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[Alexander Sowerby]

A scream rang out throughout the corridor. Alexander looked up from the open bag he was holding, having searched for the timetable for the new term. Had he heard correctly? It was a shrill, piercing scream that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

He put the bag down near Elizabeth Burke's portrait and ran up top the long winding stair case. Another shrill scream rang out somewhere above. Alexander's face showed a sign of uncertainty, surely this was some sort of a joke?

Setting off again this time at a much faster rate he skidded onto the floor above, but whoever had screamed was not here. Was this some sort of a joke? A mirage? He spun around in place, trying to detect anything unusual.

[Emmanuelle Armand]

Emmanuelle paced back and forth in an empty corridor on the second floor, glancing toward the parchment and quill she had set on a small table against the wall, her robes on the floor beside it. She still had to write to her parents in response to their letter. Her grand-mère had written them to say there was a spot open at Beauxbatons if Em wished to go. It was what she had been dreading, but she knew her parents would ship her back to France in a heartbeat; they only asked her opinion because it was the polite thing to do.

"Mon dieu," she muttered, scribbling a short greeting on the parchment.

Before she had time to write any further, she heard a voice cry out. "Locomotor Mortis!" She couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl, but before she had time to react, her legs locked together and she fell backwards onto the ground. Her head slammed hard against the stone and she was suddenly in a daze. "Incarcerous!" she heard the voice shout. Seemingly out of thin air, a long rope wrapped itself around her several times, binding her arms to her sides. They squeezed her so tightly she felt as though she would faint; she closed her eyes and felt someone drag her across the floor.

When she opened her eyes, she was in a cluttered, dark closet. By instinct, she tried to kick open the door, then remembered she'd been hit by the Knockback jinx. Since she had left her wand in her robes, she had no other choice: she screamed. Finally, after what felt like forever, she heard someone run into the corridor.

"In ze closet!" she shouted, praying they would hear her.

[Alexander Sowerby]

Alexander reached the second floor corridor, it was deserted. He wondered whether this was all some silly prank. It wasn't likely to be Peeves, just cause he wouldn't likely pull such a stunt. He loved to cause trouble and mayhem but even he had his limits. Wondering whether he should go back downstairs or wait to see if anyone potentially lurking in the shadows would reveal themselves, he stopped in front of a broom cupboard.

Than he heard an unmistakable voice.

"In ze closet!" the voice rang out.

Alexander opened the door. Bound by rope, her legs stiff as a board was Emmanuelle.

"That doesn't look very comfortable." Alexander said. Taking out his wand he pointed at Emmanuelle bound body, "Finito Incatatem". The ropes which had bound her vanished in a haze of bright light emanating from Alexander's wand.

Edited by Alexander Sowerby, 08 December 2011 - 02:41 AM.

[Emmanuelle Armand]

Of all the people to find her, why did it have to be Sowerby? She wasn't in a very composed state. In fact, she was sure her father, had he thought it necessary, would have taught her that ladies are not to be discovered tied up in a storage cupboard. Em hopped up as soon as the boy unbinded her, and rushed out of the dismal closet.

"Merci, Alexander," she said, dusting herself off and throwing her robes back on. "Mon dieu, can you believe ze nerve of some people?"

She reached deep inside the pocket of her robes, her hand closing on her wand. Em was raving; she couldn't wait until she found out who the culprit was. He or she would be hanging upside down, turned to stone, and suffering the effects of any other jinx or hex she could think of. If there was one thing Emmy was truly good at, it was revenge.

Edited by Emmanuelle Armand, 08 December 2011 - 02:59 AM.

[Alexander Sowerby]

"Merci, Alexander," the girl said dusting herself off. "Mon dieu, can you believe ze nerve of some people?"

He felt a bit awkward with Emmanuelle, having apologized to her and Adelaine now he wasn't sure whether he should go or stay. Not even being certain as to whether he ought to answer her or whether this was all a rhetorical question.

Shaking his head he added simply. "I could imagine a person who would get a kick out of this".

Edited by Alexander Sowerby, 08 December 2011 - 03:20 AM.

[Emmanuelle Armand]

"You could imagine a person?" He didn't mean himself, did he? "Who?"

Suddenly, she recalled the letter she'd been writing, and hurried back over to the little table. The nearly blank parchment was there, but the letter from her parents was gone. Who would take such a thing? It wasn't as if the information was something they could hold over her.

Em scanned the corridor carefully, then saw a bit of parchment sticking out of a deep crack in the stone wall. She marched purposefully to it and yanked it out -- it was her letter. Remercier le Seigneur, she took a deep breath and stuffed the letter back in her pocket.

[Alexander Sowerby]

Alexander scanned the Corridor, looking up and down seeing whether he could see anyone. He would have cast the human revealing charm, if he knew how to work it. Than, knowing the incantation was generally only half the battle.

"You could imagine a person?" Emmanuelle inquired "Who?"

"Well," Alexander bit his lip thinking it sounded silly to accuse someone he hadn't seen in weeks. "Luka Chancery would be fit the crime ..." he thought vaguely of Orion Baines who seemed to have a dislike for him as well, but apart from being just an arrogant pompous prissy Northerner, who looked down on everyone and thought that he was better than everyone else; well he didn't see why he would feel the need to attack another Slytherin.

"Can you think of anyone else who would be willing to go to lengths of tying you up, heaving you into a broom cupboard?" he pondered, "It doesn't really make sense, it seems a bit over the top for a simple prank but if it was a serious attack than why wouldn't they have silenced you with the 'silencio' charm?"

[Emmanuelle Armand]

Emmy raised an eyebrow at the sound of Luka Chancery's name. I wonder... she thought, before shaking her head. It couldn't have possibly been him; not since their agreement. He would never chance doing a thing like this to her, she held too much over him.

"No, eet was not Luka," she said matter-of-factly. "But 'oever eet was, it seemed serious. But per'aps zey did not think of the silencing charm."

Suddenly, Em heard feet shuffle down the passage. She whipped her head in the direction of the footfall; could it be the culprit?

[Meghan Morris]

Meghan scurried down the hallway hoping to visit the kitchens. Having missed lunch her stomach was an empty bottomless pit of hunger and it had no trouble showing it's anger with her. Ravenous growls came from it and Meghan just patted it gently as to soothe the beast.

Breaking the silence a scream was heard echoing off the walls! What on earth? Meghan broke into a sprint to the source of the scream. She was flabbergasted to see Emmy and Alexander at the scene of the crime.

Had Alexander finally lost his temper with her? Meghan took in Emmy's less than perfect appearance and imagined what she would say in Meghan's shoes. Probably something along the lines of her being idiotic, or ugly.

Meghan did not comment on Emmy's appearance rather he said, "What happened here? I heard somebody scream, Emmy I presume?"

[Alexander Sowerby]

Alexander shrugged his shoulders, he didn't really have any clue as to who the culprit could have been. Slytherin usually had the reputation for the worst and most physical bullies, and yet Emmanuelle was in Slytherin, unless someone just didn't like her for being a Francophone.

"Has anyone been giving you trouble lately, I mean; making snide remarks about you being French or anything of the sort?" he said slowly, but before the girl could answer Meghan Morris came walking down the corridor.

"What happened here? I heard somebody scream, Emmy I presume?"

Alexander looked at Emmanuelle, he knew that this could potentially be a source of great irritation. So much so that the girl would blow up at any given second. He steadied himself for the potential torrent of French insults and yelling.

[Emmanuelle Armand]

"Surely you did not think eet was Alexander screaming like zat?" Em snapped, glaring at the foolish Gryffindor.

Looking back to Sowerby, she noticed a look of slight discomfort about him. He seemed to be awaiting some sort of eruption from her. She wouldn't either of them the satisfaction, but curiosity fell over her.

Here was Meghan, at the scene of the crime promptly five minutes after help arrived. Emmy sized the girl up, tangles and all; she didn't appear to be as frazzled or disheveled as one would normally be when one hears screaming. Could she be the culprit? No doubt she had wit, but surely she lacked quite a bit in skill and nerve.

"Where are you coming from?" she asked her pointedly. "What class do you 'ave on ze second floor?"

Edited by Emmanuelle Armand, 13 December 2011 - 01:19 AM.

[Meghan Morris]

Taken aback by Emmy's outright accusation Meghan felt she had no reason to defend herself and said so,  "My dear Emmanuelle, though you may wish the Sun orbits around you it doesn't! Why would I waste my precious time getting you to scream? I have better things to do you know. I have no reason to argue my innocence with you. On to more pleasant topics, how are you today Alexander?"


Emmy's accusation made Meghan nervous. What exactly had taken place here, it must have been something rather dreadful to get Emmanuelle to scream so. If there had really been something bad occurring, did they need to tell a Professor? Meghan played with her hands in worry as all the most terrible scenarios popped into her head.

[Adelaine Beaumont]

Adelaine peered out behind the doors that led to the dimly lit corridor in which Em, Alexander, and Meghan were now gathered. She knew she was in the clear when Emmy immediately suspected Meghan. They would never know that she was the culprit.

No remorse was felt; according to Adele, Emmy had gotten exactly what she deserved. Thinking back on all the times when Em would play 'jokes' like this on her, what was there to be sorry for? Just over the holidays even, Adelaine had woken up to find her presents zooming around the room. At the lake by their grandmother's home in France on Christmas morning, they'd quirrelled and Emmy sent ropes flying out of her wand to bind Adele. Perhaps now the Slytherin would change her ways, become a more pleasant person.

Adelaine did feel slightly bad that her friend was being accused, but Meghan wasn't really helping her situation by exchanging pleasantries with Sowerby and ignoring what had happened. Silently, Adele turned on her heel and sped through the passage, down the stairs, and into the Great Hall. No one would ever know.

Edited by Adelaine Beaumont, 14 December 2011 - 12:46 AM.

[Alexander Sowerby]

"My dear Emmanuelle, though you may wish the Sun orbits around you it doesn't! Why would I waste my precious time getting you to scream? I have better things to do you know. I have no reason to argue my innocence with you. On to more pleasant topics, how are you today Alexander?"

Alexander opened his mouth a bit, in shock. His eye brows raised, he didn't know what to say but looked from Meghan and Emmanuelle. It was the question of how he was that seemed to have broken his surprise.

"Er, I'm good but I do think that we ought to solve this mystery."

He felt a bit hot around the collar, but his face did not give anything away, he seemed to if anything become paler than usual. Alexander did not want to start a war by seemingly going against a House mate, than again Emmanuelle was usually rash in her decisions and he didn't want to be forced to battle against anyone.

"Now, don't take offense Emmanuelle, I just want to make sure that this situation is resolved. Firstly, I mean, the rope binding curse isn't an easy one to master. It's definitely not taught in first year. Learning such transfiguration spells from books isn't very simple either."

"Secondly, while you are relatively small, Meghan is just as small and I doubt she could carry you easily without further magic; transporting bodies around isn't easy magic either."

"Thirdly, I do think however that we should establish what we were all doing prior to hearing the scream or coming into this corridor. I, was on my way to see Professor Penvellyn to ask about the latest essay she's set."

[Emmanuelle Armand]

Emmanuelle stared in disbelief. Was she really standing there asking Alexander about his day at a moment like this? It made her suspect the foolish Gryffindor even more. Even if it wasn't she who did it, Em wouldn't mind binding her up and cursing her.

"I am sure Alexander 'ad a splendid day," she snapped. "I know I did!"

Turning back to her fellow Slytherin, she considered what he said. He had a good point, though she wasn't sure how they would solve anything by discussing what they'd been doing before she screamed. She herself had only been writing a letter when her attacker showed up.

"I don't think zat size or year matter at all, I know spells zat even 7th years don't know," she announced, glaring at Meghan before looking back at Sowerby. "I was writing a letter, zen someone came up be'ind me."

Edited by Emmanuelle Armand, 14 December 2011 - 12:56 PM.

[Meghan Morris]

Irritated, not only with Emmanuelle but also with herself Meghan sighed deeply. What had happened here for them to make such a big deal of it? Meghan understood Emmy had been struck with a rope-binding curse and they were looking for the culprit, but why assume her? Meghan's luck was really abominable.

Practicing a technique her mother had taught her Meghan slowly began to count backwards from fifty. By the time she had reached fifteen  the tension in her shoulders had loosened and the red tint outlining everything had disappeared. Temper in check, and curiosity biting Meghan had to bite her tongue from releasing all the unanswered questions.

"If you must know, I missed lunch and was coming down to visit the kitchens. Could somebody please tell me what happened here?"

[Alexander Sowerby]

Alexander pursed his lips in thought trying to consider the evidence and the circumstances. Emmanuelle wouldn't likely be satisfied if they did not find a guilty party. He considered for a second that it was likely that even if he could prove Meghans innocence for he did not believe her capable of the act (not that there wasn't any animosity between them. Simply a first year could not use the binding curse as well as the one that had tied her up nor move her from wherever she was); it wouldn't really matter since the two seemed to love fighting each other like cats and dogs.

There was an easy solution to the whole affair, priori incantatem but the problem was that no first year could likely cast the spell since the theory and the wand movement was rather complicated.

Alexander spoke after what seemed to be an eternity of silence "Their's a way to prove a persons guilt or innocence in this case,"

Alexander looked at the both of them "Priori Incantatem" he grinned in spite of finding himself in this awkward situation!

((I reckon and I'd appreciate for the sake of the story that only an adult cast this spell))

Edited by Alexander Sowerby, 15 December 2011 - 12:48 AM.

[Professor Penvellyn]

As Eleanor left the Great Hall after a late lunch, she was nearly run over by a young Ravenclaw. “The food isn’t going anywhere, Miss Beaumont, you’d do well to walk with the grace of a lady rather than run with the urgency of a race horse,” she scolded. The girl looked entirely too pleased with herself as she took a seat and the professor couldn’t help but wonder what had made her so gleeful. Just to be sure, she decided to make a quick run to Defense classroom; if she ran into any trouble along the way it would be for the better, if she didn’t, she needed to make a trip upstairs anyway and she wouldn’t feel guilty about not following her instincts.

It didn’t take too long to locate some mischief. That was perhaps the wrong word. A group of first years, including the always volatile Meghan Morris and Emmanuelle Armand, were arguing in the middle of the second floor corridor. Were it any other group, even one involving her house, Eleanor might have walked on. But Meghan and Emmanuelle had been toing the line all year. Rather than marching up and demanding anything, the professor stood back and listened to the dynamic conversation.

It wasn’t until Alexander, clearly the most level headed of the three, suggested they find actual proof rather than stand about speculating and accusing, that Eleanor decided to make herself know. She stepped forward quietly until she was behind the intelligent young man. “Based on the seriousness of the offense, I couldn’t agree with you more, Mr. Sowerby. Though I must ask; Miss Armand, why is it that you suspect Miss Morris of doing such a thing to you?”

{Just so you guys know, I'm visiting family for the rest of the month. I should be on normally next week, but through this weekend I'll be with sparse internet and free time)

[Emmanuelle Armand]

Emmy raised an eyebrow at the sight of Alexander grinning. Grinning. In a situation like this? Was the fact that someone ruthlessly attacked her a joke to him? Quite conveniently, Professor Penvellyn made her way into the increasingly crowded passage to solve the issue. Em's cheeks flushed as the professor asked why she suspected Meghan; she had not intended on involving the authorities. Her momentary embarrassment ended soon, however, and her temper flared up yet again.

"Well, eet would make sense, would eet not?" she questioned, quite matter-of-factly. "We do not care for each uzzer, and she just 'appened to appear after Alexander reversed ze spells, not one beet concerned. She asked 'im 'ow 'is day was!"
((OOC: my goodness, that is a lot of apostrophes.))

She turned to glare at the Gryffindor once more, though her suspicions were fading continuously. Emmy was now starting to feel more pressure to clear things up than necessary, what with the professor showing up and all. If they would all just let her be for a moment, let her sit down and really think, perhaps the real culprit would come to mind.

[Meghan Morris]

The Professor's presence left Meghan feeling more safe, as she would not put it past Emmanuelle to attack her with just  Alexander present. Luckily both the Professor and Alexander did not think she had done it, but Emmy refused to get her head out of her buttocks and see she was innocent.

Did nobody wish to explain what had happened her either? They all seemed to be avoiding her question, and instead continued on about possible suspects. The spell had Meghan puzzled, did he perhaps mean Prior Incantato?

Voicing her confusion Meghan said, "I still do not understand all that has happened. Please explain it for me and the Professor? Also did you perhaps mean Prior Incantato? Thought the spells are similar I think you meant that."