| Opening Log

[shadowqueen]

Everyone's waking up at once, covered in bits of rubble, temporarily without abilities and with a lurking headache. The castle looms around them, irrepressibly gray, huge and silent. The only noises are the people, rustling as they extract themselves from their sarcophagi and look for exits along the arching walkways.

Better take a look around, and see if anyone else knows what's going on.

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Comments

[rationality]

[His wand-holding hand sort of jumps instinctively, but he lowers it again, cautiously. He hadn't been planning on talking to anyone just yet, but if the conversation has already been started... well, he may as well just ask the obvious question anyway and move on after that.]

... Hi. Do you have any idea what's going on here?

[guiltapalooza]

I have less than any idea, [she says, frustrated.] Everything's all... wonky, and there aren't any villains showing up to explain their dastardly plan to me.

Frankly I'm starting to bank on that for explanations.

[rationality]

You're relying on villains being stupid enough to thwart themselves. [Flat and disbelieving. Also, this girl is American, which frankly rules out Hogwarts as a suspect.] Okay. Let me know how that goes for you.

[And he just steps around her and continues, flicks his wand and mutters,] Lumos.

[... Nothing happens. He stops walking and just stands there staring at his wand.] ... Oh, come on. Now. Really, now? I know I should have accounted for Murphy's Law, but - lumos.

[guiltapalooza]

Actually, it's gone pretty well, [she says dryly, watching him try his wand out and fail flatly at it.] I'm basing those comments on real life experience, sadly, not cartoons.

Your magic isn't workin' either, huh? Mine's starting to come back a little, but... it's just a little.

[rationality]

You should probably still be prepared for actual villains that are smart, know what they're doing, and follow the most basic rules for being a bad guy. Rule Number 2: Don't tell anyone about your plans.

[That makes him pause, though, and he turns to look up at her.] You have magic?

[guiltapalooza]

Sure do. Not so much right now, but usually yeah.

And I'm an experienced villain wrastler, so don't worry about me on that. [She does sound oddly confident on that point, though mentally she's wondering if he has actual numbered rules like it sounds like he does.] I was being sarcastic earlier. Mostly, anyway; they really do like to come around and talk, but I'm not going to wait for that.

[rationality]

I'd like it better if they didn't come around until we know what we're up against, to be honest. Let's just find a way out first.

[Well, alright, another magically-inclined person might be nice to have around. But he'll reserve judgement on that, and on how useful she'll actually be, until he finds out what kind of person she is.]

We're not underground, which means there should be a door either here or on the floor above. Even if it's locked, there are a lot of people here, and a lot of them carrying weapons, so we should be able to break it. I'm not seeing a door down here, so - up, maybe.

brb writin' in canon Ico opening of the door with the lever

[guiltapalooza]

I'm with you on that plan, [she agrees wholeheartedly.]

I saw a door over there earlier, but it was practically crusted shut, and I couldn't find a way open. Want me to show you? Maybe you'll see something I missed. [Willow makes the offer easily, as if she's totally unperturbed by the idea that she could be mistaken about something.

For her part, the fact that this cute, logic-oriented little kid used magic was just gravy. She wasn't about to leave anyone that young on their own, no matter how precocious they seemed; but she also knew enough about that age range not to say a single word about looking out for him before she had to. Silly pride.]

it took me way too long to find that lever tbh

[rationality]

["Maybe you'll see something I missed" does wonders to give Harry a good opinion of her thus far. He honestly can't remember an adult ever thinking he could possibly do something they couldn't, or even pretending that they thought he could out of courtesy. He gives her a frankly bewildered look and does his best to recover quickly; he clears his throat and nods.]

Alright. It might have a mechanism that isn't obvious. It's pretty obvious that they didn't want us just walking out of here.

[There's a beat and, before they head off, he holds out his hand to her.] Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres.

[It's a test as well as an introduction, so he's watching her face carefully for any signs of recognition. He's fairly sure he's internationally known, and if she's a witch who hasn't even heard the name, she either lives under a rock or there's something weirder than usual going on here.]

LOL oh Ichi... you're so adorable.

[guiltapalooza]

[He's trying so hard to be an adult (throat clearing and all) that Willow has to grin at him, despite he circumstances.] That's a mouthful, [she says cheerily, with no other reaction to his name. She shakes his hand with the relative ease of a truly social individual, and then turns to lead him to the door.]

I'm Willow Rosenberg. Honestly, I've been feeling pretty silly at not being able to figure this out, so if you could find a mechanism or whatever I'd be happy to have a different room to puzzle over.