July 3rd, 1888 - ? Church of St. Fergus

Constance Sykes Lupus Jameshill Declan Wood Carmelina Cramming Eugene Scamander Lilian Hill Hamish Darrow Terpsichore Van Helsing

When the train pulls into the station, the conductor announces, "Stay sharp out there. It's like it knows."

And perhaps it does. The locusts have settled but crunch ominously underfoot if you step on them, the fog is thicker than ever, and there is something eerie going on. Group B is sent to the church by the Ministry employee, who looks rather harried about it. When they arrive, the caretaker is sitting on a rock outside of the church with his head in his hands.

He looks up.

"There's something in there," he says.

---

The next 'prompt' post will be after either 48 hours have passed from the time of posting (5:00 PM EST on July 4th*) or after every member of the party has posted one time if this occurs before that deadline. Please remember that you must post within 72 hours to continue participating. :)

*Because holiday this may be later.

  

---

Are your characters stuck in the smalltalk loop?
Does your imagination feel like it just can't perform as it used to?
Mid-thread crisis getting you down?
Unable to get that post up?
Is your relationship suffering because of your inability to satisfy your partner?
SUFFER NO MORE!
With a little intervention from The Suggestionizer your RP life could be back on track in no time!

--> Click here for more details <--

Known side-effects include: chronic ridiculousness, immense satisfaction, itching, uncontrollable laughter, burning, deep regret, despair, shock, horror, incidental dismemberment, joy, and death. Use at your own risk!

Well this was going to be interesting. Eugene stumbled if the train with the rest of his group and was directed towards the church. The gent outside said something incredibly creepy and Eugene automatically thought that was a hell of a way to start this adventure.

"Ah? What do you suppose it could be?" He asked the group at large, at a loss himself, but felt compelled to take some kind of leadership role. This really was going to be some wild ride. He eyed the old man outside the church warily, wondering if perhaps he would be evacuated from the vicinity.

---

  

---

Despite her mother's best efforts Connie had never been an especially religious woman but a deep instinct for fear of something that would dare to sully a house of God swept through her and took root in her mind. She reached out and grasped for the nearest hand, taking a deep breath to keep herself steady.

"Nothing good."

  

---

MJ made me beautiful

She'd been antsy the whole train ride from Hogsmeade to the station in Irvingly, twirling her wand between her fingers. She'd brought it along with her even though she knew it was all but useless. Her constant motion had likely annoyed the others but she hadn't stopped. She had however, put it away after getting of the train and as she followed after the seven others, trailing to the back.

Eyes flickered around the group, looking over each member as if she was judging their worth. She knew but three of the faces - one of which she had a nagging suspicion she'd seen before at Hogwarts, though she looked younger. Maybe straight at the age limit. None of the others she knew personally. Professor Darrow she knew from school - he'd been her teacher for seven years.

As they reached the church to see the caretaker sitting outside, she felt herself go tense. It only got worse when he said something was in there. "Something or someone?" she asked. She wasn't sure which she'd prefer.

---

@''

  

---

speaks with a dutch accent!

Hamish Darrow felt about as prepared for this odd little adventure as he was likely to be. A large flask weighed down the inside of his jacket pocket—a smaller never-emptying one would have been preferable, but ultimately impractical, given that magic was down for the count—and a fully-stocked oil lantern was clutched in his non-dominant hand. A small pack rested on his back, for he was determined that starvation would not be the end of him. The professor had brought Oona along for the adventure as well, and the dachshund trotted happily alongside him, leaping at the occasional locust that saw fit to stir.

"Well, we must find out sooner or later," Hamish remarked jovially, "though perhaps this fellow might offer us a bit more information? Forewarned is forearmed, after all."

It was rather entertaining to see the young faces he had taught—some more recently than others. At the very least, he was confident in the little tribe that they had assembled, particularly with Miss Sykes present as well to help shepherd the children to a sensible conclusion.

---

The following 1 user Likes Hamish Darrow's post:1 user Likes Hamish Darrow's post
   Annabelle Bones

---

— set by the long-lost bex —

Two faces here were most familiar to her, and both of them set to be her new colleagues! She might have been more worried about making decent impressions, but Professor Darrow had been at Hogwarts long enough that Carmelina remembered him well - and she plainly hadn't forgotten Miss Sykes since May, either! She had gravitated towards the latter, and so now gave her hand a friendly squeeze in silent answer, though the general foreboding of the group's audible conversation passed her by somewhat against the thrill of the whole situation.

She blamed the dusty smell of the fog lingering in her mind for so long, making her miss every research expedition she'd been on before. Research: Professor Darrow was quite right about that, and so, while they awaited an answer from the man, her eyes skirted the doorway of the building for any signs of oddity, and Carmelina then inclined her head, listening through the door for any hint of what the something may be. Something dangerous? Something alive?

---

The following 1 user Likes Carmelina Cramming's post:1 user Likes Carmelina Cramming's post
   Aldous Crouch

---

This had been another one of his Terrible Ideas, but he'd been having a lot of those recently and so far none had exploded in his face, so he was just going to keep pushing his luck as long as it held (and as long as the impulse to do Incredibly Stupid Things held strong, which so far it had). On the train from Hogsmeade Lou had subtly surveyed the other members of his group, but hadn't started up any conversations. He was seized with curiosity about each of them, but asking about their entire life stories (which in the case of some members he supposed would be rather short, since a handful of these kids couldn't have been very long out of Hogwarts) would only solicit return questions, which he had no desire to field. At least only one of the members looked at all familiar: the old man reminded Lou of one of his Hogwarts teachers, though he hadn't heard anyone refer to him by name and so couldn't be sure. If it was one of his professors, hopefully his memory of his long-past students wasn't any better than Lou's memory of his teachers.

Lou had spent enough time in Irvingly to be familiar with the approach to the church, though he had never spoken to the man sitting forlornly at the door. Was he always so dramatic, or had the fog been particularly affecting him? "Like something from a bad penny dreadful," he muttered to one of the others as he surveyed what he could see of the outline of the church. It had never been haunted by anything before the arrival of the fog, but then, Hogsmeade had never been covered with frogs or locusts before the fog had arrived, either.

"How long've you been sitting out here?" Lou asked the Muggle. The church had more than one entrance, so it was entirely possible that if the answer was anything longer than ten minutes whatever had spooked the man might have already departed. Perhaps it had just been a locust stirring itself and causing a noise he didn't recognize, or a peculiar shadow in the fog? In any case, Lou wasn't worried. What was the worst that could happen, anyway? Just death.

  

It seemed half of them were Professors and Ministry employees. Just two were around her age and even they seemed more formidable. There was no way any of them would freeze at the sight of a troll. It was difficult not to feel like she was fourteen years old again, out of Hogwarts, forbidden from magic and surrounded by experienced witches and wizards. She had mostly kept to herself on the train, trying to still the butterflies in her stomach and hoping the others didn’t write her off as useless right away.

When the caretaker spoke she drew her shawl a little closer around her and shifted the bag on her back. That didn’t sound good at all. She tried to smile but it came out like a grimace. She was with Professor Darrow on this, more information would be nice, but perhaps the caretaker had as little idea as they did.

She had to do something partially to avoid being labelled as the useless kid, partially because anything was better than drowning in this tension. Taking a deep breath she walked over to the door and gave it the softest of knocks.

  

Declan thought their group an odd mix. Several were of his own age, roughly - and female. He didn’t know what good they could do. Without magic, they were much weaker physically than the men. He knew they were useless at present, but he’d brought his wand and broomstick along anyhow. If he couldn’t fly, he could at least use it as a weapon... or to sweep... though it had been rather expensive for zucchini abuse.

He’d donned his dragonhide gloves and weatherproof quidditch robes, unsure of what exactly they would encounter. He’s received looks from the others. His ears had burned, but he refused to allow himself to think such outfitting foolish.

With his broomstick over his shoulder, he stood near the back of the group, impatiently waiting for the muggle to respond. Rather than wait, one of the girls stepped forward and knocked. Brilliant. He rolled his eyes inwardly and tightened his hold on his broomstick, just in case something flew out at them.

  

Constance Sykes Lupus Jameshill Declan Wood Carmelina Cramming Eugene Scamander Lilian Hill Hamish Darrow Terpsichore Van Helsing

The caretaker answers some of their questions.

"I said something," he says, irritably, to Miss Van Helsing. Mr. Darrow and Mr. Jameshill get a more pleasant tone, "It appeared on the altar couple hours ago. Smells like a mausoleum. Says it wants answers."  

Several beats after Miss Hill's knock, what sounds like a woman's voice comes from inside the church. "Yes?" it - or she? - calls, "Are you going to come in, or wait for me to come out?"

---

The next 'prompt' post will be after either 48 hours have passed from the time of posting (12:15 AM EST on July 6th*) or after every member of the party has posted one time if this occurs before that deadline. Please remember that you must post within 72 hours to continue participating. :)
*ish
Please note that you may post multiple times per 'round' within reason; I trust your discretion![/i]

  

---

Are your characters stuck in the smalltalk loop?
Does your imagination feel like it just can't perform as it used to?
Mid-thread crisis getting you down?
Unable to get that post up?
Is your relationship suffering because of your inability to satisfy your partner?
SUFFER NO MORE!
With a little intervention from The Suggestionizer your RP life could be back on track in no time!

--> Click here for more details <--

Known side-effects include: chronic ridiculousness, immense satisfaction, itching, uncontrollable laughter, burning, deep regret, despair, shock, horror, incidental dismemberment, joy, and death. Use at your own risk!

"Perhaps you'd better come out," Lou suggested to the woman behind the door. He was religious, to a certain degree, and although this wasn't his religion the idea of something appearing on an altar seemed unshakably sinister. Whatever was on the other side of the door, he liked his chances (and those of the rest of the group) better in the open air than in the narrow confines of the entryway to the chapel.

  

Hamish perked up, visibly so, at the word mausoleum. Would this little adventure be more in his wheelhouse than originally expected?

“Come out, my dear,” he called in answer, echoing the younger lad’s opinion. “A dram of whiskey might do you some good!”

It would not hurt to be hospitable, regardless of what the “thing” was. Still, in spite of his optimistic outlook, he nonchalantly added, “And you as well, Miss Hill—why don’t you come back over here?”

---

  

---

— set by the long-lost bex —

Whatever was in there had clearly frightened the life out of the caretaker – was it really something they wanted to meet?

Apparently they did. The voice did not sound overly concerning but the very fact of its existence was definitely worrying, though she couldn’t help a disbelieving smile to herself at Professor Darrow’s response. Trust him to be packing whiskey at a time like this, and perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to remain polite?

“I think we could all do with some of that,” she muttered quietly, keeping a cautious eye on the door as she spoke to her companions. “If it appeared in there, perhaps we ought to see where it came from?

  

---

MJ made me beautiful

Oh he didn’t like this at all. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He remained silent, not particularly wanting whatever it was that was inside to come out... though it was the better alternative than going inside the church. Being trapped in a confined space with whatever it was definitely was a bad idea.

“What did it look like?” He asked the cranky muggle warily, keeping his eyes on the door just in case the thing decided to come out in the meantime.

  

Eugene listened as the exchange with the caretaker happened, feeling the hair on the back of his neck rise up in anticipation, goosebumps breaking out on his arms. The caretaker had said It but it sounded like a she and Eugene knew that nothing that was described like that and sounded like a woman could be any good.

"I would think it best if everyone stand back." He said in his best Ministry Voice. He may or may not know exactly what would come out of the church at Professor Darrow's urging, but he was feeling the need for some whiskey himself. Eugene was leaning toward some kind of creature, rather than a woman, but that may have been his position in the Beast Division talking.

He'd feel a hell of a lot more confident right now if magic was working and his wand was any good.

---

  

---

"I imagine you'll find out soon enough," Lou said to the younger man, as he moved himself away from the door and towards a position of relative safety off to one side. He didn't know what he was bracing himself against, of course, and the voice certainly didn't sound like an intimidating one — but if it really had just appeared out of nowhere, when no one (not even beings such as house elves) had been able to use magic meant that it clearly had some sort of advantage in this situation over the rest of them. Either that, or the Muggle hadn't been paying attention and someone (an invalid, perhaps, or someone of questionable mental faculties) had slipped into the church and just given him quite a fright. Either way, they wouldn't know until the door was opened.