February 13th, 1894 — Hogwarts Library

A book falling as two students moved to grasp it, landing open on the floor of the school library, should not have been An Event. It happened frightfully often at Hogwarts, really: books falling, books falling on people, books falling open, books misplaced, books misused. Indeed, so many benign interactions began with a book moving from one place to another within the library that the Gryffindor thoguht nothing of it—why should she?

She certainly did not expect a flower to bloom up from the pages, and could not have anticipated a bee flying off of that flower. Had she anticipated either of these events, she might have anticipated the bee stinging her, her bumping into another student, that student dropping their book (this was, after all, a library). The strange shadow that clambered out from the pages of that book, though? Simply a bridge too far.

"What in Merlin's trousers is that thing?!" Maddy asked wide-eyed, any sense of Gryffindor bravery or lingering pain from her bee sting utterly forgotten as she backed away from the shadow and into one of her peers as the shade writhed before them.

— open to up to 3 other students! —

  

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— Bree is a graphics genius ♡ —

Charles basically lived in the library when he wasn't in class, so at this point, he was fairly sure he'd seen everything that the library had to offer. Even for a place full of magical texts, there were, surely, a finite number of surprises to be found. Surely.

He was too consumed with flipping through the book in his hands to really notice what was happening around him until someone bumped into him. Startling, his book fell from his hands and he turned to see what was going on--only to stop immediately at the sight before them. "That thing came out of a book?""

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In his lifetime, Nico had read all sorts of books. He had come across some that came alive or tried to briefly eat you. Sometimes things briefly erupted from the pages but not to the extent that this shadow was. Typically, the enchantments stayed close to the book and went back in once the reader was done with the page.

The thing looked like some sort of terrifying cloak. "Is that what I think it is?" He had only ever seen pictures in a text book. He certainly had never had a desire to see such a thing in real life, if it was really what he thought it was.

  

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set by Lady!

The wide-eyed look she shot Dursley was a mix of bafflement and fear as Maddy demanded rather shrilly, taking another step back, "Care to share with the class, Mr. Dursley?!"

Was this how they were going to die? Or some sort of cruel prank?

Charles Whymper Nicodemus Dursley

  

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— Bree is a graphics genius ♡ —

Charles took several steps back. "Whatever it is, what's it doing here?" Never a dull moment at Hogwarts, clearly.

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"A Lethifold!" He answered as Miss Bell demanded to know what it was. "They usually only attack at night, while its victim is asleep." And they were certainly not asleep!

  

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set by Lady!

Maddy was not sure precisely what she was supposed to do with this information, given that it was not night and none of the students were presently asleep.

"And what do we do about it?" she demanded now, demonstrating a great deal of the courage prized by her house, she thought, by not turning tail altogehter and bolting like a startled chicken. Plainly it was not the sort of ceature anyone would 'care' for, and having neglected to take Defence Against the Dark Arts at the NEWT level, Maddy had never heard of the thing before.

Charles Whymper Nicodemus Dursley

  

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— Bree is a graphics genius ♡ —

"We should find a professor," Charles said, because he certainly didn't know what to do with a lethifold. But presumably Professor Brierly or Professor Lissington would know what to do with a dark creature.

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Given the opportunity, Maddy would have likely agreed quite emphatically. Unfortunately, the Gryffindor had no sooner opened her mouth than the creature lunged at her, sending the girl stumbling backwards over her own feet and into the nearest bookshelf. One of its tomes was knocked off, landing open upon the floor.

An arm emerged from its pages.

Charles Whymper Nicodemus Dursley

  

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— Bree is a graphics genius ♡ —

Nicodemus was very much in agreement with his housemate that they should find a professor. Some sort of adult who would know how to handle this. "A Patronus charm works against them," he stated though he wasn't sure if any of them were capable of it yet. After all, most fully educated adults were incapable of producing a strong one.

"Miss Bell, are you all right?" He asked in concern when the girl stumbled back. Not knowing what to do, he kicked the book with the arm away from them/

  

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set by Lady!

"Do either of you know how to cast a patronus?" Charles asked. He certainly didn't, but that seemed like something NEWT students would have more familiarity with, right?

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"I think we should run," Maddy stammered, voice notably more shrill than usual. "Running seems like a good plan."

Charles Whymper Nicodemus Dursley

  

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— Bree is a graphics genius ♡ —

Running it was then. "Come on, Mister Whymper, let's hightail it out of here," Nicodemus said in agreement with Miss Bell. Even if any of them knew how to cast a patronus, they were not experienced enough in doing so that it was likely to be very effective. Best to fetch an adult.

  

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set by Lady!

"Agreed!" Charles said, turning to do exactly that.

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Madeline Bell required no extra encouragement. In what was perhaps not her best example of Gryffindor bravery, the seventh year, too, bolted. The mess in the library would have to be left to someone infinitely more qualified.

  

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— Bree is a graphics genius ♡ —