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Post by Thom Moen on Aug 28, 2006 19:34:37 GMT
Thom stood up from Zachary swiftly. 'I am not fat!' he said, a touch of hurt showing through in his voice. 'I'm just tall, and I have a very athletic build if you must know, you ugly little slug.' he brushed past Zachary and retrieved yet another chair, this time making sure it was good enough to hold his weight.
It was then that he noticed among the pile of boxes, crates and various other furnishings a carved wooden box that looked slightly out of place. He set down his chair, and frowning, walked over to it. He had to brush a fair few layers of dust and cobwebs off before he saw the lock. It needs a key, he thought. Withdrawing his wand, Thom muttered a lock opening spell. Nothing happened. A magical lock? Must be something good... he grinned to himself, standing up with it. It was rather heavy.
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Post by Zachary Daniels on Aug 28, 2006 19:42:09 GMT
Zachary smirked, obviously pleased by the reaction he got before standing up and brushing off his robes. "Yet you've managed to break both seats you've--- What's that?" He inquired curiously, walking over to the Hufflepuff.
He immediately stepped back. "Ergh, look at all that dust!" He cried. Noticing Thom had taken an interest in it, he made a face and stared at it apprehensively. "Let me have a look!" He said finally, pushing past Thom's elbow. [/color]
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Post by Thom Moen on Aug 28, 2006 19:45:36 GMT
'Oy stop it, don't make me drop it!' Thom snapped angrily as Zack barged into him, peering over his shoulder in an attempt to have a look. He dropped the box, cringing as it had an awful loud bang on the stone floor, a circular cloud of dust rising around it.
'Look what you've done now! It's only made of wood, it's probably all chipped now...' Thm squatted down and picked it up gingerily with his fingers. He made a confused expression to see that it was completely unharmed. 'Strange...' he mumbled.
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Post by Zachary Daniels on Aug 28, 2006 20:07:36 GMT
"That was your fault!" Zachary said in a small voice, before looking at the box eagerly. "And it looks perfectly fine from here." He walked forward once again, albeit more gently this time.
"Do you think you can open it?" He said finally, his tone clearly suggesting he didnt think the Hufflepuff could. [/color]
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Post by Thom Moen on Aug 28, 2006 20:13:33 GMT
Thom gave him a sarcastic look. 'Yes.' he replied dryly, although in truth he wasn't sure. If a box couldn't be opened with magic, it meant it had some sort of specific charm on it, and there were many secret-keeping charms about. Usually only the caster could lift it.
Thom began to pace slowly with it, uncaring them he was walking through several thick cobwebs, a net of silver developing over his head. 'I wonder what's inside,' he mused. 'It could be cursed.' he held it out suspiciously.
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Post by Zachary Daniels on Aug 28, 2006 20:40:53 GMT
Zachary stared at the cobwebs warily, before restraining himself from grabbing the box out of Thom's hands. "Do you really think we should open it?" He said a bit nervously. He didn't really fancy opening up cursed objects.
Looking at the lock suspicously for a moment, he paused in his absentminded pacing, and looked at Thom with raised eyebrows. "We could probably sell it," he said selfishly, with bright eyes. "To some bloke who's obsessed with the dark arts." He knew right away by the looks he recieved that no one would agree and sulked slightly, falling onto Thom's newest chair. [/color]
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Post by Thom Moen on Aug 28, 2006 20:44:30 GMT
Thom did agree that they could indeed sell it - and for a fair price too. Mysterious objects were a favourite of the more elite wizards in the Hogshead, especially those who dabbled in the Dark Arts. But Thom was too intrigued now. 'But what's inside might be more valuable.' he replied to Zachary, turning around and pacing back towards him.
It suddenly occured to him that it had been hidden in this abandoned classroom for a reason. 'Maybe they key or whatever opens it is in here somewhere?' he looked towards the place he had found it. Setting the box down, he began to brake open the other crates with his wand, peering inside through the dust.
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Post by Zachary Daniels on Aug 28, 2006 20:58:12 GMT
Zachary sat uselessly on the chair, scowling down at Thom. "What're you doing? You're- you're-" He coughed in the middle of his sentence, wondering briefly if he could cast the bubblehead charm on himself- More to show off to Helia that he could do the basic spell more than anything. "Getting dust all over the place!"
Standing up, he looked at the cobwebs with distaste, grabbing his own wand. "Do you think using the summoning spell will work?" He inquired. "Or is it too vague?" He made a face, before running a hand through his hair, collecting cobwebs in his fist with a groan of disgust. [/color]
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Post by Thom Moen on Aug 28, 2006 21:07:55 GMT
Thom looked at Zachary thoughtfully. 'You could try it. It's worth a go - we don't know what else to do.' Thom stood up and moved away from the crates and boxes. 'Go on then.' he said impatiently.
He was relieved Boggleworth and Helia had not spoiled their fun and taken the box away from them yet.
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Post by Zachary Daniels on Aug 28, 2006 21:14:18 GMT
Zachary looked at Thom nervously for a minute, before clearing his throat and pulling out his wand. "Accio Key." He had no idea where to point his wand, so just kept it steady in front of him.
He waited a moment, and nothing happened. About to sit back down grumpily, there was a whizzing sound and a large bronze key dropped at his feet.
He instantly brightened, reaching down to grab the key with a small smile, when something hit the side of his head. He saw stars in front of his eyes for a moment and blinked a couple of times before he saw that it was another key.
Looking to Thom uncertainly, he picked it up and studied it, holding the other in his free hand. Almost instantly, a knew pile of keys landed at his feet and he made a face.
"Right." He said slowly, getting on his knees and picking a few of them up. "Er..." He turned back to Thom, holding up a skinny silver one. "Do you have any idea what the key should look like?"[/color]
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Post by Thom Moen on Aug 28, 2006 21:19:00 GMT
Thom laughed to himself sneakily as the many keys hit Zachery as they responded to his summoning. Disheartened that none had at least made him bleed, Thom took the silver one from the boy and looked at it. 'Looks a bit new, doesn't it? And not as grand as the box.' he walked over and retrieved it, bringing it back to where the Slytherin was. Pushing it into the lock, Thom tried to turn it, but nothing happened.
'Na, didn't think it was.' he paused. 'Were all those keys from in here? I wonder if there are any other boxes...'
He set the box down next to Zachery. 'Do that while I have another look.' he said, stepping over the things he had previously looked at and opening a large cupboard. Relieved that no boggart lurked inside, Thom began rummaging through the bizarre items...
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Post by Zachary Daniels on Aug 28, 2006 21:45:02 GMT
Zachary stared at the box sourly, a few keys gathered in his palm. "You're the boring Hufflepuff," he muttered, picking up a large gold on that weighed down his hand. "You should be doing the boring work. Not the clever, sneaky Slytherin."
He looked over at Thom once, before rolling his eyes. "I hope one of those objects have teeth." he remembered the Monster Book Of Monsters from a couple years ago, and smirked when he realized it was absolutely plausible for Thom to be bitten while searching.
The gold key didn't turn the lock either, and Zachary threw it next to the silver one in a messy new pile. He studied the lock, and immediately pushed all the small keys away picking up a new one. "If you find something, you better not keep it to yourself," he called over to Thom, knowing the Hufflepuff seemed to have the selfishness of a Slytherin. [/color]
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Post by Thom Moen on Aug 28, 2006 22:05:46 GMT
Thom heard a loud, echoing click suddenly. He turned to see Zachary looking down at the box in amazement. 'You opened it?' he grinned, rushing backwards the Slytherin, pulling a shelf of objects off with his sleeve as he went. They crashed and clattered noisily, but he ignored them.
Crouching down, he knocked Zachary out of the way, his eyes glistening with greed. He fingered the lid nervously for a moment before lifting it open.
The hinges were stiff and rusty, crimson flakes breaking off the metal as they were forced to move. Thom let out a disappointed sigh as he looked upon what appeared to be nothing but a tattered old book. It was entirely black, with nothing printed or dented on the dull leather binding. The thing interesting about it was the gold edged pages. It fitted perfectly snug into the box.
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Post by Zachary Daniels on Aug 28, 2006 22:18:11 GMT
Zachary landed on the floor with a scowl, before picking himself up and crawling closer to the box. Then, staring at the book with obvious disappointment, Zachary turned to Thom and pushed him irritatedly. "That's it?" He cried, collapsing onto the floor tiredly. "You made me go through all that for a bloody book?" He rubbed his head soothingly, on the obvious bump the key had made when it had hit his head.
He stared at it for a longer moment, before making a face. "Well, pick it up, then!" He said, his voice quieter than it had been before. He wouldn't pick it up, that was for certain, especially not after remembering how vicious books could be.
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Post by Thom Moen on Aug 28, 2006 22:27:17 GMT
Thom looked at the book relluctanty, its pitch black cover chanting Evil at him all to loudly. Thom was suddenly terrified. Shaking his sleeves over his hands, he pushed away the box as if it would do something to him if he were to touch it with his skin. He stood up and dragged Zachary a few feet backwards with him. 'Right... wingardium leviosa...' he muttered with a shaking hand as he gave a quick swish and flick of his wand.
The book raised slowly into the air above the box, dust pouring from it like a waterfall. Peering into the bottom of the box, Thom saw that their was a folded piece of parchment there. He paused. 'Get it.' he said suddenly, looking at Zachary.
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