This Is a Wild Game of Survival

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Oona knew that she shouldn't have been up and about after curfew, but the temptation had been too strong for her to ignore. She'd finished reading all of the decent books left in Ravenclaw Tower, and waking anyone in her dormitory to ask if they had anything worthwhile that she could borrow from them had seemed like a great way to get a pillow thrown in her face. The library was just a floor below where she knew she should have been sleeping, and—with as many Aurors as there were stationed around the castle—she remained confident that no harm would come to her on her way down there and back.

For what it was worth, she didn't even care to access the Restricted Section; she just wanted to grab some reading off of the regular shelves. There was nothing wrong with that, Oona thought—not when people had gotten into trouble for worse. (Even she had been given detention before for trying to access the Restricted Section when she shouldn't have been.) Just getting herself a normal book about something as tame as Mermish was all that she wanted, and she didn't think that any of her teachers would actually care. Besides, whatever book she grabbed, Oona vowed that she'd have it back in its proper place before breakfast in the morning.

She continued to walk in almost total darkness, although she carried her wand—just to be safe. (If for nothing else, she would need it to check book titles once she got to the library.) By the time that she reached the Grand Staircase, she guessed that it must have been just after midnight. The portraits were all sound asleep in their frames, and she made a conscious effort to quiet the noise her slippers made so that she wouldn't wake them.

With her feet firmly on the first set of stairs and her free hand gripped tightly around the bannister, Oona waited to descend. From memory, she knew that it wouldn't be too difficult from where she stood—just off the staircase and down the corridor. She knew where the trick steps were, so those weren't an issue, either.

Perhaps a bit too confident in herself, Oona stepped away from the edge as soon as she was deposited. Falling off now certainly wasn't in her plans; she could almost smell the fresh pages. As she stopped to adjust her slipper, however, she noticed the light of what must have been someone else's wand. It moved in her direction, remained there, and then disappeared from view. Sucking in her stomach and making herself as small as possible against the wall—wishing that she could disappear inside of it—Oona held her breath. The light came back again, and she resisted the urge to gasp. She wouldn't get to the library at all if she got caught.

OOC: Prefects, Hogwarts staff, and Aurors, you're always welcome to do your thing.

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Minerva didn't patrol the corridors often. She left it to her younger and more agile staff and the visiting Aurors. None the less when she was feeling particularly restless she couldn't help but fall back into the habit. By this point the young adults knew not to question her presence, if only because she would chew them out if they suggested she leave it to the young people and go sleep. It was a still and quiet night, which was one reason she enjoyed patrolling. It gave you time to think. Ponder your thoughts without the usual nuisances.

The Professor was currently in cat form. Her white and black striped fur was definitely turning gray from age but she was still quite agile. Wizards could live to be a hundred and fifty years after all, the woman still had 60 years in her. Slinking through the corridors, her footsteps completely silent. Very so often she'd see the light of a lit wand, and the owner would wave silently to her when they spotted the graying cat before continuing in their way. On the fourth floor she spotted both a student an Auror, the Auror heading right in the direction of the student, wand lit. Reverting back to her human form she shook her head at the Auror, silently telling him she'd handle it, and they left. Now with her human eyes she'd need a light to see. With a sigh she pulled out her wand and lit it, lighting up the face of a Ravenclaw fourth year. "Miss O'Toole it's past curfew." came her stern Scottish voice. She might not have know the students by name when she started st Hogwarts again but that had quickly changed. She'd set to work memorizing as many names and faces as possible.

@oona

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“Miss O'Toole.”

The Scottish accent was unmistakable, and Oona could feel every muscle in her body freezing up until she was as rigid and as still as a statue. She tried not to exhale, hoping against hope that Professor McGonagall's old age would lead her to think herself mistaken.

“It's past curfew.”

Unable to hold her breath any longer, Oona was forced to breathe out. She didn't know how to respond at first. Her initial thought was to pretend that she hadn't known that it was so late already, though she looked down and remembered that her pajamas would have been a dead giveaway that she was lying.

With the light from the headmistress's wand shining directly upon her, she had no choice but to tell the truth. “I can explain, Professor McGonagall…”

@headmistress

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The fourth year girl froze up like a startled deer, and for a moment Minerva wondered just what reasoning the girl had for being out of her common room after midnight. Over her many years at Hogwarts Minerva was positive she'd heard every excuse imaginable. From ghost possession, sleep walking, obliviousness to the time (despite no lights), foiling the plot of a dark wizard (or more likely a rival student.). The creativity of her students was absolutely astounding at times, though absolutely ludicrous. If the words 'emergency' and 'finding a teacher' weren't in the excuse, there was positively no reason to be out of the common room or dormitories once curfew hit.

So, this fourth year, who had four years worth of experience to thoroughly know the rules, had little reason to be up so late. And by her vague excuse of 'I can explain', the older woman's stern expression only grew more severe. She was always known to be a fairly strict teacher, though she could bend when necessary. Now didn't seem to be one of those times. "I would hope so." She coolly answered, slightly curious just what reason the girl would come up with today. "Sleep walking is not a valid explanation, so you are aware."

@oona

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Viewing herself as someone who respected most authority, and especially the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Oona tried not to show how utterly terrified she was that she had been caught out after curfew by Professor McGonagall herself.

“I would hope so,” stated the elderly witch, and Oona was already beginning to think that she was done for. “Sleep walking is not a valid explanation, so you are aware.”

Anything too silly—too simple—would get her docked House points or even a detention, Oona wasn't stupid and knew that she couldn't make up anything too alarming, either. If she lied and said that there had been some sort of emergency, then the Aurors would be sent to investigate it, thereby wasting the Ministry's resources, and…

Oona decided that she was better off telling the truth than having to substantiate a lie. “I just wanted to go to the library,” she squeaked out, feeling her cheeks grow hotter. Hoping that Professor McGonagall would take into consideration that she was only trying to be a good student and read—or at least allow her to prove that she wasn't using the library as an excuse to do something dangerous or illegal.

@headmistress

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The truth was always the best answer, despite whatever it might be. She wouldn't judge as long as the student in question didn't try to lie her way out of trouble. So, the elderly woman patiently waited with a raised eyebrow. Hopefully Oona would eventually react the same conclusion and offer the Headmistress the answer she was looking for.

When the fourth year did speak... Minerva just stared at her, expression unreadable. To the library. "At this hour?" she meticulously asked, verifying she had indeed heard the girl right. "The library is closed." she added, a fact she hoped this girl knew already. What in Merlin's beard could the girl want in the library at this hour?

@oona

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“At this hour?”

Still embarrassed with herself, Oona nodded. “I-I know, Professor,” she admitted; she knew that she was in the wrong and shouldn't have been trying to get to the library so late at night.

“The library is closed.”

“I-I know I've broken the rules, Professor McGonagall.” Oona looked down at her feet in shame and shoved her foot farther into her slipper. “I just thought…” She looked back up at the headmistress. The truth was, Oona thought, maybe she hadn't thought at all. “I just thought… I've read nearly everything in Ravenclaw Tower,” she said, “and I wanted to try to find something else.”

“I know it's late,” she repeated. “I didn't want to wake my roommates to ask them if I could borrow any of their books.” That didn't seem fair to them. “I wanted a book to read,” she continued, “and the library has books—” (Well, that was something of a given…) “And the library isn't far, and I was going to return the book in the morning.” She hadn't planned to steal anything.

@headmistress