(Corridors) The Fat Lady

[effie]

'No, no, no.' Effie said in the sort of frustrated way an owner does to their pet dog who won't sit. It was probably a good thing that nobody else was with her, telling off a staircase doesn't look right even in Hogwarts.

The Ravenclaw was just hurrying to a Professor's office to hand in some already very late homework when the staircase up to the seventh floor she was on decided, apt as always, it was time for a move. Despite her best efforts (telling it off) the staircase still continued to swing round with perfect ease to finally stop at a part of the seventh floor she had never been on before.

Effie figured that there must be some way round to the office, so with an exasperated sigh walked up to the unknown part of the floor. She glanced around at her options. There was only two empty corridors - both going in the completely wrong direction. In front of her hung a rather large portrait of a rather large woman in a silk dress that was the sort of shade of pink that made Effie wrinkle her nose.

The Ravenclaw turned around on the spot to face the staircase once again, and after a moment of two of digging around in her pockets realised she had forgot to bring her homework in the first place.

[Harrison Greg]

With a rather loud yawn Harrison stretched out on the sofa in the Gryffindor common room, kicking a first year off the chair to give his legs every opportunity to spread out. No matter how much grumbling the first year did Harrison just laughed it off and he lay back letting his eye lids close and the warmth from the fire lull him into a light doze.
But as normal the common room can never stay quite for long and on this particular occasion a group of 5th years girls had started to sing in the corner. They sounded worse then a gaggle of wailing banshees and Harrison knew he would have to leave before his ears drums exploded.
As he stood to leave he felt there eyes follow him across the room, they were not trying to impress him were they with that. Turning around to look at them he gave them a weary smile.

“Keep singing ladies, you sound great I am just going to get some butterbeers from the kitchen and then we can have a good old sing along.”

So it was a small white lie, not only had he never heard anything that bad since a Care of Magical Creatures lesson but also if he was going to join in with them he would need something with a higher level of alcohol in to even start to believe they were good.
Pushing open the portrait the sound of their wailing began to fade away in silence, but to his slight disappointment he noticed the corridors were not empty, but a Ravenclaw was standing directly in front of the portrait.

“Howard what the devil are you doing here. This is not your common room.”

Harrison knew this Ravenclaw only from spending time with her in lessons. In their 2nd year they had been put together in potions and somehow they managed to create a fowl smelling purple gas that filled the room, ever since then they had not been allowed to work together again.

[effie]

Effie was just about to start making her way down the staircase when a voice, seemingly out of nowhere, confidently sounded out from behind her causing to her to do slight, fortunately unnoticeable, jump.

She span back around, and raised a brow to see a familar fellow 6th year standing where they had been a large painting only moments ago. 'Oh, its you Greg.' She had been fully prepared to hex some first year who thought it would be a good prank to scare a sixth year. 'Homework-' She replied, not really answering his question. 'But what are you on about "Common Room"?' Effie gave him an odd look. She knew very well she wasn't near her Common Room and was just about to say so, when she realised what he must have meant and a steady smirk formed.

'So here is where all you Gryffindors hide.' It was rare for a student to know the location of more than one house common room, hence her gaining a pleased smirk at the knowledge.

[Harrison Greg]

Harrison looked on at Effie with a slight frown on his face as she mentioned something about homework, but also the way she said his name. She was surprised to see him, which he found strange seeing as she was standing right out side of his house common room. But as she continued to question him it slowly dawned on him, as it seemed to dawn on her.
The smirk on her face was not over powering or full of mockery but of sheer enjoyment. The idea that she now had the knowledge that not many others had was a typical Ravenclaw personality trait, and all Harrison could do was stare at her blinking more then normal.

With a small cough almost to try and bring himself together again Harrison ran his hand threw his fringe moving it out of his eyes, but it soon flopped back over again. It was almost a small ritual of his to try and get him back in his right mind set, feel the confidence and self belief flood threw him again.

“Who said this was the Gryffindor Common room Howard? Ever thought that behind this portrait could be a secret corridor? Who is to say that I have not just come out of the Hufflepuff common room after a hot date.”

He was pulling at straws here, he knew that Effie was smarter then he was and his surprise at the beginning made it all too clear. But Harrison had to try and keep this attitude up, it had a hint of playfulness mixed in it, but it was pure fear that he had just given away the positioning of the Gryffindor common room.

[effie]

'Well either way I've found a common room.' Effie replied tilting her head one way then back to the other. She was enjoying this perhaps a little too much. It wasn't often that confident types like Harrison Greg felt uncomfortable.

'But then again,' She put on a thoughtful expression, merely pretending to think things through. 'Hufflepuffs have enough sense not to go on a date with you.' She regained her not unkind smirk, unable to resist the bit of teasing.

'Nice try.' Most teachers might not be able to see through Harrison's quick thinking but Effie certainly could, being not unfamilar with having to use a quick tongue on the spot with teachers herself. 'Don't worry,' She added, finally dropping her usual teasing nature and giving him a reassuring smile. 'Gryffindor's secret is safe with me.'

[Harrison Greg]

Effie had got him, Harrison knew that Ravenclaws were famed for their wit and quick thinking but he always liked to believe he would be able to get his way past them. But clearly he was wrong and the main problem was that he could not help but laugh with her. As she continued to mention that no Hufflepuff would ever be interested in him Harrison played along and pretend to go into a fake mood by folding his arms and looking up stairwell to the roof rafters. But the main problem was that he could not remove the smile from his face.

“I actually know of many Hufflepuffs who find me attractive…” Harrison broke off and looked down at Effie “and Ravenclaws for that matter” He shot her a wink before looking over his shoulder to see the portrait swinging open and one of the singing Gryffindors looking at him with a sickly sweet smile. Giving her a small wave and returning the fake smile he quickly turned back to Effie.

“Ok so you found our common room. Now can I please escort you back to your own, I fear for my ear drums.”

Taking Effie’s teasing and smirks as a sign that she was following the same procedures as many girls did towards him and flirt. Raising his eyebrows and poking out his tongue Harrison reached out and took hold of Effie’s hand and began to drag her after him as he ran down the steps, trying to get away from the sound of the now protesting Gryffindor.

[effie]

Effie rolled her eyes as he mentioned the "many" Ravenclaws finding him attractive and looking pointedly at her. She was just going to say something along the lines of "No one I know" when another Gryffindor, younger, emerged from behind the portrait. Effie couldn't help but give out a laugh when seeing Harrison's sour expression, and as he turned to give the other girl a well practiced fake smile, she leant towards him with a smirk, speaking quietly enough for only him to hear. 'An unwanted fan of yours I presume?'

After a polite wave, Harrison was quick to turn back to Effie and quite unexpectedly took hold of one of her hands. The Ravenclaw, within a second, looked down at their hands and back up at Harrison with furrowed brows, though before Effie could even think about questioning it, she found herself being dragged down the staircase at an alarming speed.

Quite sure she was going to trip and break her neck at any second, Effie yelled, 'Gregggg!' to the tuts and disapproval of more than one of the surrounding portraits. Her yell didn't seem to have much effect as the Gryffindor dragged her down two other set of stairs and round various corners, to finally stop halfway down a corridor.

Adrenaline pumping through her and quite out of breath Effie, after taking a small breather, finally managed to speak. 'Bloody hell,' Then realising his hand was still holding hers, she yanked it free with an annoyed expression. 'I don't know about you, but I quite like having all my limbs.' She shot her head up to glare at Harrison, though an unwilling smile soon crept unto her face.

[Harrison Greg]

It could only be described as rather crazed laughter came out of Harrison’s as he ran down the stairs. The feeling that he could trip at any moment just increased it, the possibility of on coming students to collide with, the disapproving glares for the many portraits that lined the walls and most of all the calling out of his name by Effie. Although her attended affect of shouting at him was to help him stop it only spurred him on more until he was convinced he was out of range for the Gryffindor and her singing.

Skidding to a halt Harrison turned around a looked at Effie, finding it hard not to laugh in her face simply because of the look of pure surprise and terror in her eyes. It was easy to tell she was not too pleased, and this was shown when she vigorously pulled her hand out of his. With a slight look down to see his now empty hand Harrison’s smile was not as wide as it had been but the main problem was he had got the giggles and everything he tried to say was clouded by the laughter that kept getting mixed with his words.

“Come on Howard it was not that bad. I would have caught you if had fallen, or have been dragged down with you now that would have been funny.”

But as he had finished his rather pathetic attempt to break the tension between them he could not help but notice a smile creep across Effie’s frowning face. He had the self belief that she would not stay mad at him for long, it was not like they had fallen over it was just a mere possibility. If they had fallen down the steps then Harrison would have been showing some form of remorse.

[effie]

Harrison only just about managed to get out his words in between laughs. It was obvious that this sort of spontaneous thrill was what he lived for.

‘And what you deserve.’ She cut in, after he mentioned the possibility of him being dragged down with her. She watched him with a growing smirk. He had the kind of laugh that was frustratingly infectious and she knew that she couldn’t appear annoyed for much longer.

‘Fine,’ Effie resigned sighing, her eyes going up to heavens and down again. ‘It was quite fun.’ She grudgingly admitted with an amused expression. She crossed her arms and leant back to put her full weight on the statue behind her, in preparation for the gloating that was sure to come.

The statue she leaned on was of Martha the Merry, an elderly witch in mid laughter with a goblet of wine held precariously in her right hand, and her left hand positioned as if holding onto someones shoulder to keep her upright. As Effie leant back, her shoulder neatly fit under the free left hand of the statue. Suddenly, to the Ravenclaw's alarm, the stone fingers magically came to life and took a strong grasp of Effie's shoulder.

She gave Harrison a Thats not funny look, and it took her a second or two to realise he was completely oblivious to the situation. 'What the-' The statue jolted, and began to speedily rotate on the spot. Unable to pull herself free and no wand at hand, Effie grabbed onto Harrison's arm. 'Get her off me!'

[Harrison Greg]

Harrison gave a mock laugh as Effie joked around with him deserving to be pulled down with her, he could not make his mind up if she was flirting with him or not. It was a very difficult thing to work out; she would have her moments when she would laugh with him, others at him. Harrison soon decided that he was getting too big for his own shoes in believing that every girl he meets falls for him straight away.
But the problem was that Harrison had only ever acted like a fool around Effie and to suddenly change would be strange so he would keep it up, and let her fall for him if she so desired but he got the impression she was as whimsical as some other Ravenclaws he had met before.

“See it is so much better now you have admitted it was fun, I mean you will not do it again in a hurry so you might as well make…the…most…” His words slowly died away as he saw Effie give him a strange look and then before he knew the statue she was moving on moved, Effie was had took hold of his arm but by the time Harrison had worked out what was happening it was too late. With a small yelp he returned Effie’s grip holding onto her tightly as the statue rotated at a fast speed.

Harrison’s feet lifted off the ground and darting his head around he noticed that it has Effie’s shoulder and it was moving them away from the main corridor and into another one, but he did not have time to look at first. This was because the statue had let go of Effie’s shoulder and had flung them both into this dark corridor. His limbs flew all over the place until he had a rather painful impact with the hard flagstone floor.

[effie]

The corridor was overcome by darkness as the statue continued to rotate back to its original postion. Silence followed, as the two of them took in what had just happened. Well that wasn't so bad. Effie thought, considering that she had just been hurled haphazardly onto a floor by a surprisingly burly elderly witch. It was then that she realised why she had had such a soft landing. She turned her head around with a slight wince, and became face to face with a certain Gryffindor who was looking very pleased with himself.

Effie quickly scrambled off the Gryffindor onto her feet, and brushed down her robes with one hand, whilst casting 'Lumos' with the wand in the other. She moved straight to where the statue had been only moments ago, but after frantically moving her wand up and down the area, it dawned on her that there was no way they could get back that way - it was just a brick wall. She turned back to Harrison, aiming her lighted wand towards where she presumed his face to be.

It was strange. If someone had told her yesterday that she would be spending the evening with Harrison Greg, she would have told them to keep away from the firewhiskey. Effie had never known Harrison particularly well. She had only ever seen him with his own close-knit group of lads, who seemed to get more arrogant with each year and somehow collect more female fans. You could say he was one of those "popular" sort, that Gryffindors wanted to be seen with, and Slytherins wanted to be seen hexing.

Effie wasn't the sort of person to try and fit in with such people, in fact she preferred to avoid them, presuming that they held no more interest in her than she did in them. Yet here she was, stuck with one of the priniciple ones.

A shiver ran through her, suddenly stirring her from her brief moments of thought. 'Theres no chance we can get out the way we came.' She said simply, finally breaking the silence.

[Harrison Greg]

Opening his eyes groaning Harrison could feel pain running down his spin from where it had made contact with the hard floor, but it felt like something was on his as well. Trying to look through the darkness he could see the silhouette of something, and then he felt movement, it was Effie. She was lying on top of him and he could not help but laugh.

“Hey up you keen….I don’t normally do this on a first date.”

But before he could finish Effie was already brushing herself down and wondering towards where he guessed they had come in from. Slowly he pushed himself up, feeling his back strain and click as he went. The smile was still on his face and eh could not help but wonder what Effie was thinking. From the brief time they spent in the potions lesson together all those years ago he noticed she was not like him then and it was clear they were still different, Harrison always said the first thing that came to his mind no matter how stupid, while Effie would always have something witty to say and in his own random way he liked that, it was different from everything else he was used to.

Standing up Harrison let out another groan as it was the turn of his legs to scream in pain. The one thing he knew was that he was not going anywhere near that statue again. Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out his wand and with a small flick a small beam of light came from the end. He slowly moved it over the old walls as Effie spoke, wrinkling his nose as he noticed that they seemed to be turning green.

“This is Hogwarts remember. If things were as simple as going through the same way you came it would never be as fun.” He shot Effie a wide grin, not caring if she would be able to see it or not in the darkness. “So I guess we go this way then. Try not to touch the walls….things that are green and look slimy are never turn out to be good in my experience….or tasty.”

[effie]

Effie couldn't quite make out the Gryffindor's expression in the dark, so imagined rather than saw the look of glee as Harrison spoke about the problem like it was the adventure he had been hoping for all along. Effie wasn't quite sure if she shared his excitement quite yet, but couldn't help herself from smiling as he joked about the state of the walls.

Though he had warned her in jest, Effie realised he had also been quite serious as they moved along the dark passageway and their wands lit up patches of green covered wall here and there. They stumbled forwards for another minute or two, both pushing away spider web after spider web with their spare hand, when abruptly their wands revealed that the passageway split off in three directions just up ahead.

'Well this looks like a case of eeny, meeny, miney, moe if I ever saw one.' Effie smirked.

[Harrison Greg]

As they headed down the corridor by the mere light of their wands Harrison could not help but stop his heart from thumping in his chest. The idea that they were going into the unknown, the chance that they had discovered a corridor which by the looks of it had not been walked down in years made it even better.
Looking over his shoulder at Effie with a wide grin he failed to notice a spider web and walked straight into, coughing a spluttering he learnt from his mistake and carefully moved any to the side as they walked down, keeping his attention on where he was going not the girl that was next to him. But then the corridor seemed to split into 3 and just like Effie he stopped and looked from one to the other with a light laugh.

“Well there is always the old saying of ‘If in doubt follow your nose’ so we just need to find the one that smells the nicest.”

Scratching is beard Harrison soon realised how stupid he was sounding, they were in a dark corridor, that so far seemed to be leading no where and the only smell present was the damp walls and dust. Dropping his hand to his side and letting out a dejected sigh Harrison turned to where he guessed Effie was standing.

“I do not know Howard. You’re the Ravenclaw with the brains….work out where we are in the school. I am the stupid Gryffindor who will charge head first down what ever corridor you pick."

[effie]

For once in his life Harrison didn’t act like he knew everything in the world and sounded, Effie suspected, as close as he ever could be to uncertainty. Feeling slightly surprised that he asked her to make the decision rather than leading the way with put on confidence, Effie brushed past him to stand in the middle of their options.

She moved from one to the other slowly and carefully, feeling very aware that Harrison would be watching her. The Ravenclaw could have sworn he had been observing her as they had travelled up the main passageway, though when she had the chance to subtlety shine her wand in his direction, he had been looking straight ahead.

When she reached the passage on the right hand side, she moved back the way she came to study the other routes for a second time. ‘Its definitely this one,’ She was stood at the entrance of the passage on the left, and before he had the chance to ask how she could be so sure, she added, ‘Smells better.’ A smile played on her lips as she turned to move in the new direction.