances. That's where the true beauty of one of my christmas gifts comes in. Remeber that Dragon Hunting spear my aunt got me? No magical signature, repairs the pelt on the way out, and administers a paralysis spell to the muscles, stunning even magic resistant creatures. I found the beasts bedding site a few hundred yards away from camp, and asked that centaur that helps teach Divanation sometimes about it. While the centaurs wouldn't like to see it removed, this particular unicorn has a vicious streak towards them a mile long and he says that some centaurs even believe it might encourage the ministry to provide better protection for the forest. You can even have the blood, I hear it burns the skin rather effectively."