#backgroundbits

Personality Expanded

[ + ]: Analytical: Every line of every conversation and every action she sees another person take is broken down into its minutiae and studied for hidden intent and insight into the picture of the person. It’s measured against what is already known and applied to planning future interaction and assessing strengths, weaknesses, the likelihood that the other party will become a problem or an asset, and how to handle them if they manifest as one or other—leaving room for if they turn out to be one then the other.

Engaging: There is nobody short of Gilderoy Lockhart that can weave a more dramatic or entertaining tale when they desire then Dolores. The believability could be questioned and increasingly so considering the frequency with which Dolores raises a fuss and turns a small event into a public spectacle, but the added spice of moans, groans, shouted accusations, passionate denials, and the occasional forced tear or fainting spell create impressions that are not soon forgotten all the same.

Dedicated: Once she has set her mind to something there is no dissuading her. She may not be loyal to very many people, but she is unfailingly loyal to herself and her goals and no amount of hardship will make her forget what she is really working toward.

[ - ]: High Strung: All the people she has already wronged or wounded as well as the wounds already done to her, both real and imagined, have made Dolores paranoid. That, her innately nervous nature, her near solitary existence during school breaks, and her own budding propensity to lies she then worries about being found out at, and increasingly warped worldview about dangerous muggles and halfbreeds have joined together to keep Dolores consistently with one foot hanging over the abyss of a breakdown to the point where loud, unexpected noises and the like rattle her regularly.

Deceptive: Dolores’ current life is built on lies, from the pureblood parentage she began to profess, to her attempt to convince each side she harbors sympathy for their cause, and there will only be more lies as she now does something much similar with the visitors from different tiemlines. She lies near every time she breathes and with the same automatic response as well as frequency until even she believes what she says.  

Manipulative: This is where the weaknesses and strengths Dolly assesses in friend and enemy alike come into play. The point of knowledge for her is exploitation and exploit she does. She is not above blackmail in the slightest, but it’s such an ugly concept and she prefers to fill her life with beauty, so her preferences are to play on  sympathy, good will, charity, sense of duty-- the better natures of people--though she’s quick to move on when this tactic does not work, the person she is trying to move is much lower than her and  assumed to have no reliable better nature to appeal to, or her target’s sense of what’s right differs from hers and refuses to be altered.  Still before blackmail there is the harsher beauty of the very rewarding art of intimidation to get what you want.

Boggart: Used to be people milling around in clothes like they had just been to her funeral and talking about how she had never accomplished anything worthwhile in her life, but currently re-enacts her mother and brother leaving (albeit a version where they say things far more caustic than they did in real life about how she drove them away, how unloveable she is, and how glad they are to never have to see her again). She would muse that her boggart may have actually shifted again after witnessing that and fretting over how mortifying it would be for anyone to see that those dumb creatures the boggarts think she’s broken up over those stupid muggles she doesn’t miss at all.

Amortentia: Freshly bound books, sugar cookies, and cilantro

How she spent the summer: Interning at the Improper Use of Magic Office, a position her father got her by agreeing to do some private maintenance work for the department head who is hopeless at household spells, but Dolly thinks she got on her own merits. Since she still had the trace on her for much of the summer she was relegated to little more than fetching coffee and organizing files the muggle way,  but in her mind and even more prominently in how she would spin the story for others, she was an invaluable asset to the department and the workers there learned to trust her instincts and take her advice until she was practically running the place by time the summer came to an end and the unfortunate incident at the Department of Mysteries occured.

Her Name: She hates her name. Dolores sounds like a sixty-year-old spinster. She used to like Dolly but lately it has seemed infantilizing and it is too much of a reminder of her muggle bitch mother who started the nickname before Dolly could even choose for herself whether she wanted to be anyone’s “sweet faced little china doll.” She would go by her middle name, but she can’t seem to train herself to answer to it, and she wouldn’t want to be  mocked as “Plain Jane” either. She finally chose to transition from Dolly to Dolores over the summer, introducing herself as Dolores to her supervisors at the Ministry so they would take her seriously, though her stupid father ruined it the first day--ruined her day twice actually since she had forbade him from talking to her in front of other people. She planned to keep it going once she returned to school, though now everything is confused and it’s hard to know whether insisting on her full name marks her as belonging to this timeline, will make people think she’s from a different timeline, or whether they won’t care either way and it’s the perfect time to slip in one extra change

In Timeline One:  Dolores is very similar to timeline three’s, excepting her sorting into Ravenclaw, but has learned to be much more subdued about her anti-muggle opinions and has, in fact, truly become much more moderate while faking it because there are less people who reinforce the idea that muggles and squibs are inferior and undeserving or at least are thought so by all “proper wizards”

In Timeline Two: Timeline two’s Dolly would be horrified by timeline three’s as will “Our” Dolly once she learns about her counterpart, a hufflepuff who is vocal about muggleborn and squib rights to the point of foolishness no matter what hardship or treatment she has to endure. Dolly’s alternate does have the close friend group and significant other “Our” Dolly craves, but they are hardly what she would call suitable people. You see, In timeline two, the increased urgency of the losing war, far more violently anti-muggle public opinion of those in power in mainstream wizard society existing for years, and the recent blood status registration instead of hastening the decline of Dolly’s parents’ marriage or preventing it from happening in the first place, drew Orford and Ellen much closer together. Orford clung to and protected his muggle wife instead of blaming her for his shortcomings and Ellen saw Orford as a knight out of storybook instead of a struggling failure. Dolly was taught family over self, everyone as a part of a loving whole that banded together all the more in adversity. They tried to hide that Ulysses, Dolly’s little brother, could not perform magic as long as they could. Dolly even offered to follow him around, faking spells for him, but when his Hogwarts letter never came, they couldn’t anymore. Dolly’s mother and brother still left when she was fifteen but they were sent away to a secret keeper guarded safe house run by family friends for their own protection. The vastly different home life created a vastly different Dolly who diverged even more during her Hogwarts years in Hufflepuff.

History Facts

Dolores likes sweets to the degree she does because sometimes she experiences a bitter taste flooding her mouth and clinging to her tongue even after she scrapes it against the roof of her mouth and either extremely sweet or almost too spicy to tolerate foods can cover it up--and she’s always had a bit of a sweet tooth naturally. The bitter taste now comes any time she trying to maintain a calm facade while feeling emotional, one day she feels it will linger all the time, though originally it only came every time she felt the urge to use particularly vulgar language.  Her father used to wash out her mouth with soap when she was younger. Nobody ever knew when he was doing it either, not even her mother. Soap bubbles he could do wandlessly. A discreet wave of fingers inside his pocket and she would be struggling to not vomit frothy, bitter bubbles. She can never forget that taste. She’d swallow, her stomach would churn, and her father would ask her later if she’d learned her lesson. He didn’t like correcting her, he’d always make that clear, but naughty children must be punished. Naughty daddies who had other secrets too and were mean behind everyone’s back must be punished too—and one day he would be--but that was how the preference for  having everything sweet enough to mask the flavor of lye (or coppery blood in her mouth as she bit her tongue to keep from calling after mother when she walked out the door for the last time, not because she wanted to say she made a mistake and beg to be taken with her. Not the way she remembered it now. The stupid muggle bitch had made her so mad and insulted her so gravely by suggesting she may want to go with her in the divorce that Dolores had to bite her tongue to avoid cursing her into oblivion, since she was the more evolved creature and couldn’t strike a dumb animal that way) began.

Dolly loved to garden when she was younger despite the risk of dirtying her clothes, but it certainly isn’t an option anymore ever since her father moved them to a small flat in London. Her cat Vesuvia, before Dolly had to get rid of her, would knock about pots and track through window boxes and make a frightful mess. Plus something so small and limited as a window box makes a room dimmer not more lively for the disappointed heart of someone who grew up used to a full garden to tinker about in. The smell of freshly turned soil also reminds her of her mother who taught her both how to tend a garden and how to sing (and how the two were meant to be mixed), which is every reason to avoid it. She does still sing, however, though her songs of choice are not the upbeat, silly muggle songs her mother raised her on until she spurned them, but lofty opera selections as she imagines herself one day not awing a packed auditorium as a star but entertaining a small but appreciative crowd who didn’t know their Minister of Magic possessed hidden talents.  

Dolly never knew she was allergic to cats, through years with Vesuvia and adopting several strays that came and went, until her father revealed to her after she shouted in a moment of anger that he was so useless she might as well have left with her mother for all the good he ever was to her, that he had been charming away her cat allergies her whole life. It was one of the only times Dolly could remember ever hearing him say he loved her--that broken hearted, stunted man who had mistreated and lost everyone who he loved but her. She didn’t say it back. She got rid of Vesuvia the next day. She wouldn’t be beholden to anyone. Besides, cats are too messy and too fussy. She didn’t love them that much.

REACTION:

At first, she didn’t believe the story of those that claimed to remember a different version of history other than the “proper” one. It was some sort of large scale trick or publicity stunt that she didn’t approve of one bit. She could only thank her lucky stars that her father, as much as he failed in other areas, was not part of this mass hysteria. He was still very much himself as was she. Then, once the Ministry statements supported these outlandish claims, and she saw the chaos it was devolving into when she next went into her internship after a few days off, she quickly got over her suspicions and disbelief...and started to think of how she could twist events to further herself.

  Raluca Marks 1:19 PM You wake up in the same room you've always been in, but you can feel a breeze coming from under the door, for once. Scorpius and Noah will remain asleep until Beth can pop in. What do you do?  

Reminder: you are wearing handcuff-like gloves to suppress your powers and are inside an oil circle that keeps you inside. Usually, when you wake up, at least one of your kidnappers is present. They are present at all times, in fact, but right now, there seems to be nobody around.

Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 1:22 PM *It takes a minute for him to recognise the breeze, to consciously acknowledge that yes, that's air, fresh and free moving; and he's immediately suspicious, hesitant. He pushes himself up to sitting slowly, watching the door; and then glances around the rest of the room.* .....Rhea? You awake? Mel 1:28 PM As a cold breeze touched the skin of her feet and a voice called out to her, the light, dreamless sleep Rhea had finally found suddenly disappeared as she pushed her upper body from the cot. "Yeah... What is it?" She asked, still groggy as she rubbed her eyes. Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 1:30 PM Feels like wind, meimei. You remember any air moving under that door since we get here? Or waking up without one of our hosts keeping an eye on us?

(*got) Mel 1:34 PM "Wind, the fuck--" She was definitely awake now, though not as hopeful or excited as she might have been. She swung her legs over the edge of her cot and narrowing her eyes at the door, then looking back at Kai. "No, but this could just be another trick just to fuck with us again." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 1:37 PM You're not wrong. *He can't help the vague hope, though, and edges toward the edge of the circle warily.* Gotta be honest, though; I can't see a reason not to give it a try anyway. If this is some kind of trick or test, they're /expecting/ us to try and escape. Why disappoint? Raluca Marks 1:38 PM The usual magnetism of the circle is gone when he approaches the edge of it. Mel 1:44 PM "True." She replies with a head tilt toward him. "Hey," she starts as she intertwines her fingers and gets up herself and moves very slowly toward the edge, "just be careful." Mistress of Evil 1:45 PM Scorpius: (probably awake the whole time but pretending to be asleep before because he's such a people person that way) yes, go run and investigate. Please. I'm sure it's all straightforward. Everything is usually as it seems after all. Raluca Marks 1:45 PM This isn't another mod indication. Just Raluca loving Scorpius. Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 1:46 PM *He blinks, narrows his eyes, and - after quickly deciding he'd rather lose a leg than a hand if there's any trap here - moves to edge his foot across the line. Irritably, as he moves* If you're not going to be helpful, Scorpious, please shut the fuck up. Raluca Marks 1:47 PM Nothing happens. The circles seem deactivated and Kai's leg passes through. Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 1:47 PM Well. Fuck. Mistress of Evil 1:48 PM Scorp: right, just right after one question. Should I start recording tallies? Kai, zero. The floor, one? (Has already picked up his chalk and turned away when Kai actually crosses the line, turns back when he heard the fuck and is visibly startled as he echoes) Well, fuck. Raluca Marks 1:48 PM Does he exit the circle completely or remains outside with just a foot? Mel 1:48 PM She flips her hair over her shoulder as she looks at Scorpius with a roll of her eyes, then smirking at Kai's response, her eyes widening at Kai's leg going through the circle. "Well, at least if we do end up out of here, you'll have regained your unhelpful status." She says to Scorp before looking back at Kai and playing her fingers over the edge. Mistress of Evil 1:49 PM Noah sleeps like a brick, about as helpful as one too except you can throw a brick. Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 1:50 PM *He slowly moves to edge out of the circle, still Super Suspicious.* If this is how I die I'm going to be really disappointed. Promise you won't tell anyone I died trying to step over a line of fucking oil, Rhea. Raluca Marks 1:52 PM Again, nothing is happening. There is a stronger breeze passing them. Reminder: they are still wearing the gloves, but if their affinity for air is strong enough, they can feel a connection forming as the breeze blows. Mistress of Evil 1:52 PM Scorpius: She won't have to. I'll spread the word. It will be a focal point of the eulogy. (Gaining a conscience,  standing up as he talks and holding up a hand) wait, seriously. Wait a second.

Scorpius: (detaching his false hand) if you're going to test this further, test it with something that's not actually part of anyone's body, dumbass Mel 1:54 PM "Please, as the people person you are, I'm going to be the one who they'll believe." She says to Scorpius, then turns to Kai. "You'll have a death à la tragedie Grecque, I promise." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 1:57 PM *Kai stands up straight after he's out of the circle, breathing a little ragged, staring at the door for a moment while the urge to run grows steadily stronger; before looking back at Scorpious reluctantly. He looks at the hand and then at his face.* Are we all free of the circles? Can you get out? Can the snoring movie star get out? There's no point testing the door if you three are still stuck. *And them being stuck would be confirmation enough that this is some stupid test; and he's not leaving without them. Sure, Rhea's the only one he really kinda /likes/, but he's not leaving Scorpious or Noah either. He smiles at Rhea briefly.* This is why you're my favourite. Mel 1:57 PM "Scorpius--" She gawks, straightening her back. "And you only decided to do that, /now/?" Raluca Marks 1:58 PM There is only one object that wasn't there before that only Noah could notice if he woke up. A key in a jar, like those every other one got for Christmas. It is by his head, so it would be the first thing he would see opening his eyes. Mel 2:00 PM She smiles at Kai, then continues her way toward the circle, imitating Kai and testing a foot. Mistress of Evil 2:00 PM Scorpius: no I thought to do that my second week here and it bounced back when I threw it. But it doesn't matter now, does it? Because Kai already crossed on his own while he was pretending spontaneous deafness. Wait means wait. What if I had seen something coming at you? Raluca Marks 2:01 PM Again, nothing happens. If looked at closely, they would seem fresher, as if just made. Mistress of Evil 2:02 PM ((What is fresher? Did I miss a post )) Raluca Marks 2:02 PM (Oil circles. Sorry. I deleted a bit last moment before sending the thing) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 2:04 PM Then I would have been hit by it and it'd be my own stupid fault. I'm nothing if not consistent. *He watched Rhea test the line, holding his breath; and when she starts to move through it without incident moves to help her through as best as he can.* Shit. Fuck. Mistress of Evil 2:05 PM Scorpius sighs, reattaches his hand,  and goes to kick Noah awake. "Rise and shine. We're all going to die together today" Then he'd follow across the circle Mel 2:05 PM "I'm /fine/, Scorp." She replies as she moves quickly out of the circle when she sees she can get out too, the fear of being cut in half popping into her mind the instant her foot was out. Mistress of Evil 2:06 PM Noah startles awake with a shout and an accusatory look, then the instant return of the panickiness. "I'm not going to die. I can't die. I ....got a key" (and Beth has to go and be in and out) Mel 2:08 PM ((I keep getting calls during this I'm sorry I'm back)) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 2:08 PM (I have dinner I'll be back asap) Mel 2:09 PM "You got a what?" She asks, ignoring the melodramatics. Mistress of Evil 2:10 PM Scorp: he said he's got a key. It's probably one of ours. Who didn't break their bottle? Mel 2:20 PM She rolled her eyes, shifting her weight to her left heel, "it was a rhetorical question, à la disbelief." She replied, taking in a deep breath as she attempted to calm her nerves. Despite the very quite optimistic side of her mind, she really didn't like this. "I didn't." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 2:29 PM *He looks at Noah for a moment, studying him, before looking back at Scorpious.* If he's been given a key like ours there's no 'if' about this being some kind of test any more. Are we able to get each others' gloves off? Raluca Marks 2:31 PM Is he trying? Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 2:31 PM (Nah he's waiting for the others to okay it before he tries anything) Mel 2:48 PM (sorry had to get food)

"Ah, fuck it. Can't get worst than it already is."

(she's giving it a try) Raluca Marks 2:51 PM The gloves fall without any struggle. They weren't even powered to begin with. Mel 2:51 PM (fml) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 2:52 PM *Kai pulls his off the second he sees Rhea successfully get hers off* Mel 2:52 PM "Okay, seriously, what the fuck." Mistress of Evil 2:53 PM *Scorpius would have said something snarky before but, in the interest of not going backward, he follows suit* Mel 2:55 PM She looks over at Noah and raises an eyebrow, "are you taking yours off or are you waiting for an invitation?" Mistress of Evil 2:56 PM Scorpius: *lips pressed together in a frown* I don't like this. This is bullshit. It's too easy. I suggest you get fire in your hands if you can. Grab your bottles, break them, and take the biggest shards if you can't. *full action hero scorp *

Noah:* throws off his cuffs with a decisive move like he was the first to think of it and strides across the line like he's leading not the last one to do so * I told you I would get you all out of here. You should never doubt the power of Noah Sharpe. To the stairs?

((That may be all I can reliably do for awhile, so don't wait for me too much of things continue)) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 3:06 PM *He just sort of regards Noah with something like disbelief for a moment, before turning to the door, resolving to mostly ignore him while he reaches out to push on it and see if it'll open by itself.* Raluca Marks 3:07 PM The door opens without a struggle. On the outside, it is an old wooden door that squeaks and leads to a 'haunted house' style of corridor, all underground, of course. Mel 3:07 PM Her eyebrow raises further and is joined by the other as she looks at Noah. "How about we unlock the door first." She then looks at Scorpius and gives him a knowing look before nodding and lighting up a fire Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 3:09 PM *Kai glances back at the others, and then looks at Noah* Well? You want to lead the way, if you're the one getting us out of here? Mistress of Evil 3:11 PM Noah: *hangs back and letd Kai be the first out the door then charges ahead and says much too loud, knocking on other sections of wall like they will lead to other doors/stairways* Scarlet?! Scarlet! ((Just wanted to get that factor in there in case I don't pop back in for awhile))

Scorpius: pipe down. Can one of you control him? *because Scorpius obviously can't as Beth is popping out again now* Raluca Marks 3:13 PM Scarlet doesn't answer. At the end of the corridor, howsoever, there are some stairs going up. Everything is wooden and dark, despite it being morning, because they are underground. There are more rooms, most with a door but open, one without, if they choose to explore them.

At the other end of the corridor, there is a tunnel starting as well, all dark, if they choose to head that other way.

The walls are moving slowly, but it's a brief movement, as if the building was slightly tilting or they were on a boat. Mistress of Evil 3:26 PM *Noah is exploring all the rooms and still shouting for scarlet. He and scorp can be having a tussle as scorp tried to get him to shut up if you need them occupied* Mel 3:27 PM Rhea follows suit and walks out the door, visibly cringing in annoyance at Noah's yelling, taking in every aspects of the corridor and putting it to memory as she walked forward, taking a quick peek inside the room missing a door, but doesn't move towards it, instead turning to Kai and shrugging, "stairs or tunnel?" Raluca Marks 3:27 PM The room missing a door is completely trashed, as if some beast ruined it chaotically. Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 3:36 PM *Kai mostly ignores Noah and looks into each room as he passes it, keeping an eye on Rhea and gesturing for her to keep up with him. He doesn't stop very long at any of the doorways, just takes a look and keeps moving; and then pauses, looking between the tunnel and the stairs, which he's a little closer to, and glances back at Rhea, lighting a fire to match hers.* Stairs. If the others fall too far behind we'll stop, but we need to keep going. Mel 3:39 PM She's relieved by his answer, not looking to get herself stuck in another confined space. She nods and keeps moving toward the stairs, her study of the corridor still continuing until they make it to the end of the corridor, looking back at Noah and Scorpius to make sure they're still following before starting to step up cautiously. Raluca Marks 3:40 PM The upstairs isn't too different, all looking like an abandoned house still. There are windows, but they look like covered with wood. Same goes for the door. A window is broken, which is the source of the breeze, most likely. Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 3:55 PM *Kai heads over to the broken window, to see if it looks like it might be easier to get open/get the boards off it, if it's been broken from the outside.* Mel 4:04 PM "Of course it /had/ to be wood." She sighs under her breath, walking backwards before stopping abruptly as she came to a realization. "Kai, I thought you were a water elemental." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 4:06 PM And you've got everyone convinced you're an air elemental. We're all here for the same reason, Rhea. Now's not the time for this conversation. Mel 4:07 PM (*fire)

(she's a fire elemental  ) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 4:07 PM (I thought she was a Ravenclaw? Dammit. Ignore that then.) Mel 4:08 PM (haha nah she gryff af <3 ) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 4:09 PM *He glances back at her, before turning back to the window* Wouldn't make much sense for them to take three Spirit Elementals and an extra, ordinary wizard, would it? WE can have this conversation later. Mel 4:17 PM "Well, I'm a /fantastic/ multi-tasker, but if you insist." She replied, then looked at the window and sighs. "Any ideas on how to get these boards off without burning the house down?" She asks before backing away from the window and opening the cupboards, hoping for anything of use. "Not that that wouldn't be really satisfying," she says over her shoulder. Raluca Marks 4:36 PM ((Sorry I was on the phone))

((Although now that I'm reading there isn't much I could give you. Just do your thang Rhea)) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 4:42 PM ...Air, maybe. A forceful enough gust might break through. Unless it's been reinforced with magic... *He sighs heavily.* We need our wands back. Mistress of Evil 4:43 PM Noah: (who is here, I may recap how he was convinced another time) stand back. I'm going to punch it Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 4:43 PM Oh this is gonna be good. *Obediently moves out the way.* Mistress of Evil 4:44 PM Noah: *takes a deep, centering breath, a practice swing that stops short, and then the real thing, which of course hurts his hand* son of a squib! Raluca Marks 4:45 PM ((I thought noah was done calling for scarlet)) Mistress of Evil 4:49 PM ((Funny girl))

((I'll be home in 25 minutes. I just popped in and needed Noah being stupid)) Raluca Marks 4:50 PM It starts raining outside. Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 5:04 PM Brilliant. Wonderful. Now that's out of the way; I don't trust that tunnel downstairs. We need to make this our way out. Mel 5:05 PM Rhea lets out a snort after that little show, standing near the counter before the sound of her laughter is cut short by the sound of rain and she smiles. "Now that I think about it, setting fire to this bloody house could work." She looks over at Kai, "if I set fire to the door before it gets too wet, do you think you could make use of that rain outside to put the fire out?" Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 5:08 PM *Kai looks back at her, and smiles briefly.* Of course. Go for it. Mel 5:14 PM (mel is still a newb at how these elemental powers specifically work so description there will not be) Rhea smiles and starts a small combustion at centre of the boards as smoke begins to rise, she lets the fire spread, doing her best to control it while also needing it to go fast. She moves back from the smoke as the fire takes to the door and it continues to spread quicker and quicker until the door and boards are completely burned off. Raluca Marks 5:22 PM Outside the door, the edge of Hogsmeade appears, making the building they were in... Well, deduce it yourselves. Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 5:28 PM *Kai pulls the rain in to quench the fire as soon as there's a clear path through where the door was; and then almost laughs, hysterically.* The Shrieking Shack. We were under the Shrieking /Fucking/ Shack this whole time. Mistress of Evil 5:31 PM Scorpius: *on guard until they are outside and he's helped quench the fire, and probably made +20 sarcastic remarks this whole time idk* Impossible. There's no way we were so close. *but he gives up on looking for a trap in two seconds and lets out a uncharacteristically happy whoop at the sky and goes spinning around in the rain* Raluca Marks 5:32 PM ((BABY)) Mistress of Evil 5:35 PM Scorpius: I cannot ducking believe it! We are free! *to rhea* get over here *contrary to his ordering her to come closer he runs back to her and plants an innocent surprise kiss of the type that feels like it should come with a cartoon snack on her before whooping again* we're free.*squints at Kai* fuck it.  Come here you bastard *snacks a kiss on him too and goes running off, no longer mr. Caution* Mel 5:35 PM Rhea lets out a sigh, the corners of her mouth lifting and falling, unsure whether she should feel happiness or wariness. She follows outside, letting the rain fall over her as she laughs at Scorpius' excitement and Kai's own hysterical laughter.

Mistress of Evil 5:35 PM ((Noah in a second. Let me turn on the laptop)) Mel 5:35 PM (wtf is that emoji omg) Raluca Marks 5:37 PM The rain stops and they wake up in the same room, inside the oil circles. Mel 5:37 PM (FUCK OFF) Raluca Marks 5:37 PM ((I'm kidding. They are free. Enjoy. Should I bring in somebody from outside)) Mel 5:38 PM (FML raluca)

(I'd be down w/ somebody from outside) Raluca Marks 5:38 PM ((since I am the odd one out and could technically offer you about 7 characters and lbr Alexzander Archer needs to see this)) Mistress of Evil 5:45 PM ((Up to everyone. I was wondering at what point we take this to the dash but for now I mean they are all still together and this is pretty fun way to interact)) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 5:46 PM *claps his hands over his face and lets out another burst of hysterical laughter that almost comes out more a sob, not even caring that Scorpious just kissed him on his face. He's probably very close to a full mental breakdown, probably in shock, probably walking away from this with some serious issues; but still. He's walking away from it.* Mel 5:51 PM Rhea follows suit, brushing her hair back as she walks with her face to the rain. Mistress of Evil 5:52 PM Noah would have stood shoulder to shoulder with Rhea and looked concentrated for a second when she was first starting the fire, maybe encouraged the flames with air for a bit, then nodded and stepped off, whispering to Kai or Scorpius that "She's got this. I'm going to let her have her moment. Least I can do." When they are free he's oddly the least enthusiastic and he does look back a final time and fret over what rooms may not have been checked thoroughly enough before Scorpius dragged him back. He steps over to Kai and puts a hand on his shoulder, saying in a deep, sothing tone because he is deep, and ignoring that he starts to crack himself as he says it  "It's going to be okay." He motions to Rhea and to Scorpius to come back. "We should make a plan."

*soothing tone (dammit, not even phone autocorrect this time) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 5:54 PM *Looks at Noah for a moment, dropping his hands, before sighing and clapping him on the back a smidge harder than is strictly necessary.* Sure it is. And we need to get somewhere public, where there are other people and we can't immediately be picked up again. /Now/. Raluca Marks 5:56 PM Alex is walking to the castle for some morning classes when he notices a few silhouettes by the abandoned house. One is approaching and another is following, while some others stick by the house. Squinting, he still can't tell who they are so he removes the umbrella function of his wand and gets ready for a confrontation. "Who's that? You should know that I'm more than ready for a confrontation." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 6:02 PM *Groaning* It would be. Alexzander fucking Archer would be the first person we meet after getting out of there. He fucking would be. *The universe hates him.* Mel 6:03 PM Rhea looks over at Noah and laughs for a spell before another voice cuts in. She lets her arms fall to her side and straightens, turning toward the sound of the voice while moving closer to the others, squinting at the person until she can finally tell who it is. "You sure you want to take on four people at once, Archer?" Mistress of Evil 6:03 PM Scorpius: *far too cheerfully* Scorpius Malfoy and I am in no mood to be fucked with. Tell me something crazy only Alexzander Archer would or I swear I'll drown you

Noah: *last as usual* Call the aurors and the paper. I've rescued these three from below the Shrieking Shack where they were being held. Mel 6:05 PM "Shut the bloody hell up before I set /you/ on fire, Sharpe."\ Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 6:05 PM *Kai laughs really, /really/ hard* Mistress of Evil 6:05 PM Noah: She's in shock. You can't trust what she is saying Mel 6:06 PM "Oh fuck, yes you can." She walks over to Noah, starting a fire in her hand Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 6:06 PM He fought a door and the door won. Tell the papers that, if you're gonna tell them anything. *After a beat, in a much more sombre tone of voice* And no aurors. Mel 6:06 PM (I'M LAUGHING) Raluca Marks 6:07 PM Alex stares, for a moment confused. "I can take ten of you losers," he shrugged and then clapped. "... welcome back? Where the fuck have you been? What? Hey! What happened?" He then heard Scorpius and got into his senses.... a little. "... if you try to drown me, I'll burn you so don't even try."

He watches the whole thing, not understanding a thing but he nods firmly as Kai says the bit about no aurors. Mistress of Evil 6:14 PM "That is close enough," Scorpius declared then, not rushing toward  Alex like he would with probably most anyone else even a stranger right now but hanging back because he is not escaping just to be burnt and giving Alex a look much too sincere and soft to be aimed at someone he barely knows. "I missed you" Raluca Marks 6:15 PM Alex still doesn't understand a thing, but Scorpius seems honest, so he nods, eyes melting into the other's, with just as much feeling. "Thank you." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 6:16 PM If you two are done flirting can we head into hogsmede just in case whoever took us turns up? Alex is the only one with a wand. Raluca Marks 6:17 PM Don't worry, I got you. I'm actually supposed to be at school, but whatever. Tell me what happened. Stand behind me if you want. Mistress of Evil 6:17 PM Noah backs away from Rhea hands up and wind blowing, trying to snuff the flame out. "Whoa! Whoa! Let's settle down here" He looks to the other guys. " A little help?" He is not so effected by being threatened though that he can't protest "Hey," in his most wounded voice when Kai reveals his struggle against the board. "I loosened it up." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 6:20 PM You bruised your knuckles and served more to make Rhea laugh than help in any other way. *He's too shaken by everything to care about Alex taking any kind of protective role; but more than that he's just desperate to get someone more safe* Whatever. We just need to get out of here. /Now/, please. Raluca Marks 6:21 PM ... Like, my flat? My roommate moved out and the other one is in prison. There is nobody but me and I, like, I don't know, I have wards. I'm responsible. You know me. Mistress of Evil 6:21 PM Also Noah. "Why no aurors? We weren't the ones who did anything wrong." Then, for Alex's benefit even though the younger man is having a weird moment with Scorpius by that time, "We were kidnapped. They were taken previously and I set myself up as a trap, took down my alarms at my house and allowed myself to be taken so I could find out where they were being held and set us all free, which, as you can see, I did. Now if you could escort us back to civilization.....did I hear Alex?" He wanted to say Adam but he thinks he heard Alex Raluca Marks 6:22 PM "Yes, you heard me. I was talking." Shocking, but he once again is confused and overwhelmed. Mistress of Evil 6:23 PM "Nott Scorpions or Club Penguin," Scorpius pipes up to Alex's offer with no ulterior motives there of course, "Somewhere with a lot of people. No offense but I'm not going anyplace as secluded as an empty apartment with anyone, even if we are three on one."

"Anyplace public, just the shop district of Hogsmeade," Scorpius amends and starts walking Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 6:25 PM Because I said /no fucking aurors/. *Raquel's and Norah's faces linger in his mind, and his shaky grip on his current calm is tested.* Guy kidnapped for the least amount of time and who didn't help with the escape and instead ran around shouting doesn't get to make demands. And if you try to claim you rescued any of us one more time, I'm going to hit you. *And he starts walking too.* Raluca Marks 6:25 PM But... who kidnapped you? Mistress of Evil 6:28 PM "I don't know any names but I can draw the aurors a sketch," Noah says at the same time Scorpius says, "Fucked if I know. Could be you for all I know. They used polyjuce potion" Raluca Marks 6:28 PM "Why did they kidnap you? Why are you here now? Is this... is this a joke?" Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 6:30 PM I was cursed from behind on my way home from work. We're here now because someone...made a mistake? Forgot a ward? Because they let us go? I don't fucking know. Can we just /move/. Mel 6:30 PM "It could be a joke," she chimed while walking Mistress of Evil 6:56 PM "The joke sucks. I waited way too long for the punchline," Scorpius interjected, a bit shaky and looking more manic than happy when he flashed Rhea a grin.To Alex he says, "The same as Kai for me. Hit walking home after I closed the bar." Raluca Marks 6:57 PM "But why did they kidnap you? Did they... torture you or whatever?" Mistress of Evil 6:57 PM Noah is well warned to back off though he still doesn't see why they can't go to the aurors. He'll go later. He continues to speak soothingly to Kai as they all are walking "Keep in mind what's important here. We're all free and we're going home."

Scorpius, decidedly on the torture thing, "No." Whereas Noah opts for an enigmatic, "I don't want to talk about it in front of the others." Raluca Marks 7:00 PM ((NOAH IS ME))

He feels like they are dodging a question, which is starting to infuriate and frustrate him, because he feels like they think he is stupid. "But why? Answer me! I can tell you're trying not to answer me." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 7:05 PM We were kidnapped for months and only just fucking escaped, Alex. We'd like to not talk about it for five fucking minutes, if that's alright with you, you insensitive piece of shit. *Kai starts walking a little faster.* Mistress of Evil 7:09 PM Scorpius makes eye contact with Alex over Rhea's head.  "I'll fill you in later." He has to tell Alex that bullshit he was always spouting about the healers was true....but not now. Now is for pretending he's just woke up from a long dream, and about being happy instead of disappointed to wake up. "I'm with Kai. No more questions."   Raluca Marks 7:09 PM "But I don't understand!" he sighed, frustrated. "Are you hungry? Mel 7:11 PM "Famished." Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature 7:11 PM ((I need to sleep but Kai keeps walking with them and then splits off at an indeterminate point to go track down people he's missed. Reiterates no aurors for a while, makes sure Rhea's okay before he leaves...you get the gist. Goodnight darlings.)) Mel 7:11 PM (goodnight <3333) Raluca Marks 7:12 PM ((goodnight and thank you for tonight)) Caitlin, Employed Tentacle Creature left the room Raluca Marks 7:12 PM "Then let's go to Nott Scorpions. They have focaccia," he lets Scorpius know nonchalantly, as if he doesn't know. Mistress of Evil 7:18 PM Scorpius snorts derisively, but holds back the comment forming in his mind because harsh words even joking have no enticement to him right now. Instead the newly established grin appears once more and he echoes Rhea, "Starving," though he's not. "We're going to go to your favorite restaurant and I'm going to buy you everything on the menu. Hell, I'll buy you the restaurant if my assets aren't frozen." He couldn't and wouldn't just nonchalantly like that but it's effect. Sometime he remembers there are other people there to acknowledge and adds, "Whatever any of you want too, even the actor though he can bankroll himself." He laughs when Alex mentions Nott Scorpions but just says, "Oh yeah? I think I heard something about that. Tell me, what's changed about Nott Scorpions the past few months?" Show more

Noah, beginning to feel the vibe of being an unwanted add on to the rest of the kidnapped crew and having missed his chance to add in a crazy theory of why they were kidnapped because Beth wasn't creative on the spot, just mumbles something about how he still feels like they should go to the aurors. Raluca Marks 7:22 PM "Me too?" Alex had to ask because he felt somehow weirdly included in the strange group because he seemed to go with it pretty nonchalantly and without asking too many questions. Technically, he was one of those who saved them too. He had the wand. "I don't know. They have good Cosmopolitans? There is an elf bartender." Mistress of Evil