Entertainment provided by the house ghosts left everyone in stitches, cheeks burning from laughter. Professor Dippet dismissed everyone back to their common rooms and the hall was filled with cheering voices and further appreciation for the annual feast. Students spilled out the great hall doors and poured into the entrance hall--
Loud clanking interrupted the cheer, just as students began bending down to more closely inspect the debris on the floor. Feathers? Chicken feathers? What was on them, was that -- blood?! Suits of armor lining the hall leapt into action, grabbing students at random and holding them prisoner in their steel arms. A few students laughed, thinking this was further part of the show, but they were the minority. The oldest students started firing spells at the armor in an attempt to release their friends, but the magic simply bounced away. Chaos began to reign until in unison the suits of armor began to speak in a deafening tone.
“The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts. This is your only warning. Expel mudbloods from this place, or face the ire of those truly worthy of magic. The Chamber of Secrets has been opened.”
The sound was grating metal akin to nails on a chalkboard and many tried to cover their ears, to no avail. The suits stopped talking but remained motionless, holding students tightly, though unharmed. Until one began to yell - “It’s burning, it’s burning me!” Roman Schelling, a fourth year Ravenclaw, had abandoned his school robes at the beginning of the feast and stood in the arms of a suit now in only a t-shirt. He twisted this way and that as other students began to complain. Those with little skin showing seemed to be merely warm, but those exposed touched the armor that had grown very hot.
Suddenly, the suits of armor released all the students and stepped back into their normal, stationary positions lining the corridor. Disturbed chicken feathers swirled around the floor, their white fluff marred by half dried blood. Professor Marchbanks, the first professor into the hall, shot off several rounds of fireworks to garner attention.
“If you need medical attention, please report to the infirmary. Everyone else, return to your house common rooms in a calm, orderly fashion immediately!”
The following students were ‘prisoners’ of the suits of armor and received minor burns that are treated within a few hours at the infirmary before returning back to their common room.
Students are confined to their house quarters for the rest of the evening. Any starters posted in immediate reaction must take place there, unless they reported to the infirmary and wish to interact with other students in the infirmary. Otherwise, starters posted with time stamps for the next morning or anytime after can be open to all. Conversations left from the feast can continue throughout the week if desired. This event will last until Monday, July 24. The current time stamp is October 31st (common room confinement) or November 1-7 (open time). A new time stamp/event will be posted on Monday, 7/24.
