Illusion Prisoners of Hogwarts

[Ver]

"?!"

Letting out a gasp in a mixture of shock and confusion, Juno stepped back, bumping into the wall as she did so and instinctively dropped the wizard card, her skin turning pale as she struggled to register what she had just seen, not paying much mind to the notion that she might have been causing a small commotion. Nervously, she glanced at Professor Fantasma, as though looking toward him for some sort of explanation, before looking back down at the wizard card, still doubting what she had seen.

@Jeremi @Donder172​

 

[Takumi]

The clerk just continued on with his work in looking through the scrolls that he had stacked up next to him. It seemed like there wasn't anything peculiar going on at least for the time being.

@Takumi @Neko Shogun



"So cuuuute." Gloriosa replied reaching out to give Rio a little pinch on the cheek. "I hope my bouquet will help you on your way! Hey! That rhymed!"

@Kaykay @Yun Lee



As Melody and Ian continued talking Professor Swagglebone got up from his seat and made his way towards the two, not allowing his glance to go away for even a second. "Please, continue." He replied with an icy tone. "It seems that this is something I should hear."

@MelodyMeister @Lucky



"C-Croakoa is the ingredient that makes the frog move." Professor Fantasma tried to explain. "I-I'd open one but...the l-line is long and I-I-I haven't bought them yet."

@Ver @Donder172

Huh, maybe he really was seeing things? Shaking his head a bit, he turned back to the tomes on the shelves and turned his head to look back at Sam.

Guess he really didn't see it either...

Taking a small breath he'd go back to browsing, deciding that he may as well get a tome or two himself while helping Sam look.

Let's see what's in stock.

@Jeremi @Neko Shogun @TomesandScrolls

 

[Jeremi]

"Heh, I'm sure it will," Rio replied, rubbing his cheek. "Oh-I should be getting over there now. Thanks again, Professor! See you, Wisteria!" Quickly paying for the bouquet, Rio scurried off to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. It could be attributed to young love making him excited, but in truth, there was a small part of Rio that was kind of scared to be in the flowershop anymore. That little vision...ugh. He needed to stay out of this weird stuff. That memory of the monster looming over Kit, the fear that his little brother would end up like Sandra...it terrified him to no end. So, he would happily turn a blind eye to anything weird or creepy or unusual (which in itself is hard to do when you're a wizard) and just focus on a nice, fun, safe schoolyear.

Once at the tea shop, Rio made sure he got a special table-one he and Isolde went to often. Sitting down, he moved the napkin holder to check if it was still there...yep, it was. Carved on the table in a tiny heart was R.M. + I.D. Corny, yeah, but he was in love. Even with not seeing Isolde for very much this year, he was still crazy about her. Crazy enough, in fact, to do something extra special.

Taking out his wand, Rio pointed it at his hair. "Colovaria!" The periwinkle changed to a soft blonde. Very few people ever saw Rio with his natural hair color, even though one look at Kit made it fairly obvious Rio was a blonde. As he had a special plan for this date, he wanted to be truly and completely himself for Isolde.

And now...just to wait.

@Jeremi @Kaykay @Pretentious Pineapple

Rio had been sitting at the table for perhaps ten minutes or so when he heard the chair in front of him slide away from the table and someone to sit down. To his dismay however it wasn't Isolde who he was waiting for, no, but another girl. A girl he had briefly spoken to two months ago.

It was a shame she had passed away. Sitting in front of Rio was Sandra in all her glory, the gaping hole still present revealing a beating heart inside her chest.

@Yun Lee @Pretentious Pineapple

"?!"

Letting out a gasp in a mixture of shock and confusion, Juno stepped back, bumping into the wall as she did so and instinctively dropped the wizard card, her skin turning pale as she struggled to register what she had just seen, not paying much mind to the notion that she might have been causing a small commotion. Nervously, she glanced at Professor Fantasma, as though looking toward him for some sort of explanation, before looking back down at the wizard card, still doubting what she had seen.

@Jeremi @Donder172​

Fantasma looked around awkwardly as Juno stared at him. "I-Is there something on my face?" Looking down again at the card Juno found the image had changed to that of Fulbert the Fearful.

@Donder172 @Ver

Huh, maybe he really was seeing things? Shaking his head a bit, he turned back to the tomes on the shelves and turned his head to look back at Sam.

Guess he really didn't see it either...

Taking a small breath he'd go back to browsing, deciding that he may as well get a tome or two himself while helping Sam look.

Let's see what's in stock.

@Jeremi @Neko Shogun @TomesandScrolls

There was nothing that really caught Kit's attention as he looked through the tomes gathered on the shelves, except for one in particular. The cover was a black leather with one single word written on the front; Empty.

@Neko Shogun @Takumi

 

[Yun Lee]

"Izzy! You finally-!!!!!!!!!" Rio stumbled back in his seat, keeping a hand on the wall to steady himself. His eyes were transfixed on her beating heart, before darting around to the rest of the shop. Did...did anyone see this? At all? Or was this all in his head? Was this all in his head? He didn't know. He didn't know. He didn't know he didn't know hedidn'tknowhedidntknowhedidnt-

His eyes fixed onto Sandra's face. Slowly, almost mechanically, he took his hand off the wall, readjusted himself to look normal. Or at least, try to. He had become pale, almost shaking, and his voice was barely a whisper.

"S...Sandra?"

@Jeremi​

 

[Ver]

Upon seeing that the wizard card was different again, Juno's eyes slightly widened in confusion, unable to comprehend what she had just seen... or at least, what she thought she saw in any case. Reluctantly, Juno shook her head, putting a hand on her chest as she attempted to calm herself down with deep breaths.

"N-No, it's... nothing. Nothing at all. I just thought I saw something," the Ravenclaw mumbled, leaning down to pick up the card and giving it a closer look, sighing as she did so.

Another Fulbert the Fearful...

@Jeremi @Donder172​

 

[Takumi]

Rio had been sitting at the table for perhaps ten minutes or so when he heard the chair in front of him slide away from the table and someone to sit down. To his dismay however it wasn't Isolde who he was waiting for, no, but another girl. A girl he had briefly spoken to two months ago.

It was a shame she had passed away. Sitting in front of Rio was Sandra in all her glory, the gaping hole still present revealing a beating heart inside her chest.

@Yun Lee @Pretentious Pineapple



Fantasma looked around awkwardly as Juno stared at him. "I-Is there something on my face?" Looking down again at the card Juno found the image had changed to that of Fulbert the Fearful.

@Donder172 @Ver



There was nothing that really caught Kit's attention as he looked through the tomes gathered on the shelves, except for one in particular. The cover was a black leather with one single word written on the front; Empty.

@Neko Shogun @Takumi

Growing curious, Kit pulled the book off the shelf to give it a look. "Hm, what's in this I wonder?" he muttered to himself, finding the book peculiar. Why was the title this way? Unless it was some fiction novel he couldn't understand why the title was so...odd.

@Jeremi @Neko Shogun @TomesandScrolls

 

[Jeremi]

"Izzy! You finally-!!!!!!!!!" Rio stumbled back in his seat, keeping a hand on the wall to steady himself. His eyes were transfixed on her beating heart, before darting around to the rest of the shop. Did...did anyone see this? At all? Or was this all in his head? Was this all in his head? He didn't know. He didn't know. He didn't know he didn't know hedidn'tknowhedidntknowhedidnt-

His eyes fixed onto Sandra's face. Slowly, almost mechanically, he took his hand off the wall, readjusted himself to look normal. Or at least, try to. He had become pale, almost shaking, and his voice was barely a whisper.

"S...Sandra?"

@Jeremi​

The pale apparition in front of him smiled sweetly. The rest of the patrons were going on like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. She stared at him for a good long while the only sound Rio felt he could hear was the beating of the heart. The beating reached to crescendo when the girl spoke to him. "It's all pointless you know. Everything is pointless. Relationships. Jobs. Passions. Obsessions. It's hollow gestures. You strive to reach your goals and see them fall into ash. Down in the dirt gone, never to be seen again." The smile on her face never wavered as she spoke. "The only constant in this world is decay. It happens to everything eventually." The lights in the café flickered for a moment and when they returned Sandra was gone.

Rio could feel that someone was behind him a cold breath hitting him in the neck.


@Yun Lee

Upon seeing that the wizard card was different again, Juno's eyes slightly widened in confusion, unable to comprehend what she had just seen... or at least, what she thought she saw in any case. Reluctantly, Juno shook her head, putting a hand on her chest as she attempted to calm herself down with deep breaths.

"N-No, it's... nothing. Nothing at all. I just thought I saw something," the Ravenclaw mumbled, leaning down to pick up the card and giving it a closer look, sighing as she did so.

Another Fulbert the Fearful...

@Jeremi @Donder172​

Fantasma looked down at the card. "B-Bad luck. I-I would have gasped too..." He responded with genuine sadness in his voice.

@Donder172 @Ver

Growing curious, Kit pulled the book off the shelf to give it a look. "Hm, what's in this I wonder?" he muttered to himself, finding the book peculiar. Why was the title this way? Unless it was some fiction novel he couldn't understand why the title was so...odd.

@Jeremi @Neko Shogun @TomesandScrolls

Much like the title implied despite a fair amount of pages inside the book. All of them were empty. Void of any content what so ever. Not even an index or an author. Just emptiness. When Kit looked up from the book he couldn't see anything in front of him. A black void stretched out around him. There was no bookstore or anything. Even the sound seemed to have been swallowed up by the vast darkness. His eyes still worked but there was nothing to see but the emptiness around him.

@Takumi @Neko Shogun

 

[Yun Lee]

"Ah...hah..."

It was so hard to keep breathing during all of this. He almost couldn't even register what Sandra was telling him, he was trying so hard to keep his composure. This...what was this? What was going on? This couldn't be more than an illusion...right?

It had to be, as now she was gone. But something was still there. Gulping down the lump in his throat, Rio slowly turned around to look at whatever was behind him.

@Jeremi​

 

[Jeremi]

"Ah...hah..."

It was so hard to keep breathing during all of this. He almost couldn't even register what Sandra was telling him, he was trying so hard to keep his composure. This...what was this? What was going on? This couldn't be more than an illusion...right?

It had to be, as now she was gone. But something was still there. Gulping down the lump in his throat, Rio slowly turned around to look at whatever was behind him.

@Jeremi​

Nothing. When Rio turned around the only thing meeting him was a wall. Maybe he really was just imagining things? Shifting back in his chair Rio found Sandra staring him right back at him, sitting in his lap in a cold embrace. "You are all going to die in here." Her words were followed by her body rotting and decaying, the only thing left was her beating heart that fell to the ground with a sickly thud. Still beating as it laid there.

@Yun Lee

 

[Takumi]

The pale apparition in front of him smiled sweetly. The rest of the patrons were going on like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. She stared at him for a good long while the only sound Rio felt he could hear was the beating of the heart. The beating reached to crescendo when the girl spoke to him. "It's all pointless you know. Everything is pointless. Relationships. Jobs. Passions. Obsessions. It's hollow gestures. You strive to reach your goals and see them fall into ash. Down in the dirt gone, never to be seen again." The smile on her face never wavered as she spoke. "The only constant in this world is decay. It happens to everything eventually." The lights in the café flickered for a moment and when they returned Sandra was gone.

Rio could feel that someone was behind him a cold breath hitting him in the neck.


@Yun Lee



Fantasma looked down at the card. "B-Bad luck. I-I would have gasped too..." He responded with genuine sadness in his voice.

@Donder172 @Ver



Much like the title implied despite a fair amount of pages inside the book. All of them were empty. Void of any content what so ever. Not even an index or an author. Just emptiness. When Kit looked up from the book he couldn't see anything in front of him. A black void stretched out around him. There was no bookstore or anything. Even the sound seemed to have been swallowed up by the vast darkness. His eyes still worked but there was nothing to see but the emptiness around him.

@Takumi @Neko Shogun

Looking up, Kit's eyes widened as he found himself alone, in the dark. What was going on?!

"S-Sam?!" he tried to call out in a panic, confused and growing scared in an instant to the point where his hands started to shake, eyes darting this way and that to try and find his friend or, well, anyone. Where was he? The fifth year wasn't sure what was up with the book, but it was very jarring.

@Jeremi @Neko Shogun

 

[Yun Lee]

"--!!" Rio covered his mouth to keep from screaming, and could only watch in horror as Sandra disappeared. No..no this couldn't be happening. This...what...um...

Her heart was still there. Rio stared at it, mouth still over his hand. He needed a few moments to just stare at it, until he very quickly nudged it with his foot. Was it real????

@Jeremi​

 

[Jeremi]

Looking up, Kit's eyes widened as he found himself alone, in the dark. What was going on?!

"S-Sam?!" he tried to call out in a panic, confused and growing scared in an instant to the point where his hands started to shake, eyes darting this way and that to try and find his friend or, well, anyone. Where was he? The fifth year wasn't sure what was up with the book, but it was very jarring.

@Jeremi @Neko Shogun

He only heard his voice echoing inside his head. The silence and the darkness surrounding him was so heavy that it felt like a palpable, even malignant, force. If Kit walked on there was only more blackness awaiting him, and yet despite there not being anything he could see or hear...he could feel that he was being watched.

Then a continues blaring alarm getting louder and louder. Total darkness swallowed him as he fell on and on until he suddenly found himself back at the bookstore with the book in his hand. The page that was opened had something written in it.

When light gives away, darkness fills the cracks.

@Takumi @Neko Shogun

"--!!" Rio covered his mouth to keep from screaming, and could only watch in horror as Sandra disappeared. No..no this couldn't be happening. This...what...um...

Her heart was still there. Rio stared at it, mouth still over his hand. He needed a few moments to just stare at it, until he very quickly nudged it with his foot. Was it real????

@Jeremi​

Nudging the heart caused it to explode sending copious and an unnatural amount of blood to splatter the entire café. Though it seemed that none of the patrons that the blood hit seemed to notice that anything was wrong as they continued to chat merrily along.

@Yun Lee

 

[Yun Lee]

He couldn't take it anymore. He tried, he really tried, but this was too much. Rio took off out of the shop, scrambling out into the snowy street, the bouquet completely forgotten-it was probably bloody too. Getting outside, he leaned against a wall, heart racing. Damn it. Damn it! He was trying so hard! He just wanted one good day, one fucking good day! And what happened? Isolde never showed, and Sandra did. This was sick. This was all so fucking sick!​

 

[Takumi]

He only heard his voice echoing inside his head. The silence and the darkness surrounding him was so heavy that it felt like a palpable, even malignant, force. If Kit walked on there was only more blackness awaiting him, and yet despite there not being anything he could see or hear...he could feel that he was being watched.

Then a continues blaring alarm getting louder and louder. Total darkness swallowed him as he fell on and on until he suddenly found himself back at the bookstore with the book in his hand. The page that was opened had something written in it.

When light gives away, darkness fills the cracks.

@Takumi @Neko Shogun



Nudging the heart caused it to explode sending copious and an unnatural amount of blood to splatter the entire café. Though it seemed that none of the patrons that the blood hit seemed to notice that anything was wrong as they continued to chat merrily along.

@Yun Lee

Kit's heart was racing, and he had taken notice that his eyes had watered a bit, but no tears fell. Blinking as he forced himself forward, glancing this way and that he felt it. He was falling.

He fell for what felt like forever, until he was back in the bookstore with a gasp. Nearly dropping the book, he would tighten his grip, before glancing down at the page. Eyebrows furrowing he glanced up from the book to take a good look around to make sure he wasn't having anymore mind tricks played on him.

@Jeremi @Neko Shogun @TomesandScrolls

 

[Sleepwalker]

“Right, Got it professor. Th-this is an ‘nn though, don’t ‘xpect very high ‘telligence in here, ‘ut I’ll take your ‘dvice. 500 points is a bit much though..”
Melody seemed to be fully drunk now, and her behaviour even more troublesome then usual, she gave one last nervous smile, and then slammed the door quickly and headed into a cubicle. It was quite obvious that in the next few hours in that cubicle, Melody was going to be going through one hangover she’ll never forget, as well as horrible regret on what idiotic things she did and what she could be doing now. But one thought that kept going through her head was that creepy professor Swagglebone.
@Jeremi

 

[Lucky]

Ian Miles IV

Ian was silent as points were deducted from their house. At this rate, hufflepuff was going to win the House Cup and that would hurt. Of course, he looked over at Swagglebone and then back at the tavern selection. " Can I get some water?" He asked, trying his best to remain cool and not reveal that he knew who took the books as he would deduct even more points. Sometimes it was best to just mind his own business and he decided it was the best to do for now. After he would get the water... maybe he would head out to anywhere but here.

@Jeremi

 

[Ver]

"T-That's not what I... Um... Excuse me," Juno murmured in response to Fantasma, quickly shuffling out of the Honeydukes store and walking off, admittedly somewhat aimlessly. The Ravenclaw figured she just needed some air. Perhaps all these events were finally taking a toll on her, between the sight of Sandra's corpse and the monster on Halloween night... She never did truly take a moment to process them all. Especially when Professor McGonagall advised to keep it all under the rug, like it had never happened.

But she couldn't do that. At least, it was easier said than done.

Bump.

While lost in her own thoughts, wandering throughout Hogsmeade, Juno ended up accidentally bumping into Rio in the process, the smaller girl stumbling back a few steps as she did so. Upon seeing who it was, Juno held her arm sheepishly, looking to the side. "Oh, it's you again... S-Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," she mumbled. Juno was still rather pale from the disturbing sight she saw (or at least, that she thought she saw) before, and considering her more reticent attitude today -- in comparison to her normally strict and assertive one -- one could say that she was practically broadcasting that she was troubled.

@Yun Lee​

 

[Jeremi]

Kit's heart was racing, and he had taken notice that his eyes had watered a bit, but no tears fell. Blinking as he forced himself forward, glancing this way and that he felt it. He was falling.

He fell for what felt like forever, until he was back in the bookstore with a gasp. Nearly dropping the book, he would tighten his grip, before glancing down at the page. Eyebrows furrowing he glanced up from the book to take a good look around to make sure he wasn't having anymore mind tricks played on him.

@Jeremi @Neko Shogun @TomesandScrolls

Everything seemed to have returned to normal when Kit looked around the bookstore. Looking down at the book again he realized that the text had vanished.

@Neko Shogun @Takumi

“Right, Got it professor. Th-this is an ‘nn though, don’t ‘xpect very high ‘telligence in here, ‘ut I’ll take your ‘dvice. 500 points is a bit much though..”
Melody seemed to be fully drunk now, and her behaviour even more troublesome then usual, she gave one last nervous smile, and then slammed the door quickly and headed into a cubicle. It was quite obvious that in the next few hours in that cubicle, Melody was going to be going through one hangover she’ll never forget, as well as horrible regret on what idiotic things she did and what she could be doing now. But one thought that kept going through her head was that creepy professor Swagglebone.
@Jeremi

"200 points from Gryffindor." The man had ears like a hawk. "Be glad that I wont inform Professor McGongall about this."

Ian Miles IV

Ian was silent as points were deducted from their house. At this rate, hufflepuff was going to win the House Cup and that would hurt. Of course, he looked over at Swagglebone and then back at the tavern selection. " Can I get some water?" He asked, trying his best to remain cool and not reveal that he knew who took the books as he would deduct even more points. Sometimes it was best to just mind his own business and he decided it was the best to do for now. After he would get the water... maybe he would head out to anywhere but here.

@Jeremi

One of the servers gave Ian a glass of water. When he pressed it to his lips and took a sip though the neutral freshness of water wasn't what hit his lips. Rather the taste of salt and metallic bitterness filled his mouth. Looking down at his cup Ian realized that it wasn't water, but blood.

@Lucky

 

[Yun Lee]

"Oof!" Still unnerved by what he'd seen in the tea shop, Rio stumbled back as well, nowhere near grounded enough on his own two feet. "Huh? Oh...Juno. It...It's fine." He had to do a double take to notice that, like him, the Prefect wasn't really being all that...Prefect-y. Even in the face of danger against that monster, Juno had managed to stay pretty strong. So why...

...oh.

"...you saw her too?" He tried so hard to keep his voice casual, as if they were having a normal conversation, but it was hard. So, so hard. But he had to know he wasn't the only one. He had to know he wasn't going crazy.

@Ver​

 

[Donder172]

If Swagglebone's eyes could roll any faster in his eyes they would've gone into escape velocity. As Melody was leaving towards the bathroom the professor spoke. "500 points from Gryffindor." Then he looked at Ian. "And a 100 points from Slytherin." With that out of the way he took very menacing steps towards Melody. "I do not care what you do. I do not care what you say. What I do care about is the sheer stupidity on exhibit in this place, and I'm not just talking about the patrons. Perhaps dear student whose name I have not cared to remember. Next time you plan on being stupid, do it some place where you can't be judged, yes?"

@Lucky @MelodyMeister



The cashier smiled Rolien a friendly smile when she walked up with her chocolate frogs, and a quick exchange of money they were hers to do what she wished with.

Professor Fantasma did the same and paid what ended up to be a rather large bag of sweets.

@Donder172 @Ver

"?!"

Letting out a gasp in a mixture of shock and confusion, Juno stepped back, bumping into the wall as she did so and instinctively dropped the wizard card, her skin turning pale as she struggled to register what she had just seen, not paying much mind to the notion that she might have been causing a small commotion. Nervously, she glanced at Professor Fantasma, as though looking toward him for some sort of explanation, before looking back down at the wizard card, still doubting what she had seen.

@Jeremi @Donder172​

As Rolien walks out, she looks towards Juno with a confused expression at her reaction.

Fantasma looked around awkwardly as Juno stared at him. "I-Is there something on my face?" Looking down again at the card Juno found the image had changed to that of Fulbert the Fearful.

@Donder172 @Ver

Fantasma looked down at the card. "B-Bad luck. I-I would have gasped too..." He responded with genuine sadness in his voice.

@Donder172 @Ver

"T-That's not what I... Um... Excuse me," Juno murmured in response to Fantasma, quickly shuffling out of the Honeydukes store and walking off, admittedly somewhat aimlessly. The Ravenclaw figured she just needed some air. Perhaps all these events were finally taking a toll on her, between the sight of Sandra's corpse and the monster on Halloween night... She never did truly take a moment to process them all. Especially when Professor McGonagall advised to keep it all under the rug, like it had never happened.

Blinks for a moment after everything that happened. She was confused, was the card she had bad? "Ehh..." She was about to ask something before Juno went away. "Is there... eh... something... wrong...?" she asked confused to Fantasma. "Did I... do... eh... something... wrong?"