From the Ashes

Jon,

You wouldn't happen to have a pair of dragonhide gloves lying around, would you?

Thanks,
Bill

Who: Bob and William
Where: Hospital wing
What: Darn those pesky magical knives.
When: Late morning Tuesday (11/03)

It took some time, but eventually Bob was able to clear out all the zombie victims from the hospital wing without too much trouble. He didn't doubt that this was likely because most injuries were minor ones. If pressed, he might've even admitted (albeit grudgingly) that the healing process was significantly sped up in many cases by the work Auror Way had done prior to Bob's arrival.

Either way, clearing out the gangrene cases left Bob with the necessary free time to read and review the case files left by his predecessor as well as make certain changes, improvements, and adjustments to the layout of his new domain. Important adjustments like wards repelling certain over-eager healers. Bob did not want to have to deal with Healer Williams unless he absolutely had to.

Who: Gerard and William
When: Monday afternoon (the day of the full moon)
Where: The library, current safe haven from certain Ministry officials
What: Past and current events

William had a great deal to think about. The headmaster had sent him to greet the visiting Ministry official, as everyone else was busy with classes, and apparently Headmaster Schechter still had a creative sense of humour, because the official in question had turned out to be Hayley Williams.

He'd gotten her settled in her guest rooms with minimal awkwardness, considering their history, and fled before she could unpack parchment and quill to start asking him official Ministry questions. He wasn't sure, anymore, that she was really here as a grief counselor. He needed some time to think about it. And about what he was going to say. She'd looked a bit wide-eyed at the rubble in the entrance hall; hopefully that wouldn't come up.

Thankfully, the library was relatively safe territory. Not that she wouldn't know exactly where to find him if she wanted to, but she was a Ravenclaw, and he doubted she'd start asking leading questions in mutually respected neutral territory. Not yet, anyway. He might not be as lucky in another few days.

Who: Pete & William
What: Bowling and more whimisicle fuckery
When: Wednesday evening
Where: the lawn

Pete was worried about William. First, the rumor mill had him whoring around again, and Merlin knew William was generally too self-controlled to get his grind on with other people in relative public. Secondly, Pete had seen William kill house elves with his own two eyes, and William was a librarian. Pete would put a weighty stack of galleons on William having some coping difficulties.

Thus, he had fetched William from the relative safety of his post, replaced him with a suitable substitute, and dragged him out to the lawn.

"You," he said firmly, pushing William down onto the lawn firmly with both hands on William's shoulders. Reaching up for William's shoulders. "Sit here. I'll take care of everything."

He fetched a small book out of his back pocket and his wand from its convenient sleeve within his sleeve, and raised the wand like a conductor's baton, clearing his throat importantly. First matter of business was to levitate the small group of children studying about five yards ahead of him and float them gently out of the way; it was the only flat ground the eye could see, and unless he wanted to carve up the hillside, he needed flat. Flattish.

[to William Beckett]

Dear William,

Hi! A fifth year Gryffindor just asked me if I was going to duel Pete & Gabe for your hand, and I've been warned by three Hufflepuffs that my stakes in aforementioned eventual battle aren't good. List of demands for compensation is below.

1. Either redirection of Plants in Peril to me first, library second, or a new subscription just for me (know you can wrangle it out of Schechter better than I).
2. A week's food for a Venomous tentacula. The fresher the better. Am sure you will figure something out.
3. I have some screechsnaps in need of repotting. Generally leave it to the NEWT students with patience looking for extra credit, but I think they can be spared this time.
4. Whatever shampoo you've been using.

With affection, etc. etc.

SS.

[to Mikey Way]

Mikey -- more later, but please please please don't listen to anything you might be hearing right now about me and cupboards and things. Ministry Officials & William without caffeine not a good combination, will make it up to you, promise. Spencer x

ps. If there's anything you'd like from William, please do let me know.

Who: William, Spencer, and Hayley
When: Mid-morning on Tuesday, break between classes.
Where: Fourth floor corridor
What: A dignified retreat

The day's teaching was off to an -- interesting start. Spencer had spent a fun forty-five minutes pulling Gryffindor and Slytherin firsties apart, wondering how on earth there could be this much vehemence between houses so early in the year. Had the Quidditch teams started training yet? Possibly there was a good explanation for it there, although not one satisfying enough to stop Spencer from issuing a dozen kids with detention for deciding that an appropriate measure to take in the argument involved throwing massive handfuls of mud at each other, much to the Dwittle Tree's dismay. He had NEWT kids next, at least, where early in the year meant that they were still frightened enough of the end of the year to be diligent in their studies. He was pretty sure he'd accidentally left a book in one of the empty classrooms up this way, though, in a tutoring session with a fifth year Ravenclaw, so he was giving up the normal cup of coffee at this hour to go looking for it.

The fourth floor corridor seemed a little more mysterious than usual, was the thing. Spencer wasn't sure if it was the unknown redheaded woman talking energetically to someone down at the other end, her back turned to him -- and she seemed really weirdly familiar -- or the broom cupboard that was making faint, rattling noises and apologetic huffs about a metre away from him.

Spencer squinted again down the corridor, wondering uneasily if everyone knew that the stranger was here and all was well and safe, or if maybe he should let Gerard or Schechter or someone know. Then she turned, slightly, and Spencer gaped -- was that Hayley Williams? Holy shit! he thought, wondering how many more of his old schoolfriends were going to turn up as potential colleagues or what-have-you. He was just about to go and make sure, mysterious rattling cupboard be damned, when the aforementioned cupboard started speaking.

Spencer supposed that kind of won out on the "which to investigate first" scale.

Who: Everyone
When: Saturday night, Hallowe’en
Where: The armoury
What:

To all staff,

After curfew and following the Hallowe’en Feast, you are cordially invited to attend a holiday gathering in the armoury. Costumes are not optional, so if you find yourself somehow accidentally lacking one upon arrival, there will be plenty available you can borrow from the suits of armour, as they will be dressed for the occasion. Drinks, desserts, and every possible permutation of pumpkin dish will be served, and there will be a festive soundtrack of popular dance music from both wizarding and Muggle cultures to enjoy. Masquerade glamours are permitted in the spirit of the holiday, but please try not to unnecessarily alarm your colleagues. Castle ghosts are also invited to attend the festivities.

Sincerely,
Headmaster Schechter

Who: Gabe and William
When: Tuesday, last period, following this
Where: Potions classroom
What: Quite possibly a lot of railing

William barely waited until the clock had ticked over to the hour before marching down the stairs, all the way to the dungeons. He could see Gabe through the door as he approached, leaning back casually against his desk in lecture mode, so he didn't even wait before throwing the door open so hard it banged against the wall and storming inside.

"I know you know where I was," he raged. "I know because it's where I am every day. I know you can't possibly have been incompetent enough to forget that, or to forget that where I work is called the library, because it is full of books, and it is quiet. That is, in fact, one of the defining features of a library. It is a sacred, hallowed hall filled with precious written words and silence. Until this afternoon, when it was suddenly filled with the sound of your amplified shouting." He stabbed a furious finger at Gabe while he took a fresh breath for more volume. "You sent a HOWLER into a LIBRARY."

WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY WORKSHOP?!

Who: Gabe and William
When: As the dust settles and the smoke clears, extremely early Monday morning
Where: What used to be the entrance hall, before William and Nate blew it up, the irresponsible vandals, tsk
What: Perfectly understandable reactions

The whole resurrection-of-Hogwarts business had gone a bit backwards in the past few days.

In fact, Gabe wasn't sure the entrance hall, at least, had looked this bad when he'd first arrived at the school. There were black scorchmarks on the walls and silver ones on the ceiling and house-elf ash and goo squished between the flagstones, though Gabe had to cop the mea culpa for some of that. The courtyard was going to have to be replanted - relandscaped; re-everythinged - though exterior decorating was really the last thing Gabe was thinking about as he picked his careful way across it.

One of the huge doors - which Gabe would've said were indestructible; clearly not - was simply gone, and the other just had its top corner hanging crazily from one hinge. Schechter had fixed it in place with a spell, but everyone still ducked nervously when they went under it. And really, everyone; the entrance hall might be gutted, but it was packed with people. Seemed like every surviving member of staff was there, along with half of the upper classes, which shouldn't be surprising, considering a lot of what had just transpired would've been visible from two of the commonrooms, and probably audible from the other two.

Gabe wasn't surprised, and he wasn't precisely displeased either. He was totally delighted to see them all looking so thrilled and victorious and, y'know, alive, but right now he was more interested in one person in particular.

Who: Bob, Gerard, William, and Travis
Where: Hospital wing
What: Settling in and patching up injuries.
When: Around and during lunch on Tuesday (10/27)

While he would've preferred some time to settle in and get everything arranged according to his preferences before starting in on any patients, it was apparent to Bob as he pushed the door to the hospital wing open and stepped inside that he was not going to get that chance. A good quarter of the wings beds looked to be filled from where he stood, and if Adam was to believed, these were just those who were badly enough injured that they couldn't walk about.

Several students glanced up with fearful looks as Bob limped the rest of the into the room. Of these, some relaxed when they saw Betsy winding around Bob's ankles, arching her back and rubbing against his calf before trotting off to the back of the room, hopping up onto the pillow of one of the free cots, and promptly curling up and falling asleep. Still others relaxed when Bob smiled at them, but a number still looked tense despite that. Which was to be expected after what they'd all just been through.

"Hello. I'm Healer Bryar. I hear the old school nurse had an unfortunate encounter with undead house elves last week, so I'll be replacing her until the headmaster manages to con some other sucker into taking the job. Now, does anyone happen to know who's in the worst condition?" Bob waited a little while, taking the time to take off his pack and drop it next to the door. When it became clear no one was going to volunteer, he sighed and fixed them all with a look. "While I'm sure you lot would love to stay in bed and keep on skipping class, I'm going to tell you right now that without the house elves, there aren't enough available and able bodies in the school to keep your sheets clean. Have any of you seen bedsores? Not a pretty sight, but hey, they happen."

Who: Everyone!
When: Sunday, midnight
Where: Ground floor
What: The last stand

Anyone who looked out the windows toward the Forbidden Forest at midnight would have seen, curiously, flickers of torchlight moving out of the forest in a wide arc. If this held their attention, they'd have seen the lights coming closer until they eventually resolved themselves into flaming arrows nocked onto the bows of centaurs, driving the remaining horde of House-elves out of the forest.

With the portcullis still raised, the House-elves made for the shelter of the castle courtyard, flinging themselves against the doors to the entrance hall to batter them down. Some of the centaurs' arrows thunked into the doors rather than finding their smaller moving targets, and the flames quickly spread from the arrow shafts into the old, heavy wood of the doors.

The final battle for Hogwarts was about to begin.


(OOC: Treat this like a party post; join in whenever your character is ready and move between groups and locations as needed, link between threads to let us all know where you're going and coming from. The courtyard is surrounded by stone walls and overlooked by the towers and gatehouse. If the main doors are breached and the entrance hall is flooded with House-elves, the immediate threat will be to the Great Hall, the classrooms on the ground floor which have presumably been cleared, and the two staircases that lead to the rest of the castle - primarily to Hufflepuff and Slytherin.)

Who: Jon and William
When: Late Saturday night, probably well into Sunday
Where: Shortly, Gabe's workroom
What: Things that go BOOM

After dispatching Andrew - he owed his past roommate a bottle of whatever it was that ghosts drank - with a message for Gerard, William made it as far as the hallway outside the drawing room before he heard the sound of low, guttural groans echoing off the walls and turned right back around. He took a handful of steps, reaching for the heavy door, and then something flickered in front of him in a weird, not-right way, and he froze barely five feet away from a dazed-looking, newly-Apparated House-elf.

The House-elf got its head on straight and its eye on food rather quickly. William turned back around and started running.

He got to a hall with heavy double doors and slammed them shut, dropping a heavy wooden bar into place just before the sound of scrabbling fingers whispered against the other side of the doors. Panting, he faced off against the door, and then remembered that the House-elf a moment ago could Apparate. Any of them could Apparate. Anywhere. He whirled in a circle, panicked, afraid to be anywhere without his back against a solid wall.

He couldn't stay here. There was another door at the other end of the hall, tucked into one corner; it was an old dueling hall, he saw, the one that led down to the dungeons. Wand at the ready, he opened the door and started down the stairs.

Who: Travie and William, with eventual Gerard
When: Saturday eveningish
Where: Library
What: Zombie bites.


( Ow. )

[delivered by a small grumpy platypus]

[To Auror Stumph]
How's the situation inside the castle? We've got hordes of zombie elves out here -- it started off with them moving around in groups of one or two, but they seem to be forming swarms out in the open now. It's a fucking nightmare, we're headed inside as soon as we can.

[To Professor Wentz]
Just letting you know I found nine of your first years out on the grounds. A couple have minor bites, but I cleaned them up and they seem to be doing okay. I'll deliver them to you SOON AS POSSIBLE. We're headed to the castle, so let me know where you want them. You'll definitely want to check some of the first years' pockets, by the way. These kids are insane. Holding up brilliantly, though. Gotta run, but just wondering, have you seen Mikey? I can't get a hold of him.

[To Professor Urie]
I have a whole pack of Hufflepuff first years I think belong to you. All doing well, just a bit shaken up. Are all Hufflepuffs such brilliant climbers, by the way? I had no idea. Anyway, we're headed to the castle soon, I'll find you and hand them over then.

[To Professor Sapota]
Found two of your sixth years out on the grounds -- Primrose Benson and Fletcher White. Give them a couple points to Slytherin for me, will you? They've been fucking lifesavers. On our way to the castle now, be there soon, hopefully.

[To William Beckett]
Spencer said you were headed towards Ravenclaw -- hope you're holding up okay. Fun fact! Zombie house elves still dislike being given socks, it turns out. Doesn't stop them for long, but it'll buy you a couple seconds. Maybe pass that along, if you can. Oh, right, I wanted to let you know we have about six Ravenclaw fourth years and two first years out here, couple with bad bites but I've got them mostly patched up for the moment. We're headed to the castle now, but -- oh, fuck me, that's a lot of elves. Fuck! Spencer, Jon, take the  -- [voice fades out]

Who: Patrick and William
When: Friday night
Where: The halls
What: An auror and a gentleman in distress?


Once Patrick and Travis had made it to the library with every child that they'd found accounted for, Patrick waited around long enough to hear more zombie stories. The elves looked kind of half dead and dazed, it was true. There was also the lack of verbal capabilities. Oh, and the fact that on the way to the library, he'd caught a few of them trying to lunge at him and the children.

They got a little more determined at that point, even sniffing the air and moaning a little louder. So, yeah. Zombies. Which meant that the only way to save them and everyone else from being killed (or worse) was to, well, 'dispose' of them.

Leaving Travis in charge of the others, Patrick went back along the path that they'd traveled to the library to put the elves that they'd petrified along the way out of their misery.

Who: Shane and William
When: Friday night
Where: Near the library, from thence to Hufflepuff
What: Where do they keep coming from???

William's plan of action had been very simple. He was going to leave Ravenclaw (where it was safe), follow the secret passage through the walls (where it was safe) and cross the hallway straight to the library (where it was safe).

It was an excellent plan. It had continued being an excellent plan right up until the point that he'd stepped warily out of the hidden door into the miraculously silent and empty hallway, checked in both directions to make sure the coast was clear, and shut the door to find two extremely confused and interested House-elves standing behind it trying to puzzle out what was happening with the wall.

He took two steps backward, tripped over his own feet, tried to yank open the door to the passage again only to find that it had sealed up tight, and decided that possibly running was the best option. Unfortunately, the direction he most wished to run in was right where the House-elves were standing. And starting to salivate.

He'd just done the workout from hell with Pete, though. He sent up a somewhat panicked thank-you mentally as he tore around the corner, looking ahead for empty classrooms he could duck into, and realised a second too late that he'd turned in the direction of the stairwell leading to the kitchen. Four more House-elves pricked up interested ears at his appearance, and he barely had time to duck into a new hallway as the two behind him caught up. This time when he turned the corner there was another figure in front of him, but one far too tall to be a House-elf.

"Back!" he yelled, waving his arms. "Back, back, back!"

Spencer,

We found another bindrune hidden beneath the Prefects' bath in Ravenclaw. It doesn't mean anything; that antechamber is used for parties, anyone could know about it and potentially have had access. I'll let the headmaster know to speak to the Prefects when we all have more time.

The bindrune is currently on the wall below the window outside the Prefects' bath, hidden under a concealment charm. You should be able to reach it from the outside of the castle or inside, if you happen to be in Ravenclaw Tower. All the secret passages I know of have been sealed off; you would have to either break in or use the portrait hole.

The runes are Berkanan, Ūruz, and Haglaz, with yellow and black cords.

I think possibly someone should tell Brendon.

- William B.

who: Pete & William
where: Ravenclaw
what: momentary lack of zombizzles
when: friday night

Ravenclaw was Pete's first stop—well, his first stop after he ran into a group of terrified kids about halfway down the stairs in Gryffindor tower, escorted them back up, made eyes at Ryland, implored the fat lady to be extra careful, and then took off again—because he hadn't forgotten that they didn't have a Head of House, and he also hadn't forgotten that they were generally very skilled and even more aware of it. He had nightmare visions of little Ravenclaw third years with chunks of flesh missing; when he got there, however, he mostly found them huddled in their common room making wary (yet worryingly inquisitive) eyes at the door.

He'd handed over a copy of the list that his little honorary Gryffindor had made before he'd left, and let them set to making a copy and adding their names to it. He had rooms to check and provisions to evaluate. There was no way to know how long this would last, and if it would transfer from house elf to human, but he did know that what had been scattered clusters of zombies on his way to Gryffindor tower in the first place had turned into thicker throngs, and he imagined it was only a matter of time before the castle halls were crowded with them.

All of the dorms were cleared (he'd only had to take a few fortifying breaths to convince himself to get on his knees and check under the bed; zombie bites were one thing, but if someone took a chunk out of his face he would never get over it), and he had verified that all of the first and second floor bathrooms were zombie-free. He was checking the first of the bathrooms on the uppermost floor (pushing open stall doors and warily checking behind linen closet doors) when he heard a sliding sort of scuffle noise from outside. He whipped around, wand-hand at the ready, heart-racing and mouth suddenly dry; even with all that, his wrist was twitching eagerly and he pushed up on his toes, more ready to hex than was strictly dignified.

It was dark out, and he couldn't see outside details for the light flooding the bathroom, so when he saw the shape surging through the narrow window, he figured he would cast first and ask questions later. The windows were tiny, anyway. No reasonably sized human would think to use it as an entrance. "Petrificus Totalus," he shouted, jabbing his wand sharply at the totally creepy, murderous, zombified house elf coming through the window.

William,
Perhaps once we've dealt with the undead house elf infestation, you would like to join me for a cup of tea and a bit of polishing up our CVs?

Sincerely,
Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III

PS. And it might be of interest to you to know that Ryland and I are currently in Gryffindor, securing the children we brought with us (quite a few of your lot, if you were looking to gather them together) and prioritizing locations to canvas for more children. I'm assuming this will find you in the library. I'm also hoping you will tell me you've sussed out that it's perfectly alright to fatally wound the house elves.

PPS. This is Ryland's personal owl. She's a murderous beast, but as you're not romantically inclined towards Ryland, your eyes and vital bits should be safe while you compose your reply.

PPPS. Please respond.