this is just the beginning -- second level

[Deleted]

-- if this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together

al's eyes widened as the piece of debris fell between the four of them, causing scorpius to scramble back out of it's way and al to shield his eyes from the dust and smaller debris it sent sailing into the air. he coughed as he shifted forward, resting his good hand on the floor next to him. he listened for them after rose had screamed out his friends name. they needed to hear something back. when he finally heard his friends voice he dropped his head a little, his body sagging in relief that scorp was at least alive. then his mind noticed a bigger problem. him and rose were trapped. he glanced around the area they were in, no gaps in the rubble were big enough to crawl through. there was only one way out and that was over the top. he swallowed as he looked at rose, listened to what she had to say. but he had an idea forming in his head and it was one that she wasn't going to like. "we're gonna get out of here. someone will be here soon. neville will come," he listened to her, resting his hand on her arm lightly as he glanced to the rubble again. it mightn't be soon enough. the way the tower was falling around them he didn't figure they had very long before the whole thing collapsed down on them. he closed his eyes for a second, willing his body to allow him the energy to move as he dragged himself across to the large piece of ceiling and he made to sit against it, his back resting against the stone. he looked at rose. he held his hand out to her. "y-you need to c-climb out .. s-stand on my s-shoulders. you c-can reach if you do" he said, coughing and drawing his knee's up a little against the pain it caused. "scorp n-needs you .. i'm n-not going to let you d-die rose" he said, the experssion on his face almost pleading with her to do what he told her. "think of s-scorp"

Ondina Nell Weasley
@scorp
Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

Scorp gasped as Ondina was suddenly lifted out of his arms and into the arms of... the school nurse? Who seemed incredibly angry about the whole situation. Scorp pushed himself to standing, discovering newfound faith in the idea that maybe nurse Leonato would be able to save Ondina. He didn't speak as the air bubble warped around his face or when Cassius turned away, telling him that they had to get moving.

He had two choices here, stay behind and try to save Al and Rose, or go with Cassius to help Ondina and grab some more qualified help... what good was he without a wand, anyway? He turned to the rubble, his voice wavering a little as he spoke. "Rose, Al. Someones come to help. He's taken Ondina... my wands broken and... I'll find some help just stay put, okay?" he spoke loudly, hoping to heaven that they could hear him.

With one last bite of his lip and curse under his breath, Scorp turned from the wall and followed the nurse. He didn't want to think of what he'd left behind, but they were okay... right? What good could he have been. He fought back the tears threatening his eyes as he and Cass burst into a clear hallway.

Once Ondina was on the ground, Scorp ran to an open window, but soon realized he couldn't call for help. "Cass-Leonato, give me your wand, we need to call for help," he said, turning toward the man who apparently wasn't doing well, because he had just slammed his fists into the ground....

@cassius

(loll gonna be rping with myself for a minute haha)

[Deleted]

Rose looked around, seeing if she could possibly find some sort of way around the debris. That was when she thought she heard another voice through all the chaos. She didn't recognize it... but it definitely did not sound like Scorpius. Why were they yelling? Rose had half a mind to speak up but she turned back around to Albus when she felt his hand on her shoulder. She watched him lean against a piece of debris and her brow furrowed in both concern and frustration. Her mouth fell open slightly at Albus's words. Not only was he telling her to go on, but that Scorpius needed her. She coughed again. She knelt down in front of him. "I am not leaving you, Albus." She looked him in the eye. "I can't do that. Get that through your head, Potter!" She smiled lightly at her cousin. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she left him behind. There was no chance she was leaving him. "Albus, where's your wand?" She asked him, hoping perhaps he could cast the bubble head charm on them. The smoke was becoming unbearable.

Scorpius's voice called out then and Rose turned around. Someone had come for help but... why did they leave without getting them out first? "Scorpius! Hurry! Get Professor Longbottom! Hurry, Albus is hurt!" She called out, hoping he was still there to hear her.

This couldn't be happening.

@cassius
Ondina Nell Weasley
@al
@scorp

[Deleted]

Scorpius's voice was like a distant memory. Call for help? Help for what? No one else knew what to do with Ondina-Oh, right. He meant for everyone else. That's when it hit him. The spell that he could use to save her life. He had made two minutes before she started suffering serious brain damage. He had to act. He turned to Scorp, "I can't. Go, go find someone. GO," Scorp would have to use his own two legs to deal with this. But Cass needed his wand...

A dangerous spell, only used for emergencies. Normally he would give Ondina a potion that would open her throat, but he didn't have it and it would take too long to summon it. No, he had to do it. It was a spell to force her throat to open, then he would be able to give her some of his own breath to restart the system. It was dangerous, though. Very dangerous. If something went wrong he could easily kill her-and that was not going to happen.

He took a deep breath. Okay, he was only an intern, still technically a healer in training and this was some advanced stuff. He heard someone speaking beside him, probably Scorpius, but he didn't hear it. He held up a hand, taking a deep breath before lowering his wand to Ondinas throat.

"Please let this work," he muttered, licking his lips that suddenly had become very dry before quietly muttering the incantation, envisioning her throat opening enough for him to get some air in there... he lowered his ear to her mouth, listening for any sort of indication that it worked...

He heard her draw a slight breath and his heart started beating again. He turned his face, covering her lips with his and giving her a gust of air.

He pulled away, just barely, "come on, Ondina. Come on."


(@al or Ondina Nell Weasley next?)

[Deleted]

Ondina drew a small quivering breath. It felt like a light in the darkness. It was followed by a stronger breath, one she knew couldn't be hers. She heard her name, someone was calling her. It sounded so distant though... So faint. She didn't want to follow it. Until she realized something, the voice. She knew it, knew it well, and felt herself drawn to that desperate call.

Everything hurt. Her body felt bruised and beaten, her throat burned from the spell, and her leg... Words couldn't describe that pain. Slowly, everything came back to her. The explosion, the smoke, and the panic. Even opening her eyes hurt, but she knew she had to. Someone was waiting for her. The first thing she saw was a familiar green gaze, just a breath away from her own. She knew those eyes, they'd made her heart skip a beat more then once. "You... saw..." Like everything else, talking hurt. But, in that moment? She didn't care. He came.

[Deleted]

-- if this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together

he almost groaned when she refused to leave him. why were the woman in this family so stubborn? he shook his head a little, he wasn't sure how to get her to leave without him. he was worried the whole thing would collapse on them at any moment. parts of the floor above them had already started to cave in on them, the large piece of debris that he was leaning on was proof of that. he watched her kneel down in front of him and he chewed his lip, let his head fall back against the piece of rock and he let his eyes close for just a moment, revelling in the dark and pretending he was somewhere else. he opened his eyes when she asked about his wand. he blinked a little, shifting and reaching his good hand to try and find it in his pocket, but it wasn't there. damn it. he swallowed and shook his head. "i d-don't know" he coughed as rose did, the smoke thick in his lungs as he tried to draw in a breath. he didn't have his wand, his casting hand was shattered to what felt like pieces but he knew he could so something. he lifted his broken arm lightly, his hand close to rose as he focused hard and muttered the charm for the bubble head charm. he groaned as the pain spread up his arm as the bubble appeared around rose's head and he dropped his arm, coughing and glad at lease one of them would be able to breath. he heard her yell something to scorp but he was too focused on trying to keep himself breathing to listen to what was actually being said. he just hoped it was someone on their way to get them out. he shifted a little when he heard another cracking noise. he almost groaned. hadn't enough rubble fallen? he felt the ground below him shift, his eyes widened a little as he suddenly realised what was happening. in a panicked motion he lurched forward suddenly, not caring about how much it hurt to try and push rose as far away from the ground that was crumbling below him. with nothing around him to grab hold of he slipped through the hole that was suddenly there and into the dark floor below them.

Ondina Nell Weasley
@scorp
Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

So, that was weird. Scorp was about to follow Cass's instructions when he turned back in time to see Cass... giving Ondina mouth to mouth? He stopped, turning all the way around as his jaw slowly dropped. He was a healer, wasn't he? Just trying to save Ondinas life. Still, it was... strange to watch. To watch the way Cass seemed to pour his emotion into it. And the way Ondinas eyes opened... the way she started to breathe again. He didn't say anything as he stood there, momentarily frozen in the moment. Then he remembered what he had to do.

He ran until he was in the stairwell, seeing students below. "A wand! I need a wand!" he said as he ran down the stairs until, finally, someone tossed a wand to him, "accio... Professor Longbottom?" several students looked at him as though he was an entirely crazy person, but what else was he supposed to do at that point!? For being a genius, so to speak, he hadn't really thought this through.

"Erh-thanks. I'm gonna borrow this! Go get help!" Scorpius said before running back up the stairs toward the danger, cause that was obviously the most logical thing to do...

@superluigi64

[Deleted]

Rose looked down at her cousin. It was killing her to see him like this. She didn't care how the whole situation had erupted, people she loved were in danger. (Was Scorpius part of that demographic?) She brushed the thought away and knelt by her cousin, wishing terribly that there was something she could possibly do for him. She watched almost in confusion as Albus lifted his broken arm and muttered what sounded like the bubble head charm. The look that felt upon Rose's face was one of shock and admiration both. Albus had cast a bubble head charm on her. She felt as if she could breathe freely again. She could also not believe that Albus had just cast another non verbal spell - something she had never been able to achieve. She wished so badly in that moment that she could repay him.

Turning around, Rose heard no more talking. "Scorpius?" She called out, hoping someone was still there. Hoping he was still there. That was when she heard another cracking noise. She turned around just in time to see Albus lurching toward her and all to fast, Rose felt herself flying away from where she just stood. Her heard hit into what felt like a wall. She sat up, placing her hand on the back of her head - no blood, thank Merlin; but she felt incredibly dizzy. Which was why at first, she thought she was imagining seeing the gaping hole where she and Albus once stood.

After a moment and several blinkings of the eyes, Rose realized quickly that the hole was no mirage. It was real. And Albus was gone. In a hurry, Rose stood up; something she probably shouldn't have done as she felt her head now throbbing. "Albus!!" She called out. She was afraid to get closer to the hole. No answer, and her once calm demeanor began to dissolve. "Somebody! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" She began to scream frantically, hoping anyone would hear.

Where did Scorpius go?

@superluigi64
@cassius
Ondina Nell Weasley
@al
@scorp

[Deleted]

-- if this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together

"Somebody! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" al could hear rose screaming. he wanted to call out to her to let her know it was okay. that help would get there soon for her. that she'd be okay but his brain wasn't listening to the emotions running through him. that or there was something really wrong that was effecting the way he could speak. he swallowed a little, shifted his head a little against the pile of rubble it had landed against. the pain still raged on in his chest, the feeling worsening every time he tried to draw in a small breath. but that was it. other than the pounding in his head he couldn't feel any other pain. if he'd been able to think clearly it would have worried him that he couldn't feel it. but he reveled in the part of him that wasn't feeling pain. thanking merlin for it. he stared up at the little speck of light that was the hole he had fallen through, kept his eyes on it as he waited for help to come.

@superluigi64
@scorp
Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

Scorp made his way back to Albus and Rose, knowing that Ondina was with the nurse now meant that she was safe, he hoped. He had seen her open her eyes and... well, he was sure that she was in good hands. As he approached the area where he had left Albus and Rose behind, he heard a loud crashing sound and the sound of Rose screaming. His heart stopped beating for a moment. What had happened? Was she okay? Was Al okay? He approached the rock barrier that had them trapped, unsure at first of a safer way to get around. "ROSE!" he called when he arrived. He took a few steps back aiming his wand at the stone, "spongify!" he cast, allowing the rocks before him to transform into softer substance. He then moved forward, pulling the stones that had been effected away. As he did, the stone above started to crumble. He cursed under his breath before calling out, "Immobulus!' the stones froze in place, hovering above him. He continued to dig at the stone until there was an opening, just wide enough for him to be able to see through. "Rose! Thank God," he said as he saw her. She seemed to be all right enough except... she was staring down at the floor and Al was nowhere to be seen. "Rose, where's Al?"

Rozalina Antonina Nightshade @al

[Deleted]

Rose could not stop staring down toward the hole that she was certain Albus had fallen into. The only thing that caught her eye was the rocks that suddenly started to move beside her. Her heart was beating too fast to comprehend what was happening right away. Her head turned quickly to the side when she finally heard someone's voice. And not just anyone's...

Scorpius. He hadn't abandoned them after all. She reached out to Scorpius, feeling unable to move out of shock. She grabbed a hold of his arm and with her free hand, pointed down to the hole. "There... he - he fell down there!" She said, feeling a bit more calm now that help had arrived. But she felt that she wouldn't have been as calm as she now was if it had been anyone else but him. "We have to get to him!" She said, feeling more scared for a life than she ever had in her life.

@scorp
@al
@superluigi64

[Deleted]

Footsteps pounded up the stairs as Neville led a group of Aurors toward the tower. Naturally, he’d heard the initial collapse, but it had taken him time to make his way across the castle and up from ground level. Most of the Aurors and teachers had been subjected to hastily shouted orders to continue their normal routine—he could not allow a moment of panic to collapse the castle’s defenses fully—but Neville had grabbed four Aurors to provide backup and rescue on his way.

Now he’d reached the tower, powering his way up the stairs, wand out. The door blew open with a wave of his wand as his free hand reached within his robes, pulling out a thick green package. The moment he moved through the door to the first floor, he flung the package forward. It hit the ground, skidding forward—and then one more explosion went off.

But this one didn’t shake the tower. Instead, there was a blast of smoke that lingered in the air for an instant before Neville Vanished it, revealing that the clear area of the first floor had become a verdant meadow. Thick, green grass was already growing at waist height as he moved forward, the Aurors flanking him, all five looking around for hostiles. “Right, you four are on lookout duty. If someone wants a fight, give ‘em one,” he ordered, before letting out a sharp whistle. A Hogwarts House-Elf appeared at the sound “We need a dozen house-elves here, there are students trapped and hurt. We’re going to get them out and get them to the hospital wing. Hominum Revelio.”

Neville heard the house-elf snap his fingers, heard a dozen more pops as the rest arrived, but focused on the locations of the various people trapped in the debris. Okay. He pressed his wand to his neck, and his voice boomed out across the tower. “This is Headmaster Longbottom. Everyone remain calm and still. I’m going to brace the area and then we’ll get everyone out.”

His wand and his right hand moved together. Neville’s skill with wandless magic, ordinarily, wasn’t that great. But when it came to plants, he had no equal in Britain. Vines, hundreds of them, tore from the new ground he’d created with the Portable Field he’d used (something George Weasley insisted he keep a stock of, for emergencies like this). The vines grew outward with unnatural speed, slithering like snakes as they twined into and around the rubble. Smaller vines branched out from the larger ones, interconnecting and forming an organic web that securely wrapped wood and stone up, while passing by the human bodies he had detected. Another spell strengthened the vines themselves, hardening them and giving them the power to lift rock.

The house-elves scattered into the area, searching for students with Neville’s direction as he cleared routes big enough for them to get through. Once they had the students out, he could move things more freely. Neville moved upstairs quickly, passing by Cassius, who had Ondina—he stopped long enough to make sure the nurse had everything handled with Ondina, as she had health issues—and found Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy. “Are you two alright?” he asked, moving over to them.

(Tagging everyone who should have heard Neville’s voice in the other threads. Feel free to have them call to him for help or have a house-elf arrive to aid them ^.^)
@james
@alice
@crystal2
@desirae
@cassius
Ondina Nell Weasley

[Deleted]

-- if this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together

albus opened his eyes when he heard the booming voice of longbottom coming through the cracks and filling the room around him with the sound. he didn't even remember closing his eyes in the first place. help was coming. finally. al held his chest as he coughed, trying his best to shift a little but it was more difficult than he had assumed it would be. he wasn't even sure that he'd moved at all. "r-rose?" he tried to call out up into the space she had been trapped in. how many other students were stuck like this. he had no idea. the worst case scenarios rolled through his head and no matter how hard he tried to shut them off. he heard another voice. was neville there already? no. he couldn't have gotten there that quick. could he? he wasn't sure how much time had passed since he'd fallen in the hole. it was all spotty and hard to think of. he felt rubble shift beside him and rolled his head slightly to look at it. vines? wrapping themselves around the rocks and larger pieces of rubble. longbottoms doing.

@superluigi64
@scorp
Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

As Rose grabbed hold of his arm,, Scorpius attempted to remove the remainder of the rock out of the way until he could get through, standing beside her. He took her other hand and tightened his grip on it reassuringly before looking down into the hole. Okay, so Al had fallen down to... it looked like it was underneath the stairs, or a dark closet because it wasn't into the room below. "Al?" he called down, hoping to get some kind of answer out of his friend.

Finally, Scorp heard the echoed voice of Headmaster Longbottom. He tightened his grip on Roses' hand once more before smiling with relief. Help was on the way. No doubt the other professors and house elves were already helping Ondina and Cass, along with whoever else was affected. Finally, Scorp heard a small sound from in the whole. Al was saying Rose's name. Scorp knelt down, looking into the hole. "We're coming Al, help is coming," he knew it wouldn't be safe to attempt lifting Al out of the whole using wingardium leviosa. At least not until he could see him.

"Lumos," he bent down, pointing the light into the hole. Then he heard the Headmasters voice. He was there, right beside him. Scorpius stood, "Professor, Albus has fallen down there and I can't get a good. I can't see him," he said quickly, bending down again to lower the wand into the whole.

@superluigi64
@al
Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

Rose felt the biggest weight come off of her shoulders when she heard the familiar voice of the headmaster. She felt tears welling up in her eyes out of relief. They were going to be okay. As Scorpius took a hold of her hand and gave it a squeeze, she felt hope for the first time since she had stepped foot into this tower.

However when Rose heard Albus call out her name, her heart skipped a beat. She was hoping and hoping he was okay and nothing serious had happened to him. She watched with bated breath as Scorpius tried to shine his wand down the hole and bit her lip out of frustration when it was futile.

The Ravenclaw turned to see Professor Longbottom and in that moment, she knew that they were safe - nothing else was going to happen to them. He wouldn't allow it. "We need to get to him, Professor. He has a broken arm," she said urgently.

@superluigi64 @al @scorp