The Dark Lord Rises...

The Dark Lord apparated inside the old Shrieking Shack, the dust swirling around his figure as he appeared, his robes swirling around him from the momentum of his apparition. This was as close as he could get to Hogwarts, but he knew of the hidden passageway between the Shrieking Shack and the school. It would not surprise him if it was blocked to him, Dumbledore would have put protective enchantments there to keep him out.

Nagini slithered out from under the Dark Lords robes, and she crawled ahead, reaching the faded, creaking door and sliding past it silently. The Dark Lord took a step forward, and the floor beneath him creaked. He stopped, listening, and a twisted smile curled his lip as he heard the muffled voices of children: foolish students had come here to socialise, it seemed. He took another step, before lifting his wand, and blasting the door from it's hinges, and out of his way.

He would find those children.

Léan landed outside the Shrieking Shack. Dismounting her broom she peered around. It had been a long time since she had been here. Goosebumps began to crawl across her skin. Why did something feel so off about this place? She set her broom against the wall outside and slipped inside. As she entered the shack, she heard the creaking of boards. The hair on the back of hr neck began to rise and she whipped out her wand. Lumos, she whispered and a little ball of light appeared on her wand. "Hello?" she called into the shack. Who would be here? Except her and stupidity. It was very rare for anyone to show up here, but she began to step further into the shack and looked toward the stairs.

Grace had been wandering Hogsmeade, bored out of her mind when she saw someone on a broomstick fly in the direction of the shrieking shack. She rolled her eyes, "idiot," she thought, "who goes to the shrieking shack alone?"

Grace figured she could go get in an arguement or something so she walked to the shack. Someone had just entered the shack alone, and Grace saw the door close, she hurried forward and cracked the door open to see a brunette girl she's never seen before walking down the hallway.

Grace stayed silent so she wouldn't be noticed.

Léan pulled out her glass eye, hoping she could see whomever was inside the shack. She crept forward to the staircase and stopped. She heard the slight creek of the door open and she could see someone's reflection in the glass. She peered backwards and pointed her wand toward Wang. "Hi," she whispered. She put a finger to a lips, then pointed upstairs. She was indicating that someone was above them.

The girl turned around and looked a Grace, then made a shush motion. Grace tensed and looked above her head, wondering what could possibly be up there.

Fionn grimaced, exploring this place had always freaked him out, but exploring it before he and Jess came here was probably a good idea. he didn't want Jess to get hurt. he didn't see anyone until he'd bumped into Lean. Fionn clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle his shout and looked around ata Lean, shoulders slumping in relief. "oh, good. just you..and Wang. hi Wang"

[[woo, now I have an excuse to enter this thread other than 'My furry sense is tingling' ]]

Jessica ran across the gardens when she spotted Fionn entering the Shrieking Shack. Of course he'd go 'check it out', even when he was injured he was determined to be the man. She shook her head as she entered the run down building. It didn't seem that bad. Jessica walked up the steps until she found a group of people- Fionn, Grace and that girl Lean she'd barely spoken to.

"Am I missing out on a convention or something?" she asked, though whispered it- there was something strange in the atmosphere that told her it was best to keep quiet

Fionn jumped and whirled around. "Jess! what are you doing here?! go back!" h hissed, knowing full well he shouldn't be there either, not with his leg. and he did promise they'd explore together, two points he just knew she'd bring up. "this place isn't safe, and something is off this time" he said quietly. "go back, Jess.. oh...before I forget, meet Lean, she's a friend, sort of"

"Hey there," she whispered to Lean, smiling warmly before turning back to Fionn. "Come off it, I'm not going back by myself, if you can be here on that leg then I can be here fit as a fiddle. Where's your Gryffindor spirit, eh?"

"mine is preoccupied with me, my common sense is worried about you" h muttered at her, glaring at her balefully but she had him caught and he knew it. Fionn put a hand on her shoulder sgently. "I don't want anything to happen to you Jessica" he said softly.

Grace let them talk for a moment and then shushed them, seeing Lean's look of panic.

"Lean, whats up there?" Grace asked quietly, fearing she already knew.

Léan scowled at Fionn and the new girl, Jessica. She nodded to them both in acknowledgement. "Will ya two, shush?" she whispered harshly to them. "There be someone 'ere." she said. She looked at Grace quietly when she asked. "I am not sure, but..its not a good feeling.." she said. She pointed her wand up the stairwell. She glanced back at the group. Taking a deep breath she began to climb the stairs, trying to keep little weight on the stairs in fear of them creeking really loudly.

Grace followed Lean quietly, afraid of what they may find. She treaded up the stairs mutely, she was so petite she probably couldn't make much noise even if she wasn't trained in martial arts and karate. As Grace moved up the stairs she thought 'Typical horror movie, we're going up the stair and the idiots behind us are laughing loudly like we're onthe stairway to heaven.'

Fionn quieted and followed the other two girls up the stairs, trying desperately to keep quiet and calm. something bad was up there and like hell he was going to let the other two face it alone. h took Jess's hand as he continued up the stairs. "hey.." h started quietly. "anyone else hear that? it sounds like...hissing" chills started down his back

Léan could feel it. The sense of the snake. She could hear it, the hissing. Just like Fionn said, the hissing seemed to make it through her bones. As she continued to ascend the stairs. The hissing was getting louder. "Wands at the ready.." she whispered. She came to the door to the top room. Her heart was pounding against her chest. She slowly pushed open the door...