Librarian Amelle Nicchi

January 22, 2016 8:36 PM
It was the morning of the second challenge. Notices had gone up that Monday advising everyone to come to the Entrance Hall at 10 in the morning to the portrait where the House Points were calculated just outside of Cascade. They would require their wand and, if they had one, a broom. They were also advised to dress appropriately for physical activity and to split their team into three different groups. But other than that, the notice was rather vague.

Standing on a makeshift stand, Amelle called for everyone’s attention. “Good morning everyone!” Amelle greeted. She was so nervous to be the one hosting the second challenge. As Librarian, she didn’t really have to do much talking when it came to the masses. The only other time she had to do so was when she was substituting for Charms and even then… they were small groups.

“I hope you have all come prepared for today’s event. Behind this portrait of Tavarius Mims is where the magic happens.” Amelle had decided to use the Mirage Chamber to host the challenge because it would allow for the challenge to remain a secret from the students, could transfer into anything she wished it too with a snap of her fingers. “This is an Air challenge and it will run in three different parts. The first and third parts require brooms, so if you do not have one, one will be provided to you. The second part will be on the ground. You will decide amongst your group members which two members will fly in the first part, which two members will stay on the ground in the second part, and which two members will fly in the third part. Any groups with seven members, decide if the third person will be part of the first group or the third group.” Amelle looked around to make sure what she was saying was being understood. “I reiterate, there are not to be three members of your team working the ground level.” They had to provide a part of each challenge that would allow for everyone to participate. Since some people couldn’t physically fly, she thought this was a nice alternative.

“In the Mirage Chamber, you will find a very large maze. Each part of the maze is split based on what group you are in. Those who will be flying will be facing various traps, spells, charms, hexes, and creatures. It will not be easy, so make sure your wand is somewhere that is easily accessible.” Amelle warned them.

“Let’s discuss the jobs of each group.The first group will be on brooms. Your challenge is to get the map that we provide you through the maze and to the door marked with your team number on it. You must remain on your broom at all times until you reach the door. Please note that the maze is charmed to prevent anyone from attempted to fly above it.” Kiva explained. She knew there would be one or two that would attempt to find the easy way around. “When you pass through the door, you will be in a small room with only a table and a door to exit. Place the map on the table and then exit the room. Exiting the room will bring you right to this spot.

“The second group will be planted in the center of the maze and be on the ground. A door will appear, behind the door is the table with the map. The map shows where hidden items are throughout the middle of the maze where the second group will be stationed. Use the map. There are as many items as there are teams, the items are labeled with team numbers, but this does not show on the map. The goal is to find your team’s item. Accio will not work for this challenge, so be creative. Once you have your object, please return to the room where you found the map, place the object on the table, and exit the opposite door. You will find yourself in this spot where your teammates from the first group will be waiting.”

Amelle paused. There was so many different parts to this challenge that she wanted to make sure she explained them all in detail. “Finally, the last group. This group will also be deposited in their section of the maze. Group three will be back on brooms. A door will appear just as it did for the group two and you will find your team item on the table. You must keep the item safe as you fly back through the maze. You will be facing the same challenges as your teammates did, so make sure you keep your wand available. Once you are out of the maze, a door will appear and you will exit the Mirage Chamber and join the rest of your team. If, for whatever reason, you need help, shoot sparks up and myself or another staff member will come to assist.

“This challenge is timed. Each team will go through one at a time. So, until it’s your team’s turn, you are to wait in Cascade Hall. We will call your team number when it’s your turn. Choose your groups wisely. Unless anyone has any questions, let’s get started. Team One, please stay here, everyone else, please head into the Hall.”


OOC: In case the challenge is confusing, here is a summary of what each group will do:

Each team will split into three groups. This can be decided under this post or however you would like to accomplish this.

Group 1: Purpose is to fly through the maze (there are obstacles, such as moving bushes, creatures, hexes, spells, charms, etc) and find your Team Number’s door. You are provided a map in the beginning. You must get this map to the door or else your teammates will not be able to complete their part of the challenge.

Group 2: A door will appear in the center of the maze where you are waiting. You must retrieve the map from the room behind the door. Use the map to find the item hidden in the maze that has your team number on it. Accio will not work. Be creative. Once you have your item, place it on the table behind the door.

Group 3: Purpose is to fly through the maze (there are obstacles, such as moving bushes, creatures, hexes, spells, charms, etc) and find the exit with the item that Group 2 secured.


Points are based on creativity, length, and member posts. Please tag me if your group need adult assistance. This challenge will take 3 weeks OOC and you can post any group at any given time, so please do not feel rushed to get through each section. Have fun!
Subthreads:
6 Librarian Amelle Nicchi Challenge Two: Air Time! 32 Librarian Amelle Nicchi 1 5


Gia Donovan

January 26, 2016 9:20 PM
Gia trailed behind her brother as they walked through the halls towards the Entrance where they were expected to meet. Gia was not happy with her brother. He kept abandoning her. First, during midterm, he spent most of his time at the boxing gym, just like summer. Then, when they returned, he spent all his extra time in the sports room of MARS working on his boxing techniques to impress his ‘Coach’. Gia wanted to go out and enjoy the gardens, but he was too busy. She wanted to study together, but he would say that he already did it. Blah, blah, and blah.

She felt a hand land on her head and she looked up to see her brother grinning at her. He gave her head a shake, which caused her to frown at him, but before she could retaliate, he was off in search of his own team. It was weird to Gia how much he had changed. He was much taller now compared to her, which made her feel less like him than ever before. He felt more mature too with his attitude and Gia didn’t like it. She wanted her brother back to being the Jax she always knew. Or, she really needed to find a new hobby.

Of course, that brought her to her next thought. Summer! Her mother said that she was old enough now to go visit her friends! Gia was so excited! The minute she saw Sammy, she told her all about being able to see her over the summer and if it would be okay with her moms if she came and stayed for a few days. Nothing was worked out of course, but as long as the information was out there, that was what kept Gia in such a good mood, even when she was around her annoying brother.

Remembering her mother’s promise was enough to lift her spirits as she made her way over to her team. Even Barnaby couldn’t bring her down. Gia smiled to her teammates, even to her brother’s roommate, in greeting. The challenge discussion was a long one and Gia did her best to follow along. There were specific groups with jobs and two of those groups dealt with brooms. Gia was not necessarily terrified of flying or anything like that, she just didn’t have a lot of practice doing it. She learned when she was young, during the days on training brooms with her dad around. But she didn’t really remember them the way Jax did. The last time she was on a broom was during flying lessons in her first year. That wasn’t all that long ago and she knew it wasn’t terribly difficult, but even so, she wanted to make it clear that despite her magical background, living in Muggle areas prevented broom play.

When Ms. Nicchi had completed her explanation of the challenge and advised everyone but Team One to head into Cascade Hall, Gia spoke up. “I am not a very good Flyer.” She said, mainly to Ji-Eun. “I know how to fly and I passed the lessons, but we don’t get a lot of time back home to practice.” She explained. “I can still do it if you need me too, of course.” She didn’t mind the flying, she just minded the fact that she would have to do it quickly and with obstacles of various nature. Whoever she got stuck with would have to be patient with her. It was that reason alone that had her praying that her partner wasn’t Barnaby.
6 Gia Donovan Looking for Guidance (Team Five) 308 Gia Donovan 0 5


Barnaby Pye

January 28, 2016 10:41 AM
Barnaby had arrived to the second challenge in his most comfortable clothes. Which, for him, meant that he had forgone his crisp dress-shirts for a more casual cotton button-up and a pair of khaki pants and a sweater that he didn’t particularly like. It didn’t matter that challenge two was supposed to be something which would exhaust physical activity, Barnaby didn’t own a single pair of training pants or a comfortable shirt with which he would be able to really exert himself physically and he neither had the desire nor the relationship to ask his roommates to borrow some clothes. Besides, even leaving his sleeves rolled up and his pants slightly less than pressed was too casual from him and he didn’t really envision ever needing to have different clothes. If he were ever in a situation in which he would need to run, then he’d be wearing his usual clothes, and it only seemed logical that he learn how to run in those and his black dress shoes versus track pants and trainers.

He took the smile Gia gave him when she joined the group as a win and returned it with one of his own, tight sarcastic grins which always made Tarquin laugh. Speaking of which, the break had gone relatively smoothly. The two had only seen each other for a couple of days as Tarquin’s father had decided that Tarquin was needed to attend various functions with him while Barnaby’s father remained more secretive than ever. He had been called into a meeting twice with his father. The first, upon his return, was the usual welcome back appointment that Barnaby had gotten used to over and one that he had seen Alfie participate in a multitude of times over the years. He was asked about his grades, his classmates, then Father had moved on to subtle politic questions which Tarquin and he had been trying to piece together over the years, before finally (finally) casually asking after Alfie’s well-being. And then he was dismissed. Yes, the first meeting had been nothing out of the ordinary.

Yet, the night before New Year’s Eve, Barnaby had been asked back into Father’s office. He had sat there, twiddling his thumbs (grateful no one had been there to watch because Pyes did not twiddle their thumbs) for forty-five minutes, something so unlike Father because normally the elder Pye was always on time. When he’d entered the office, something in the air had felt amiss, it was enough to make his bones hurt and cry for tea (though not just any tea) but he had waited patiently for Father to lead with what he wanted to say. This time, as all times, Father had taken his time to begin. Usually, however, after his slow, deliberate start, he commenced the meetings with a quick, businessman-like manner. Yet, when Barnaby looked closer this time around, he saw the grey hairs that hadn’t been there before, he saw the light bags, the yellowing eyes, the pallid skin and wondered if Father was not alright? He hadn’t had much time for wondering, though, because soon enough Father got to his point (as he always did) and Barnaby had been dismissed with a new set of instructions for the rest of that semester.

Most curious of all, however, had been his inability to tell Tarquin what had happened. Tarquin had known, he’d asked Barnaby very plainly, and when Barnaby hadn’t been able to answer him, Tarquin had gotten frustrated and broke his favourite quill. He had looked quite ashamed after that and asked to borrow one of Barnaby’s before attempting to vanish away the bits of quill and making a fresh pot of tea because they were out. That had been the last time he’d seen Tarquin over the holiday and while it had been most stress free (lounging around, marking up pages in various books they had stolen from their father’s libraries always put a smile on Barnaby’s face), there had been something oddly final about the situation and Barnaby had felt uneasy as though this might be the last time they could do something like this.

He had returned to Sonora, more guarded than before—he was not to show any weakness, his father had instructed him, and he had kept an eye on the Dempsey boy as per request, but other than that he had kept to himself. Taking his meals alone though more often than not he was unable to eat much more than bread and butter or even plain bread, though he did fill his aching stomach with pots of tea late in the night. His fourteenth birthday was fast approaching, in several weeks he would be three years away from legality. The thought was sobering. His childhood had passed by quickly and he was entering that age in which Alfie had fully broken away from the family and become completely reckless and loose with everything, secrets, witches, Quidditch, his entire life, basically. Barnaby didn’t want that for himself and, luckily, had spent most of his own life safeguarding against the hormones that had caused his older brother to act so irrationally.

And then Gia Donovan had opened her mouth and suddenly, without prompting from Tarquin, Barnaby began to question something Father had told him not to do for the first time in his life.

Weakness, or Gia, weakness or Gia. This was the debate that Barnaby was currently trying to settle in his head. He knew that to say he didn’t care for flying either would be to admit a weakness—a weakness he didn’t have, albeit, so that could still work in his favour. His brain churned quickly with all the possible responses he had in this situation. And then, in the most curious of moves that had never happened once before in his life, his mouth opened before he had finished his thinking process. “I’m not the best flyer either,” he heard himself saying. The lie came from his mouth so easily—at least he hadn’t lost his ability to lie smoothly, he thought as he recalled the afternoons he had been forced to spend on a broom because Father thought all young wizards ought to know how to fly properly. Besides, family disappointment that he was, Alfie had been rather handy on a broomstick and Barnaby just hadn’t been able to let his imperfect older brother best him in a test of physical endurance. “Though like Gia I can be flexible so I don’t mind being partnered with her.”
10 Barnaby Pye Let's see what your worst nightmare can do for you. 298 Barnaby Pye 0 5

Ji-Eun Park

February 09, 2016 3:18 AM

Her team was doing well. Really well. In fact, they were in first place whilst Jamie languished mid-table. She had seen him pouting the day the rankings had gone up and, whilst he would have taken every opportunity to rub it in her face had their standings been reversed, she avoided him. She didn’t want to hear him whine about how it was everyone’s fault but his. It was a little tempting to lord it over him, just for once, and several times she came close to giving in, but when the announcement for the next challenge went up, she was glad she hadn’t. Jamie had plenty of flyers on his team. She maybe had one. Their places could easily reverse after this challenge. She had intended to practise - the notice having gone up on the Monday - although between Head Girl duties and all her homework it was very easy to put off a task that she didn’t really want to do. Finally, the evening before the challenge, sheer panic at the impending embarrassment had forced her onto a broom. It had been pretty shaky at first, but… well, she guessed that was why they had that phrase “it’s like riding a broom.” She remembered how, she just took a few laps to get her confidence up and not wobble.

“Great work on the first challenge,” she smiled at them all as they assembled. She didn’t really care about winning but she thought they deserved a pat on the back nonetheless for working hard.

She returned Gia’s smile and noticed that Barnaby Pye did so with a tight smirk. Funny, she had thought they were friends… Although now she thought about it, she didn’t know where she’d got that impression, other than they were the same age. The way he smirked at her reminded her very much of the way Jamie looked at people, and she resolved to keep a closer eye on Barnaby, especially with regard as to how he treated Gia. Which was going to be a challenge here…

“Thanks, that’s useful to know,” she nodded, when both Gia and Barnaby spoke up about their abilities. “I think we’re not a team that has many flyers, so this could be tough for us. But we’ve clearly got some great problem solvers, based off the last challenge, and thinking on our feet is going to be as much a part of this too,” or rather off their feet, as they would have to be doing it in mid-air, where hardly any of them felt particularly great. “So let’s focus on that, and on pairing up based on abilities that will compliment each other. Those who get a flying job, take it at a pace you’re comfortable with and just do your best. I’m not going to be mad if we slip down the rankings.

“Louis, you play on your house team, right? Does anyone else feel especially confident as a flyer?” she asked, waiting for a show of hands, “And is there anyone who is totally unwilling or unable to do it?” she asked, checking for any hands that went up. Overall it seemed that, whilst the team might not be particularly skilled in this area, it was at least flexible.

“Ok…. I’m going to partner with Louis and we’ll take stage one. He’s a good flyer and I should be able to tackle the obstacles. I think having mixed aged pairs makes the most sense, so I’m going to have Scarlet and Barnaby tackle the way out. Gia and Jessica can take the ground work. Sorry that it’s not everyone’s first choice but I think those combinations will help us get through this the best. Is that ok with everyone?”

*

They didn’t have a long wait before starting, and she and Louis were first up in their team. The first obstacle as far as she was concerned was the maze itself, with its tight corners. She tried not to slow Louis down, or to wince or show it when she scraped her legs on the hedges. She managed not to do anything totally shameful like crashing or unseating herself, and her flying was functional if not the most elegant or efficient. She had offered Louis the map, on the grounds that he could fly well and possibly read directions at the same time, leaving her able to concentrate on flying and fending off dangers, although if he wasn’t confident with finding directions, she was happy to take over. However, as they skidded to a halt due to a brick wall, she felt it was much more likely to be one of the aforementioned obstacles than a wrong turn, especially as the rest of the maze was made of hedges.

“Stand back,” she warned, “Reducto!” The curse neatly blew the wall out of their way, and feeling much more useful than she had until this point, Ji-Eun flew on.
13 Ji-Eun Park How about go away? 268 Ji-Eun Park 0 5


Ji-Eun

February 10, 2016 5:16 AM
I failed to notice that Gia had already posted later in the challenge with Barnaby, so let's say that Jess is working with Scarlett on the final leg. If I have time, I will edit some IC reasoning into the post. Sorry!
0 Ji-Eun OOC - edit 0 Ji-Eun 0 5