the Hogwarts Christmas Spirit?

[acciomod]

Over the last week, it had been growing much colder. The dull, near constant rain of the last few weeks had cleared, and each morning saw a glittering frost carpeting the grounds. Some of the teachers had taken this to mean "Christmas is coming", in particular Professor Flitwick, who had decorated his classroom with tiny, glittering fairies

Comments

[empireofmymind]

[When exploring his new surroundings, Ken went to the library first - the quicker he can catch up to this world, the quicker he can begin researching ways to contact his own - or figure out whether there's a greater purpose to his presence here.

So he's been carrying around a large stack of extra books, playing catch-up. Or well, he was. They've just been knocked to the floor by a wandering suit of armor.]

You...

[Glowering, he grabs for one the suit's still holding. Why would anyone--

He doesn't know if the culprit is watching, but he can't stay silent.]

What do you hope to prove by this?

[balladofgales]

They don't normally do that.

[Link, who just caught sight of this as he was coming around the corner, just thinks he's talking to the armour.]

Not the ones here, anyway.

[empireofmymind]

[Ken looks over to see who's talking, which the armor takes advantage of by yanking the book up out of his reach.]

Then who's doing this? It's a spell, right? Who'd want such a thing...

[Jumping for the book now.]

[balladofgales]

I don't know.

[Wait, what, where did that grappling hook come from? Link, what are you - oh, he's getting the book back from the suit of armour. It's a handy thing, that grappling hook.

He holds the retrieved book out for Ken.]

It might be a ghost! Or that poltergeist, but I think he's usually louder.

[empireofmymind]

[....well, that was unexpected, but he won't turn it down. Ken accepts the book with a little smile, which only wavers slightly at the mention of ghosts and poltergeists. What are the professors doing, if this sort of thing can happen?

Or maybe there's something more serious going on.]

I suppose anything really can happen here....

Thanks for assisting. I'm Ichijouji Ken, first-year.

[balladofgales]

Well, I haven't been catapaulted into anything yet... or attacked by birds. Or keese. Or keese on fire.

[His eyes seem to wander for a moment before snapping back to attention.]

No problem! I'm Link, a third year.

Careful, I think it's coming back.

[empireofmymind]

Ah...

[He'll scramble to gather the rest of his books in hopes of outrunning the suit of armor. One encounter was more than enough, thank you.]

And there's more of these around the castle?

[balladofgales]

Armour? Yeah, lots. But they really don't normally do that.

[Ken is taking the sensible approach. Link, on the other hand, is preparing himself for a fight, even though the suit of armour is really more of a nuisance than a threat.]

[empireofmymind]

[And once more, his stack of spellbooks (and histories) is complete.]

So if more than one is moving, this isn't a fluke.

--are you coming?

[The armor certainly is.]

[balladofgales]

No, you go. I'm going to fight it.

[empireofmymind]

[Setting his books carefully against the wall, Ken leans his schoolbag next to them. He doesn't exactly know any? many spells, but there has to be something he can do...

Sure, there's school rules to be considered. But sometimes other things are more important.]

If you're fighting, then so am I.

[balladofgales]

[Link shakes his head.]

Have you fought anything like this before?

[empireofmymind]

[Ken looks away, self-conscious and frustrated at himself.]

Not - directly. But it's targeting me. I'd like to help out.

[balladofgales]

Then it's okay! You can go - I do this all the time.

[empireofmymind]

At least let me distract it while I go.

[Gathering up his books again as the armor approaches, Ken shifts them all to one arm to gesture with the other, backing down the hallway. He's hoping to catch the armor's "attention" and give Link a good shot at it - however the other boy's planning to fight.]

Look over here! Heyy!

[balladofgales]

[The distraction seems to work for some reason, and there's a big opening. And just how is Link going to deal with it?

...skull hammer. Don't even bother asking where he was carrying that thing.

With an almighty crash, the armour breaks into pieces, flying against the walls and tumbling down the stairs, the clanking echoing down the halls. Oh yeah - Filch is not going to be impressed.]