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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 24, 2010 0:24:13 GMT -5
Alex gathered up a stack of papers, laying down his quill pen as he formed them into a neat stack that he tucked into a folder. He picked up the pen and with firm strokes labelled the folder and added the date before signing his name on the dotted line. A quick tap of his first two fingers and lines of red wax sealed the open sides, words appearing etched into the wax.
“Ministry of Magic. Head Auror Tynan.”
Alex sent the folder on its way, now certain it would only be opened by the intended recipient. Anyone else would turn the papers within to ashes. The auror holstered his wand up his wrist, in the leather band he wore in just the right position that when needed, his wand would slide into his palm. He unlocked a narrow drawer in his desk, reaching in carefully, past his elbow, until his fingers encountered something slim and cool.
He pulled what looked like a flute carved of some strange stone, already relocking the drawer.
He swung around a corner, navigating the twisted corridors of Mysteries with an ease born of familiarity. He had become all too familiar with these halls of late. He collided with someone, managing to maintain his balance only with a good deal of difficulty as he juggled the fragile stone. Finally he was able to see who he had run into.
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Post by Amara Deocaris on Sept 24, 2010 11:33:45 GMT -5
Today had started out as a fantastically productive day. Amara had woken up that morning full of energy, determined to finish any and all research work that was piled up on her plate and then some. Only, when she had arrived to work that morning there was nothing there.
Mara had been suspicious, as most of the other researchers (especially in her branch) were busily upending their drawers and crumpling pieces of parchment. Many of the (new) younger Unspeakables were running to and fro carrying books and dusty abandoned paperworks, quill bottles and pens to some place out of the offices.
"What in Merlin's name is going on here?"
"Experiment, Ms. Deocaris!" said one intern, rushing and just barely missing her with the huge stack of molding old books.
"Cleaning without magic!" said the red-haired one, wiping a steel cabinet full of dust and cobwebs.
"Utter nonsense, if you ask me."
"Well, no one asked you!"
"No one asked you either!"
"Alright, stop it!" said Mara, a fierce expression on her face. The new interns were boisterous and could often be found bickering -- odd behavior for Unspeakables. Mara missed the time when the Department was known to be as silent as a tomb.
"I only have two questions and I won't allow a peep from either of you about anything other than the answers to those questions." she said, glaring at them both. "One, why are we cleaning without magic, and Two, who ordered this?"
"The department heads did. Management committee sent a memo this morning ordering all departments to clean out their stuff, without magic. It said consequences too dire to mention would be given if these weren't complied with." said the red-haired intern meekly. "Can we go now Ma'am?"
Mara waved her hand, shooing them away. Blasted new interns, new management, weird memos... consequences too dire to mention? In the Department of Mysteries? she thought to herself, shaking her head. What the Ministry was coming to, she did not know.
A little while later, even she was dusted from head to toe. The cleaning was wearing out the morning energy, replacing it with a dogged determination to finish this day with a clean office. Mara walked through the crowded hallway, a stack of old parchment and reference books higher than her head on her hands.
Just perfect for bumping.
"Oh no!!!" said Mara, as she absorbed most of the momentum of the person she had bumped. The stack ended up all over the place, with the books making a loud "Blag!!!" sound. "Look at what you-- Uhh."
The tall, imposing man in black sent shivers up Mara's spine, but she masked it with a cold look. "Howmay I help you?"
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 26, 2010 0:04:01 GMT -5
Alex bent wordlessly to retrieve the books and papers, stacking them into neat piles with one hand. The other still held the strange flute protectively, but still he made short work of the debris and levitated it, standing back to his full height and looking down at the shorter woman. She looked vaguely familiar, but then again so did everyone in the ministry if you passed through their department often enough. And the aurors went everywhere.
“Look at what you-- Uhh." The tall, imposing man in black sent shivers up Mara's spine, but she masked it with a cold look. "How may I help you?"
‘Auror Kameren.’ Alex indicated the flute with a lift of the hand. ‘Delivering an object to Head Researcher Deocaris.’ His green eye narrowed as he studied the woman. ‘You wouldn’t happen to be her, would you?’
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Post by Amara Deocaris on Sept 27, 2010 0:06:41 GMT -5
"Auror Kameren." Alex indicated the flute with a lift of the hand. "Delivering an object to Head Researcher Deocaris." His green eye narrowed as he studied the woman. "You wouldn’t happen to be her, would you?"
"Yes, that would be me, actually." said Mara, taking the levitated papers without magic. "I'm sorry for the mess, there seems to be a general clean up today for the Department."
Amara winced as several loud bangs were heard from the other doors. Not for the first time that day had she wondered at this strange arrangement. If there were some things that would go missing... she brushed aside the thought. The Ministry was undergoing a strange time, but the higher ups would surely not allow something like that to happen... she was sure safeguards were arranged beforehand before all of this no-magic nonsense.
She led him into a more quiet portion, deeper in the department, so that they could talk and hear each other.
"Ah, the flute." said Mara, taking the stone instrument from the Auror's hand. "Thank you for bringing it, but unfortunately--"
A shadow fluttered somewhere to the side and Mara jerked her head to look. "Did you see that?!"
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 27, 2010 1:42:40 GMT -5
"Yes, that would be me, actually." said Mara, taking the levitated papers without magic. "I'm sorry for the mess, there seems to be a general clean up today for the Department."
‘So it would seem.’ Alex said, eying the old papers the woman had reclaimed, nearly hiding her from view. He considered taking part of the load, but the Unspeakable had already taken off at a brisk pace. They entered a room where Amara put down the papers before taking the flute from him.
"Ah, the flute." said Mara, taking the stone instrument from the Auror's hand. "Thank you for bringing it, but unfortunately--"
‘The Pied Piper’s Pipe. Persuade any group to do what you want simply by playing a tune.’ Although the room was not brightly lit, it was not dim. And when that shadow moved, it was noticeable.
"Did you see that?!"
‘Shadows don’t move.’ Alex pointed his wand at the large, dark shape. ‘Lumos!’
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Post by Amara Deocaris on Oct 6, 2010 10:48:09 GMT -5
The shape jerked and scuttled to a far corner. The room was filled with shelves miles deep, and even Mara didn't know how far this room went. A glance at one of the shelves confirmed her suspicion: she had inadvertently led him to the Room of Oddities, a room that was ordinarily always always locked. So why was it open today? she thought, as she sprang into action.
"I don't know what's been set loose here, but we're about to find out!" said Mara, grasping at the Auror's hand. The hand was the one holding the wand, and the light bounced off the various corners and shapes as they awkwardly tried to chase the shadow while not bumping into the shelves.
--
OOC: Sorry for the lateness! >_<
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Post by Alex Kameren on Oct 6, 2010 11:18:58 GMT -5
Alex tracked the shadow with his wand, although he was having a hard time at it. The creature (he could see it was a creature now) hissed and scuttled into the shadows. He whispered and the light from his wand grew stronger, throwing the room into sharp relief. It was quite a large room he noted, moving after the creature.
"I don't know what's been set loose here, but we're about to find out!"
The Mysteries woman grabbed his hand, dragging him deeper into the shelves. This was obviously no ordinary room, the auror tried to rack his brain, to remember if he’d heard of it. The light bounced erratically off the shelves and shelves of books. Alex pulled his hand free, focusing for a moment on a dark, smoky shape. The creature had five limbs, and it scuttled sideways, hissing at the light.
“Its grown bigger.”
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Post by Amara Deocaris on Oct 6, 2010 11:37:11 GMT -5
“Its grown bigger.”
The man-shape had grown bigger indeed, sprouting five limbs and scuttled on them simultaneously, resembling a shape that was eerie and really disturbing. It now looked more spider-ish than man, walking as it was on it's hands and legs... but the hands were bent backwards at an awkward angle, like someone who was bent all the way backwards. A chill went down Mara's spine.
"Oh my Merlin. Turn it off, turn it off, turn off the light!" she whispered fast to the Auror, realizing belatedly what the creature was.
It's not supposed to be here! It's not supposed to be released! she thought frantically, looking at the shelves for something to possibly hold the creature in. But nothing was empty.
The sigbin sprouted another arm or leg, scuttling far away from the reaches of the light yet seemed drawn to it for some reason. Magic! thought Mara. "It feeds on magic. It feeds on fear. Right now it's still small, but it's going to grow. We have to stop feeding it, Kameren, right now!"
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Post by Alex Kameren on Oct 8, 2010 11:22:17 GMT -5
"Oh my Merlin. Turn it off, turn it off, turn off the light!"
Alex hesitated, following the creature with the light. He’d much rather be able to see any threat, rather than bumble around in a dark room after some creature.
"It feeds on magic. It feeds on fear. Right now it's still small, but it's going to grow. We have to stop feeding it, Kameren, right now!"
The wandlight went out, dousing them in darkness before the researcher could continue her sentence. The auror stood still, even slowing his breathing as he listened, wand raised.
Ssrrktt, click click… the creature was scuttling off to his right, unsure of whether to approach. “So, if we can’t use magic, how do we get rid of this thing?” he asked, his voice low as he turned, following the noises.
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Post by Amara Deocaris on Oct 10, 2010 9:21:51 GMT -5
“So, if we can’t use magic, how do we get rid of this thing?”
The auror's whispered question was nearly drowned out by the mental confusion in Amara's head. She tried to consolidate the information, finding the ones related to the sigbin. Focus Mara, focus... find the relevant information. Right, right, breathe... she thought, taking one deep breath and then another. The scuttling sound increased, coming nearer.
"Sigbin can't hear very well, so that's a good plus. It reacts to magic and fear, and since the department has been in a no magic mode since this morning, this must be why it's still small." said Mara, trying to align the thought in her mind.
She gripped her wand, trying in vain to also relax but simply couldn't. For someone who was also interested in Demonology as well as in Cursed Objects, suddenly finding out that she was afraid of demons was very inconvenient. Her teeth began to chatter, and she knew she was radiating fear like a signal beacon.
"I need to calm down, I need to think." said Mara, sinking down to the floor. "We have to... we have to incapacitate it somehow. The most -- the most --"
The scuttling became stronger as the sigbin was slowly figuring out where they were. The sprouting sound continued and Amara bit her lip knowing, just knowing that she was making the thing so very very happy.
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Post by Alex Kameren on Oct 10, 2010 12:47:00 GMT -5
"I need to calm down, I need to think." said Mara, sinking down to the floor. "We have to... we have to incapacitate it somehow. The most -- the most --"
Alex crouched, laying a large hand on Amara's shoulder. "Take deep breaths, hyperventilating isn't going to help any." He moved to the book case, searching the titles. "You said it was a sigbin?" He asked, trying to get the older woman to focus.
"What's that?" The scuttling grew closer, he kicked out and connected with one twisted limb. The creature screeched and scrambled away. Something hard was poking his thigh, he stood and pulled it out: it was a folded bit of plastic. When he opened it, a bright light shone forth.
"Aha." He brought it close to the books. "Good thing Max forgot this... " he found the H's. "Ms Deocaris. You should come with me." He waited, then moved off through the shelves. "Is it under D for demon or S for sigbin?"
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Post by Amara Deocaris on Oct 11, 2010 8:22:51 GMT -5
"Take deep breaths, hyperventilating isn't going to help any."
The voice shook Mara out of her near hysteria, making her focus. One anchor she held on to was her bafflement at his behavior. How could he be so calm and focused?! she thought. Just envisioning the sigbin crawling somewhere near to her gave her the chills. It was different when looking at it on the page of a book, or as a frozen image in a jar.
"Shows what I get for being such a bookworm.. " she said under her breath. Right, on to business. But how were they going to see in the gloom without any sort of light.
Mara winced as the Auror struck out with his leg (well, what she supposed was his leg). The sigbin's scuttle alerted her to its nearness, and she shook once more. Kameren pulled something out of his pants and it shown like a bright ray of hope.
"Good Merlin, what is that?" she said in awe, as the sigbin scooted farther away from the beam. Her fear ebbed, knowing that there was now a way to get out of this mess she had inadvertently got into.
There's light, but no magic... strange. Was it a muggle device? she thought. "It's under D, for demon, then in the cultural section you'll find the sigbin. It's not native to these parts." she explained. Mara found the strength to stand up on wobbly knees, and she followed the light to where the Auror was. The sigbin stayed well outside the ray of light, but Mara was at the ready since she knew it was also getting ready to strike.
"I think I'd better find the book, Kameren, and you guard for the sigbin." said Mara, her natural tendency for bossing people around returning because of the light.
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Post by Alex Kameren on Oct 12, 2010 8:57:46 GMT -5
"Good Merlin, what is that?" she said in awe, as the sigbin scooted farther away from the beam. Her fear ebbed, knowing that there was now a way to get out of this mess she had inadvertently got into.
Alex turned the light on her, it was surprisingly bright to come from such a small device. He swept it back to focus on the books, moving toward the D’s. “It’s a booklight. A muggle device.” Lucky it ran at all, muggle objects had a hard time working in the wizarding world, particularly in places like the ministry, where magic practically saturated the very air.
"I think I'd better find the book, Kameren, and you guard for the sigbin." said Mara, her natural tendency for bossing people around returning because of the light.
The creature was certainly bigger, surely bigger than Alex at this rate. He could hear it knocking things off shelves as it scuttled around. “Better hurry.” He advised the researcher, handing her the light. “Who knows what will happen if he smashes the wrong thing.”
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Post by Amara Deocaris on Oct 17, 2010 7:19:59 GMT -5
Amara quickly scanned the shelves, locating Demons almost immediately. She vaguely heard the sigbin's scuffles and Kameren's muffled warning.
“Who knows what will happen if he smashes the wrong thing.”
Kameren't swords turned out to be prophetic. Before Mara could open the tome, a huge sickly hand-thing knocked her off her feet. With a sickening crack, Amara knew that the sigbin had her pinned down and had broken her arm.
"Kameren! Kameren, where are you?" she shouted, as the light did not seem to bother the sigbin much anymore. The scuffling had turned more violent in the small time she had been occupied searching for the book. She could now see the multiple arm/foot things walking all over the shelves, and it was bigger than ever.
She spied the book, turned on it's side a long way from her. If she could just reach it...
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Post by Alex Kameren on Oct 17, 2010 21:54:08 GMT -5
Alex stepped out of the small circle of light, straining his ears for any sense that the creature was getting closer. His fists flexed, and his eyes darted about, searching for a darker darkness in the library. The creature was eerily quiet now, he only heard the occasionally clickclick, and not enough to locate it. He hadn’t fought with his fists since school.
"Kameren! Kameren, where are you?"
“Damn!” Alex swore, spinning and sprinting towards the light, which seemed to be dancing about, throwing off wild shadows in concordance with the sounds of struggle. He took three more big steps and threw himself on the back of the creature. It must have been seven feet at the shoulder-- or what passed for its shoulder. He pounded at the creature’s back, trying to find a weakness, diverting its attention from the woman under it’s claws. A three-clawed arm wrapped around the auror and threw him against the bookcase opposite.
He hit shoulder first, knocking it down with a crash. He lay there a moment, his breath gone, then struggled to his knees. His scars burned, and he swore again, climbing to his feet. Magical scars. This was so not the time for old family feuds to resurface. He grimaced, looking around for the monster. “Amara.” He couldn’t see the Unspeakable either.
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