An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on May 18, 2023 21:18:22 GMT 10
So her next task was finding some vanishing books in the cluttered room? That definitely sounded easier said than done. MJ didn't mind, however, as it was an excuse to return to the room she had been so fascinated by last year.
She walked down the corridor and found the right door. For some reason, MJ felt like someone might be watching her even though she wasn't doing anything wrong or breaking any rules that she knew of. Still, she looked up and down the corridor before opening the door and entering into the room.
Setting her satchel down inside the door, MJ removed her robes and folded it up neatly. She just didn't want it getting in the way when she was digging through items. After being satisfied everything was ready, she then took a moment to look around.
It probably had changed at all since last year -- unless someone had added to the mess. MJ took out her wand and then paused. She remembered the notice had mentioned that the books didn't respond to the summoning charm...
There was a temptation to keep her wand out, just in case. MJ debated over this and then tucked it back into her skirt pocket.
Well, it was time to get started! She rolled up her sleeves and headed to the first pile of clutter to dig through it for one of the books.
[OOC: Stage 3 of the Transfig Extra-C]
Last Edit: May 18, 2023 21:18:49 GMT 10 by MJ Birdwhistle
It was no easy task, that's for sure. As soon as MJ thought she had an overview of what was around her, she noticed a whole other set of things. There was no order to it, not really -- though a few categories or general areas for related items seemed to emerge the longer she surveyed the room.
MJ needed to identify three main sections, before she had any chance of finding the books.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on May 19, 2023 16:16:47 GMT 10
The longer she stared around the room, from what she could see, the more a pattern seemed to emerge for MJ to spot.
To her left it seemed to be mostly boxes, containers, ways to store things. She nodded to herself, a good place to hide a book.
To her right seemed to be fabrics, clothes, curtains, a whole jumble of things of that nature. It would be a pain to dig through and untangle but maybe a book could be lost amongst them.
And then, just ahead of her.
Books. Piles and piles of books, along with scrolls, random parchment -- stacks and overflowing shelves. MJ put her hands on her hips. She'd leave that for last.
So she ventured into the area on her left first. She started to dig through the bigger boxes, which just had smaller containers or boxes or something of that nature within them. One wooden chest was just full of music boxes. MJ opened one and, while she didn't know the name of the tune, it was nice and she let it continue playing next to her.
Next she rifled through a drawer that had no home but was full of stacking dolls. MJ opened a few, just in case magic had made them bigger on the inside but found no book. She thought they were well-made and something her Great Auntie would enjoy.
Smiling to herself, MJ committed to the task. Digging through another box just revealed endless smaller, slim boxes that took MJ a moment to realize what they were -- wand boxes! She had one quite similar in her trunk. She thought about getting her wand at Diagon Alley and smiled.
"Alright -- Where is this book?" MJ turned her attention to a filing cabinet and opened the drawers, sticking her hand inside so she could feel right to the back.
The filing cabinet, to not surprise, mostly contained loose files and scraps of parchment. Some sort of records, but nothing particularly exciting. A lot of it was faded with time and lack of care. Reaching in blindly did her no favours, however, as something sharp pricked her palm in the process. Not enough to draw blood, but it was rather a warning.
But it wasn't without success. Startled by the sharp jab, MJ jostled the cabinet in her retreat / reaction. Doing so knocked a few things onto the floor at her feet... including a Transfiguration book -- its cover clean and adorned with golden lettering.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on May 19, 2023 17:25:41 GMT 10
"Ow!" MJ withdrew her hand quickly, accidentally knocking her elbow into the cabinet as she did so.
First she studied her palm. It seemed something had pricked her skin, leaving a small red dot there but no blood. Thank goodness for that! MJ didn't feel like having to make a trip to the Hospital Wing just yet.
She was about to move on when her foot knocked into something and MJ looked down to see a book with gold lettering. She picked up it and it only took her a few seconds to realize what it was.
"Awesome!" MJ took the book to her school bag and tucked it inside safely. After doing so, she checked her palm again and flexed her hand. It didn't hurt much so she felt okay to continue her search.
This time she decided to check out the material mountain. She didn't know how many different things could be jumbled together.
MJ pulled at a velvet curtain, trimmed with lace, from the top of the pile but it seemed to be caught on something else. MJ clambered over the pile, testing it with her weight but it seemed sturdy enough. She tugged some ribbons free and that seemed to loosen something else.
Next she was able to free some old robes -- first came maroon, then navy, then a deep emerald green, followed by a blazing orange, then a shocking purple -- she felt like a bit like one of those muggle magicians, doing that colourful silk hanky trick.
She couldn't help but laugh at how silly the situation was.
The curtain was still stuck, tightly knotted deeper within the materials. MJ tried to unpick it with little success so she continued working her way through as methodically as she could. She removed a fuzzy blanket that had clearly been very loved. It was worn down now and the pattern was faded.
After that, she was able to free up some more ribbons, which had the same effect as before. MJ wondered if there was some magic involved in this mass of materials! She tugged on a shirt that was tied to a table cloth and almost fell off the pile herself.
Finally, however, she was able to detach the curtain. It seemed endless, however, so she kept pulling and pulling and pulling...
Her arms ached and she could feel a bead of sweat dripping down her face as she continued. Maybe it wasn't a curtain after all? What she had freed was gathering at her feet and the pile was growing.
The curtain indeed kept going, endlessly more so than a bride's trail. It became clear that it was not, in fact, meant to be this long -- but a spell being stretched to its limits. And when it couldn't possible stretch any further, the curtain snapped at the end and sagged to the ground.
It stirred a bunch of dust, causing MJ to cough. After a few rounds of it, she noticed the curtain itself seemed to cough with her. It was rather disturbing to see, as if a person might be hiding somewhere under the pile. Perhaps it wasn't as much of a mystery as to why this object was stashed away in such a room?
The disturbance seemed to affect something deeper in the pile of remaining materials, which squeaked and fled -- as well as one of the ribbons she'd carelessly discarded moments earlier. It was one of the longer ribbons, and a deep blue colour. Startled, its near-dormant enchantment made one last effort to fulfill its purpose... by mistaking MJ's head for a giftbox.
It sprung to life, and wrapped her head like a present -- including a flourishing bow on top. It managed to complete the task before the last thread of magic finally faded. But it hadn't done a very good job, as it was far too tight and seemed to resist being easily untied. An unpleasant experience, but thankfully her neck was spared.
Unsure where it came from, though it was in the general direction of where some squeaking and scurrying had been a moment earlier, another Transfiguration book fell into view by her feet. It was similar to the other one -- though it flipped open on landing and revealed very intricate designs. Far too complex to be used in classes; these books were more special than she'd realised.
Unfortunately, none of the contents made any sort of sense to her. In fact, the words seemed to blur if she tried to read them. Best to stick with simply locating them.
2 of 3 books found.
Last Edit: May 20, 2023 23:39:30 GMT 10 by Lena: typos-be-gone
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on May 20, 2023 21:29:02 GMT 10
As she had suspected, there was some kind of magic behind what was going on with this tangled mess of materials and other items. She felt the curtain finally give way and almost fell over but her troubles didn't stop there.
A ribbon she had discarded earlier seemed to take offence to that (or so it seemed). MJ let out a squawk of surprise as it targetted her. She wasn't able to get her hands up in time but could feel it wrapping around her.
For a moment she was worried she'd be hurt in some way but no, it mostly wrapped around her forehead and hair. The bow, if she had been able to see, would have looked very pretty as it gathered her hair into a high ponytail.
But it was tight too.
MJ could feel the hairs on the back of her neck being pulled and it was a very uncomfortable feeling. She tried to loosen it up but it didn't work.
"So I'm just supposed to stay like this for now...?" She grumbled to the room at large. She would have to put up with it and carry on with her task because MJ refused to be defeated.
Stepping off the pile, she noticed a book sliding down alongside her and gasped. This had to be another one! She picked it up quickly and checked it over -- yes, it looked similar to the first book but whatever was inside it made her head spin. This was very advanced magic.
She went back to her bag to put the book carefully inside and then looked at her last challenge.
Finding a book within a giant pile of books, stacks of papers, endless scrolls... Well, it would like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Something about it seemed foreboding too. She had heard squeaks earlier and now MJ had her wand in her hand. Finding creatures in this room wasn't something she had really thought to worry about but she'd be on guard now.
Entering into the 'book section' MJ noticed something immediately. The stacks and any bookcases were like walls, leading her along a certain path which she followed until she came to a fork. She had checked the books along the way but most of them had missing titles or didn't seem interested in being removed from their stacks.
A rustle of paper to the left made MJ's decision of where to go rather easy.
She followed the sound, her wand at the ready and the path diverged again. This time it spiked off into three options. This maze seemed too big to fit into the room she had been in so MJ knew some magic had to be involved. Each option seemed to end in a dark shadow.
"Lumos." MJ whispered before stopping to listen for any clues. Scrolls were littered on the floor and she noticed some of them ruffling -- a breeze perhaps? She headed to the right and hurried her steps.
The light from her wand helped as the darkness grew and MJ got the feeling she was losing her way. She had to keep going and hope there was a book at the end of all of this or else she'd turn back and start again.
The maze of bookcases and book stacks came to an end. Her wandlight added a mysterious glow to what awaited her -- adding layers and bright edges to the pages and spines of what was easily at least a hundred books. The tall bookcases had blocked her view of it, until now... but it was quite a stunning sight.
A spiraling column of flying books, almost like a slow-motion tornado, lazily moved in perfect rhythm -- their covers acting as wings, and their pages as feathers. It was reminiscent of fish swimming in a school deep underwater. The light reflected against a familiar gold lettering higher above; the final Transfiguration textbook. But how to reach it?
As if sensing the need, the pattern shifted enough to inspire MJ to use them spiraling books as a staircase. Assuming, of course, that her small jumps were well-timed and carefully-aimed. Going up was a challenge, but going down would be a slide.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on May 22, 2023 16:23:15 GMT 10
Her footsteps slowed as MJ caught sight of what was before her, her eyes wide and mouth open -- "Woah..."
Books spiralled around a large bookcase. No, large was too small a word for how enormous this thing was. MJ felt her mouth go dry for a moment as she picked apart the pattern in what she was seeing.
The books were the staircase and whatever was at the top (hopefully a very fancy Transfiguration Book) was her prize for completing this trial. Part of her was amazed at what this school could throw at her! MJ laughed quietly, perhaps from relief or nerves or excitement, and then stepped towards the first book.
She wanted her hands free for the climb just in case she needed them so she whispered an apology to her wand. Careful not to use her teeth, she held it between her lips. This meant it could light her way without MJ worrying about dropping it.
MJ considered something else and then decided to remove her shoes and socks, stuffing the latter into the former. Her bare feet would give her the best grip.
After another moment of consideration, MJ just went for it. She hopped onto the first book which was lowest to the ground so it wasn't really that hard to get on.
But the feeling of being carried along certainly took some getting used to. MJ 'surfed' atop the book, her arms out to steady herself until she got into the rhythm of what was happening. Aiming for the next book, she jumped and landed almost in the middle. MJ momentarily dropped to one knee but rose again, fighting the urge to gasp and drop her wand.
This might take a while but it was kinda fun too.
Books three and four were easy enough but MJ started to notice a slight increase in distance between each book as she got higher. Nothing was ever so simple, was it? She rolled up her sleeves and made sure her wand was secure.
Book five required a bit of a step back and luckily these books were just large enough for her to do so.
Hop. Hop. Hop.
MJ was close to the top now. She could see a pillar of light aimed towards the top of the book case and a plinth of some sorts. MJ felt bad for tramping on these books but she hoped they would understand. Her body was tired, however, as the gaps got bigger and bigger.
There was one book left before she'd be able to hop onto the bookcase. MJ nodded, determined and just told herself to go for it.
As MJ leapt through the air she knew she wasn't going to make it. There was a moment it felt like her heart had stopped or time had slowed, something cliché like that. She reached with her hands, stretching her body as much as possible and just when she felt she wasn't going to make it... Her fingers gripped the edge of the book.
It dipped for a moment but continued its flight around the bookcase. MJ let out a hum of effort, holding onto her wand in her mouth and the book in her hands.
This definitely wasn't as much fun as riding a broom -- MJ definitely preferred that method of flying.
With another hum (more a grunt), she eased herself up and managed to manoeuvre herself onto her knees and then upright. She didn't want to look down but her brain made her before she could stop. She was definitely high enough to really hurt herself if she fell.
MJ took her wand out of her mouth for a moment, panting. She gave it a quick wipe down with her school jumper and sighed, "Just one last little bit to go. We got this."
With a determined nod, she put her wand back between her lips and watched the top of the bookcase as she circled it slowly.
She had to time this just right.
As they rounded the bookcase again, MJ saw the moment present itself. There was a slight lip on this side of the bookcase that would give her more space to land -- but she had to go now!
Another leap of faith as MJ dropped towards the bookcase. She wanted to close her eyes but knew that wouldn't help at all, so she kept her eyes wide open and landed onto the bookcase with a grunt.
She felt slightly winded and it took her a moment to recover. MJ was just glad she hadn't dropped to her death in this maze of books. Imagine the letter the school would have to write home! Her Granny and Great Auntie would be sad (but maybe they would be like, ah yes, she loved books that much...).
The thought, the absurdity of it, made MJ laugh and she got to her feet again.
Her approach to the single book on display was slow but reverent. So this was what she had fought so hard for? It was gorgeous and certainly worth the effort.
It was indeed one of those special Transfiguration textbooks, its gold lettering shining ever-brighter in close proximity to her lit wand. It had to be real gold, to reflect in that way. These books looked expensive and rare, so it wouldn't be surprising.
Once MJ found her way safely back to the floor, if she chose to slide down or otherwise -- her task here, of finding and retrieving the books, was done.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on May 22, 2023 17:56:43 GMT 10
As soon as MJ picked up the Transfiguration book (that looked like real gold too...) the books she had used as stepping stones stopped moving.
Or that is to say, they stopped swirling aroung and started to shift into their new position. MJ tucked the Super Special Transfiguration book neatly under one arm and held her wand in her free hand.
She had a slide to catch.
MJ let out a giggle as she sat down, gazing over what little of the vast room she could see from here. Some of the darkness seemed to be lifting but MJ didn't dwell on it for too long.
Her whoop echoed and away she went!
Landing with a soft thump at the bottom, her only regret was how short a ride that seemed to be. If only getting to the top wasn't such a trial, she'd be tempted to go again!
Checking the book was okay, MJ noticed she didn't need to light the way now. What had once been a maze of foreboding stacks, towering over her and blocking any light, was now a clear and open path.
This room was certainly having its fun with her. She noticed a loose ribbon around her neck as she walked towards her satchel and laughed softly.
"Well, this has been fun. I'll be back to visit again soon!" MJ assured the room, who probably didn't get many visitors so any mischief it played probably stemmed from loneliness.
She couldn't be mad at it for that.
With the third and final book carefully stowed in her bag, MJ made sure she had all her things (and her uniform was on neatly) before she exited.
And she took the ribbon too, another goodluck charm for her collection.
[OOC: Exit]
Last Edit: May 22, 2023 17:57:00 GMT 10 by MJ Birdwhistle
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