But For A Stone (A Matou Shinji Series AU)

[Daiki]

[x] Someone from another class.

Expand Shinji's close circle to other Houses. Also, Natsumi needs to gain confidence and make friends with other people too. We don't want another Hermione or Rin situation were she wouldn't be able to do much without him or grow too attached. Ernie will already be working with Shinji for the week, so why not give a chance to someone he won't see as often?

You won't always be with people you expect to be. Might be a valuable lesson to learn to work with people you are not familiar with, as well as not knowing their forte. Go in blind and hope for the best.

[x] As soon as possible.

While I would like to double on the yolo, we have to take in account that Shinji will be fairly busy this week, getting familiarized with his environment, on top of all his first pile of homework, including working on the Potions assignment. Time spent preparing for DADA will mean less focus on this. And since it's a four-people cooperation thing, I would rather succeed this one at the risk of failing the other (two-people assignment).

Best tackling the DADA examination asap, so he can secure a more peaceful mind during work on his cure for boils. If he stresses over what's going to happen during DADA, I doubt he will be able to provide a satisfying result. Shinji won't be as prepared for DADA, but that's usually what happens when you deal with dangerous scenarios anyway. You need to think on your feet. Better to learn that lesson early than late. So half-yolo, I guess.

[alfheimwanderer]

The class that does the best in each year will of course, get a prize (aside from House Points): being able to waive one assignment of their choice

[alfheimwanderer]

[x] Another class

[x] As soon as possible.

---

DADA Scenario Start:When Matou Shinji opens his eyes, he finds himself laying on his side, stripped of everything but his undergarments, on the floor of a dark, cluttered room. His arms are bound, there is a foul-tasting gag wrapped around his mouth, and the only light he can see - from the cracks around where a blindfold has been rather inexpertly fastened, comes from a few black candles placed here and there. With every movement, liquid agony shoots through his limbs, across his chest, down his spine.

It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.

It hurts to move, to think, to breathe.

'Where am I?' he wonders blearily, trying to put power in his legs, and finding that he cannot - at least not all at once. 'What...happened?'

Everything was so...fuzzy, so unclear. He could hardly concentrate at all. All he could tell was this wasn't Hogwarts. But how...how had he come to be here at all. 'The last thing I remember is walking into Quirrell's...'

Quirrell's classroom. The scenario. 'This is. This is the scenario, isn't it?'

But nothing answers him. No voice. No words in the air. No conveniently placed note for him to read. If this is the scenario, there are no instructions to follow. And if this isn't...?

'I have to get out of here.' Matou Shinji is certain of that much, though how he is going to do so stripped to his underwear, with no wand, or knife, or anything, save his wits, he has absolutely no idea. 'At the very least, I have to get up,' he thinks, and after a few minutes of continuous effort, he manages to do so, though his legs feel weak as jelly afterwards.

What's his next move?

[ ] Look for a way to cut the rope
[ ] Try to get the blindfold and gag completely off so he can see more clearly
[ ] Find a place to hide in case someone comes in
[ ] (write-in)

Note: For this phase, there is a strict 24 hour limit per vote.

[neophyte]

[x] Look for a way to cut the rope

That will boost all the options available.
On a side note - this time the challenge seems to be tougher.

[alfheimwanderer]

On a side note - this time the challenge seems to be tougher.

Well, it isn't as if Quirrell expects anyone to actually succeed. He's much more interested in how they approach the situation.

And hey, you don't know much magic anyway, so it isn't as if you're missing much with no wand....

[skulkidcachi90]

[x] Look for a way to cut the rope

[alfheimwanderer]

[x] Look for a way to cut the rope

---

'The rope. That has to be the first step...'

Or so Shinji tells himself, though he's not sure how clearly he's thinking, given how badly everything hurts. Still, it is the coarse lengths wrapped around his arms - with his arms behind his back, that are the most troublesome part of his current situation, so he resolves to free himself. Somehow.

This, unfortunately, is easier said than done, especially with a gag and blindfold still covering most of his face, even if he does have the ability to move around a bit.

For a moment, he considers trying to see if the rope is flammable - and if so - if he can use the candles to help get himself free, but he dismisses the thought almost as quickly as it came. It probably wasn't, and even if it was, setting rope on fire with purple-black flames (probably magical) seemed like a pretty bad idea.

Looking around the room more thoroughly, he could make out a few more details in the gloom. There was something like a large cabinet against one wall, and something that looked something like an oversized stool with a metal pyramid mounted on top, in the place of a seat. Even in the dim lighting, it looked...quite grimy, though the edges of the pyramid looked unpleasantly sharp.

'What the hell would they have used that for?' he wondered, but decided that it was probably better not to think about it too much. 'I guess...its sharp enough?'

Maybe.

There might be something in the cabinet, but he wasn't sure how he'd go about not only opening it, but using whatever he found in there. Maybe if there was a knife or something...

'No. I'd probably end up cutting myself.' And thoughthere were several wicked-looking pikes mounted on the wall, he knew he couldn't reach them. He took - tried to take - a deep breath to steady himself, though that only made him dizzy as he breathed through the gag. 'The rope. I have to cut the rope, then get this gag off.'

And so he did, somewhat unsteadily backing himself against the rather wicked-looking stool, and sawing the rope against the sharpened edge over and over and over. It takes some time - though not as much as he would have thought. Even though the rope seems rather sturdy, the metal of the pyramid seems to burn as much as it cuts, and soon enough, enough of the cord is burned through that the rest falls away.

It feels remarkably freeing, even as his muscles ache from the flux of blood, and he has to fight to stay upright from the blood leaving his legs and head. Still, he manages to rip off the gag - and he feels much more awake after that.

Yet, all is not over, as Shinji hears footsteps coming down what is probably the hall outside.

What's his next move?

[ ] Check the Cabinet for something useful
[ ] Check the door
[ ] Try to grab a pike
[ ] Hide
[ ] (write-in)

[Skull Leader]

[X] Listen at the door.

Footsteps is likely someone patrolling, considering that Shinji is a 11 yr 'tied up.' I doubt they are going into each room. Checking the door is top priory to me but one needs to wait until the footsteps have passed before we precede to that task. Important thing is to make no noise to draw attention at this time. Such as what might happen if one opens a cabinet door and its hing is rusty.

Grabbing the high to reach pike is stupid when the only thing to stand on is likely to kill you or cut your feet at the very least. Not to mention how hard it would be for a 11 yr to weld a big ass pike efficiently. Maybe if there were two 11 yr olds...

Or if you could just remove the pike head from the pike. That would act as a knife but again that is a later option.

[Daiki]

[X] Listen at the door.

Yes, make sure the sentinel isn't within hear shot before checking the room for anything useful (Including some clothes).

[skulkidcachi90]

[X] Listen at the door

[alfheimwanderer]

[X] Listen at the door.

---

Hearing the sound of footsteps from outside - footsteps that were getting closer, Shinji feel every muscle in his body tense, his heart beating so loud in his chest that he feels it has to be audible even to anyone outside.

'What can I do?'

He has no way to fight off an attacker if one should come through the door. He has no weapons, no tools, no place to hide in the room.

And without any of these equalizers, what chance does an 11 year old have against whoever - or whatever - put him into this situation to begin with?

'None.'

Especially when he is already weakened from whatever was done to him, his body still wracked with agony.

'There has to be something I can do...' he thinks, looking around again. He could go to the cabinet and try to grab something useful out of there, but the risk - the possible noise it would make - might betray him. He could try and grab one of the wall-mounted pikes, but how would he even reach one? He could...

Unable to think of something to do, the boy stands still, as the footsteps come closer, closer, closer, before coming to a halt in front of the door.

'Oh no...'

For several long moments, Shinji forgets to breathe. Can't breathe. Holds his breathe in desperately to try and make no sound at all. And maybe he is successful, as some time later, the footsteps begin again, continuing past the room.
Quietly, ever so quietly, the boy creeps to the room, biting his lips to keep from groaning in pain as he moves, and puts his ear against the door, to try and hear if the other is gone.

To his surprise, there is a voice - no, two voices. One is low and coarse, with the other, aristocratic and refined, tone sharp as a knife.

"Two, is it?" the elegant voice comments. "That will suffice, though it is a pity that neither of them are Obscurials."

"...I'm sorry, Master," the other grunts. There is a long, pregnant pause, and Shinji can almost imagine this other sweating under the pressure of a glare. "Will they suffice for the ritual, even so?"

"...yes," the answer comes eventually. "Go gather the others, Wormtail. I will proceed to the basement...to make preparations."

"Your will be done, mi'lord," comes the reply.

There is a sharp crack, and then a different set of footsteps walks past the door, this time in the opposite direction, until at last, they fall away from earshot.

'I have to get out of here,' he thinks. But first, he needs something to defend himself with, and since no one is nearby, supposedly, this means he can risk making some noise.

Checking the cabinet, whose hinges open with something between a groan and a squeak, he finds a knife, a length of rope, and a mysterious vial of black liquid.

What does he do next?

[ ] (write-in)

[Daiki]

Well, almost head to head with Voldy. Bit sooner than expected.

Things Shinji learned; he is not the sole prisoner, the kidnappers intend to use them for some kind of ritual or spell. Obscurials would have been a better catch. He really needs to get out of here... Or he could try to figure out what these dark wizards are up to, and possibly ruin their plan.

[x] Grab the three items.

The vial might be important, whether good or bad, it's possible we will need to come back for it later, so let's take it. (In doubt throw it at a death eater's face)
A length of rope is always useful. Either to get away, help someone out or simply to deal with a hostile we knocked out.
The knife is self-explanatory.

Always loot everything, unless you're beyond capacity (or it's a cursed object).

[alfheimwanderer]

Just keep in mind, you have no clothing except underwear. Meaning you can only carry things in your hands or draped over your body.

Also, what do you plan to do after grabbing the items.

[Skull Leader]

Just keep in mind, you have no clothing except underwear. Meaning you can only carry things in your hands or draped over your body.

What are you talking about? You can totally shove a small vial down into the front of your underwear. What can possibly go wrong shoving an unknown black vial down there?

In seriousness the rope depending on its length and thickness can be a belt of sorts so that piece is unlikely to be a problem to carry. The question to me is more if a unknown potion is worth carrying around especially when you grabbed it from a torture room.

[X] Grab the items and check ye door

I feel like I playing a text adventure. Hopefully this text adventure understands more commands then the average one does.

Good to know that the basement should be off limits if we want to survive. And if we were on a true evil run, the solution to ruin this ritual would be to kill the other student so it can not be complete. But that is likely to not go over well at Hogwarts. It would grab Voldy attention thought.

[skulkidcachi90]

[x]Roll the rope around his body in such a way that it does not remove much mobility and take vial of black liquid.
Then proceed to inspect the door

[Skull Leader]

[x]Roll the rope around his body in such a way that it does not remove much mobility and take vial of black liquid.
Then proceed to inspect the door

You are not taking the knife then?

[skulkidcachi90]

For now.
I want a free hand.

[alfheimwanderer]

On one hand, a free hand is useful. On the other, so is a knife.

[skulkidcachi90]

[x]Roll the rope around his body in such a way that it does not remove much mobility and take vial of black liquid and the knife each in a diferent hand
Then proceed to inspect the door

[Cassius]

Maybe open the door before filling up your hands?