William took a step backward, remembered that he didn't really want to be backing into anything right now, and flattened himself against the wall. "Options?" he asked, wand at the ready. Possibly, he considered, Pete had been onto something with the 'stay in Ravenclaw' plan.
Something glided around the corner, and William raised his wrist automatically so the owl could land, feathers ruffling nervously. The three House-elves that had been trailing it through the castle rounded the hallway, glazed eyes gaining a little spark when they saw they'd trapped more than one smallish bird of prey.
"Can we block them in somewhere?" William called to Shane, taking a few nervous sidesteps down the hallway. The group behind them was just catching up, familiar groans echoing through the hallway. "Lure them into a classroom and lock the door? Do we have anything we could use as bait?"
The owl (the one he'd sent from Ravenclaw, he noted, which meant this was a reply from Spencer) hooted impatiently, lifting her foot for him to take the message. And oh, he wasn't thinking that. He wasn't. He wasn't going to toss an innocent owl to ravenous House-elves, he had never even had that thought. "Now," he told the owl tightly, "is not the best time."