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+------- Thread: [PLOT] Why Can't We Have Nice Things? :: OPEN (/showthread.php?tid=550)
[PLOT] Why Can't We Have Nice Things? :: OPEN - The Narrator - 10-05-2025
The days were short, darkness lingering in the December sky well past sunrise. Students walked swiftly through the halls, bundled in their robes and cloaks, accessorizing with scarves, wool hats and gloves. The warmth of the classrooms did not extend to the halls, making the trek between classes a bit chilly.
Magic had been steady in the castle for weeks. The Hospital Wing finally back up and running, plants thriving, potions curing and a full staff of students being managed by a new Head Nurse. The month of November flew by with relative ease, bringing in the frigid month of December. Cold winds, snow storms, rain squalls and the occasional frosty calm winter day, finally the weather was the only thing keeping the students and staff on their toes.
Just after breakfast, as the students were making their way to their first classes, a sudden and deafening screech could be heard, and felt, all throughout the castle. Students used their gloved hands to cover their ears as the horrible stone on metal sound rang through the hallways and walls on every level of the castle. For those unlucky enough to be on a moving staircase when the noise rang out, they also had the added benefit of a sudden and abrupt halt of the staircase in mid transition.
And just as fast, there was stillness and quiet.
It seemed, not everything was working as expected. Shouts rang out, from the tops of the towers to the lowest of dungeons. If the staircase was moving, it now sat completely still. Staircases hung in mid air, no longer connecting floors. Students were stranded, calling for help, not sure how they would get from one class to another.
RE: [PLOT] Why Can't We Have Nice Things? :: OPEN - Gideon Blackwood - 10-05-2025
He took the blame for this issue. The other explosive magic around the castle, that was all Nick, the old Head Master. This one, all Gideon’s fault. Why? He made the mistake of mentioning at breakfast how nice it had been with things functioning properly.
Yep. All his fault.
To pay his penance, Gideon was currently stationed at the landing between the middle and upper floors, levitating the little first years and upper years unable to fly. Or too nervous. There were quite a few. It was honestly quite annoying.
“You, you’re up next. Broom or toss?” Was he actually tossing students? No, but it got the point across. The worried look on the first year lion’s face made him sigh. Squatting down in front of the unnaturally short eleven year old, Gideon tried to sooth her nerves.
“Are you scared?” he asked. She nodded. “I promise, it will be ok. We’ll go slow. What class are you going to?” She timidly said “potions,” before shuddering a nervous breath. Perfect. He needed to drop her… no, not drop. He needed to carefully place her two full floors down. So yeah, she was terrified. In the nearly four months at the castle, his normally abrasive personality had softened with the younger students. He didn't like seeing their terrified faces. Now the older students, they didn't get the softer side.
“I’ll tell you what. How about you shut your eyes and sing a song. Or hum, or recite your favorite Beetle the Bard story. Keep your eyes shut tight and in no time, you’ll be where you need to be.”
With a shaky nod, the little one started singing twinkle twinkle little star while Gideon waved his wand and lifted her lightly off the ground. A tiny squeak escaped her lips, while the Deputy carefully levitated her down to the ground floor. “Keep your eyes shut, you’re doing great.” He went slower than he did with most, he really didn’t need her opening her eyes and flailing about in the open void. Sure, they had a new (and beautiful) head nurse, but he really didn’t want to overwork her with fall victims.
As the girl’s feet touched solid ground, she opened her eyes, waved to Gideon and skipped along happy as a clam. Gideon did a quick two finger wave and then looked at who came next. “Ok, where do you need to go?”
RE: [PLOT] Why Can't We Have Nice Things? :: OPEN - Ruby Haswell - 10-06-2025
It hadn’t taken too long for a replacement Head Nurse to be sent to the castle. It was interesting that the woman was yet another ex-auror, though Ruby thought it might be smart to stack the castle with them in this case. Just when she thought everything had been fixed – something else wacky happened.
She stood at the bottom of the staircase, assisting those who needed to go up, to go up, and ensuring those that were coming down had a soft landing.
“No, Michael, you were just brought down, you do not need to go all the way back up! Get to class,” Ruby scolded one first year who found the whole thing to be more of a game rather than a huge mishap with the castle’s magic.
Ruby looked down at her pocket watch as she lifted another student up to the ground floor. Her shift was almost over, and then she could go back to seeing how she might rectify the stair situation. This was such a precarious thing to be dealing with, as even if the students were not taking the stairs, everyone would have to pause once the next class started so she could mess with one set of stairs.
And, something she had discovered during this, apparently when one set of stairs was back in working order, attempting to apply the same fix to the next one often made the other break – again.
Ruby had half a mind to just make them all stationary, but then not all floors would be reached. And it wasn’t logical for the staff to continue to spend a good portion of their day assisting students.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Haswell, we had a… slight issue with bandages in the Wing,” Roisin said as she approached the older woman. Ruby raised her brow and looked at her, noting the rogue bandaid on the back of her robe.
“I see. Anything we need to address?” she asked, as she finally stepped away and let the younger woman take over her role.
“No, ma’am, all good,” came the response.
Relief.
“Well, don’t be afraid to speak out if you need some help. I… am going to try starting from the top today, and work my way down,” Ruby said and grabbed her broom that she had set aside before mounting it and flying all the way up to the top level.
powerplay of Rose Byrne approved