| Details for Snog Free Zones |
| Summary: | Esther Parker and Kiefer discuss the ridiculous amount of snogging happening in not so discreet places around campus and execute a plan to vaccinate themselves against the rising epidemic that seems to have captured the school. And Snogenstein is accidentally risen! |
| Date: | October 14, 1937 |
| Location: | Kitchen Passage, Hogwarts |
| Related: | None |
| Characters |
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Another rainy day at glorious Hogwarts. The storm outside pelts the walls and windows with thick rain, and every now and then there's a rumble of thunder and flashes of lightning that brightens the noonday stormy sky. Outside classes have been suspended, and Kiefer finds himself with an unusual free period, with Care of Magical Creatures no longer meeting. And so, the fifth year lounges outside of the common room's unassuming entrance, sitting upon an empty barrel. A black and white cat paces back and forth, its green eyes large and watchful, and Kiefer is keeping an eye on the creature with an eye of suspicion.
Esther wanders down the kitchen passage towards the common room. Her blonde curls are soaked through and the ends a dripping. Her robes are wet through and the third year is leaving a trail of water wherever she goes. She is carrying her bag across her chest but it turns out she is carrying it the wrong way and as she reaches the small animal 3 books drop out. "Darn!" says the girl under her breath and bends down to pick up her books.
The epic staring contest between cat and Kiefer comes to an abrupt end when the sound of tumbling books interrupts them. The cat mrowls in protest and skitters off down the hall and back up the stairs where books won't rain down on him. Kiefer glances to the arrived girl and blinks, dismounting from his perch. "Nearly had a cat pancake," he smirks as he kneels to pick up one of those three books, handing it to her.
Esther looks up as the older boy kneels down and she smiles. "Yes," she says "the kitty made a lucky escape!" She chuckles and brushes her hair behind her ear. "Thanks" she says taking the book. "In case you were thinking about it, don't go outside." She adds a giggle.
Kiefer snickers as he stands up, brown eyes eyeing her wet self from head to toe. "Yeah, I can see that probably wouldn't be the best of ideas," he replies, sounding humored. "Caught in the storm, were you? My classes … well, Care of Magical Creatures was cancelled because of it. Lucky I was told before I tried to go out there. But I had my slickers ready!" He grins and leans to the side to glance at the trail of water left behind. "Hopefully you're not running from someone. They'd find you, easy."
Esther laughs and turns to see the trail herself. "No, luckily not!" The girl stands up. "I was stupid enough to think my flying lesson wouldn't be cancelled." She blushes at that. "Sorry, I'm Esther by the way." She holds out her hand for the boy to shake. "I don't think we've properly met." Her other hand wipes away a few drops of rain water that she spots on the edge of her nose.
"Ah, that wasn't stupid at all," Kiefer says with a headshake. "S'not often classes are cancelled. And sometimes we practice Quidditch in the rain for experience. You would've felt sillier if you hadn't checked and there were lessons happening." As her hand extends towards him, he reaches out to catch it, giving her arm a few gentle pumps in greeting. "Well met, Esther. My name is Kiefer. Fifth year. And you're….third, yes?" he guesses, sounding slightly unsure.
Esther lets go of the boys hand with another blush of those cheeks and goes rummaging in her bag for something. She nods "Yup third year. Sat here in the safety of my youth and you're tackling those OWLs. I do not envy you!" She says with a grin! She finds the thing she was searching for - a black elastic band - and she pulls her curls back and wraps the band around her hair.
Kiefer exhales an overly dramatic sigh as he moves back to the crate he was perched on. "Don't remind me," he says, gesturing to his satchel. "This free period? If I was a third year, I'd spend it in the commons with a game. Or sleeping in my bunk. But now? Alas! My every waking moment is spent studying. Or weeding. Or memorizing." He presses the back of his hand to his forehead in a melodramatic way, but his act is ruined by a grin as he lowers his arm down. "Are you goin' in to the commons? I wouldn't recommend it," he warns.
Esther chuckles slightly at the boys grin. Her attention moves from the older boy to the common room entrance. Her blue eyes move back to Kiefer in confusion. "I was, why what's going on in there?" She asks.
"Mm. I can't say for certain," Kiefer says honestly, "but I can say what's been happening the past few times I've walked through recently, and I would wager is happening now: Much snogging." He releases a sigh, eyes briefly glimpsing at the ceiling. "There are few places left that could be thought of as Snog Free Zones. Not even the greenhouses are safe, and I thought those were sanctuaries."
Esther laughs and her cheeks go even more rosy pink. "I completely know what you're talking about! It's like there's something in the water!" She points her thumb behind her "Even in the library the other day! Nowhere is safe!" She laughs. "Although I don't think it would be too bad if I had someone to snog!" With that she chuckles again then blushes, realizing she is talking to an older boy.
"Or more likely, something in the air," replies Kiefer, thoughtfully. "A spore or pollen that's being spread wide and far. To which only a few are immune," he points a finger to himself. "I think it's a revolt of the plants. Starts out innocent so no one gets suspicious. A bad case of snogging. But then, the after effects will be dire. Constricted throats. Bleeding lungs. Plants can be deadly buggers.." A faint smirk is seen. He's likely joking. Probably. Her comment though has him slightly tilting his head. "Eh. Maybe. For me, all of this is plain annoying. I feel locked out of my own room."
Esther smiles and giggles at the dramatic tale of the infectious spores. "Well I hope I'm immune too! Probably should get a vaccination, that sounds horrible!" She laughs again and leans against the wall, leaving a nice wet mark. "You need some special glasses that only let you see in front of you and blocks your peripheral vision."
Kiefer smirks. "Like those things horses wear? Er … blinders?" He raises his hands and places them on each side of his head, blocking that peripheral vision. "Muuuch better. Look ahead. Nowhere else. Straight shot." A smirk follows, and he lowers his hands while returning his eyes to her, brows raising. "Vaccination, eh?" He taps his finger against his chin in a thoughtful way, then "Eureka! I've just the thing." He kneels and rummages through his satchel and pulls out…and invisible syringe. "Healer Kiefer Vaughn, at your service, Miss. Are you ready for your vaccine?" He says, thumping his fingers against the unseen needle.
Esther nods and puts her hands up at either side of her face. "Yes! Blinders!" Her blue eyes widen at the 'eureka' and she listens closely and laughs "Healer Kiefer has a certain ring to it!" She pulls up the wet sleeve of her robe holds out her arm. "I'd risk that vaccination! But you need to have one too! So I know you're not poisoning me!" She laughs again.
"Fair enough," nods the shaggy haired Hufflepuff. "I'll take it too. Now, first let me tell you the possible side effects." He clears his throat. "Your hair could turn an array of colors. You may shrink a good two feet and be mistaken for a dwarf. There's a slight possibility that you may morph into a beast of some sort. And of course, headache, nausea, that sort of thing. But! At least you'll be snog free!" He grins brightly. "Ok? Alright then, here you go!" He pokes his finger against her arm. "Done!"
Esther offers a giggle after each of the side effects are mentioned. She pulls down her sleeve with a grin and she crosses her fingers "purple hair, purple hair, please purple hair!" She says and adds yet another laugh. "I'm already short so there's nothing new there! And morphing into a beast, well…that might be umm…fun?" She straightens her sleeve and says "hey! Healer Kiefer! It's your turn now!"
Purple hair? Kiefer grins. "I've seen stranger, and purple would be a good look for Halloween!" He extends his hand, offering an invisible syringe to her. "I can't give the shot to myself. Needle shy, and all," he says with false dramatics. "You'll have to do it. For this moment, you're my healer apprentice." He pulls up his sleeve and turns his arm to her. "Make it quick now. I won't promise you I won't pass out, but I'll try my best to keep a stiff upper lip!" He puts on a brave face.
Esther smiles and nods "purple hair would be great for Halloween! I just wish I weren't too young to go to the costume ball!" She takes the invisible syringe and smiles wider. "Healer apprentice Esther at your service. Now I promise you young man," she looks up into his eyes, "this won't hurt a bit!" and with that she pokes her finger into the boys arm.
It won't hurt. It won't hurt. "Yeeowtch!" Kale exclaims as her finger pokes his arm. Did it hurt? Of course not, but from the way he reacts it's as if she poked him with a hot rod! He recoils and rubs at his poor abused arm. "You, Miss Apprentice, need more practice. That hurt like the dickens! Not to mention." His arm flops down to his side, lifeless. "Now I can't feel or move my arm at all! Did you sabotage my vaccine?" he asks, grinning.
Esther jumps back in shock at Kiefer's reaction but adds a grin. She picks up his arm and lets go, seeing if it will flop back down. At the accusation she lets out an attempted evil laugh "muhahaha!" The girl smiles. "I gave you the disease! Now you'll be snogging everyone! Muahahaha!" The evil laugh attempt again.
Yup. His arm flops back down. No life what so ever is seen in it! Kiefer turns wide, doeish eyes towards her, listening for the diagnosis. Wait…wait, what? "No! Not the disease!" he says, lifting up his "good" arm to make a fist of anguish. "Anything but that!" The horror! And the effects are already beginning to show. Kiefer's shoulder twich, and then he slightly doubles over, as if having an extreme stomach ache. As he rises, his lips are pushed together in a classic kissy face. Oh no! Snogenstein has risen!
Esther watches as the effects start to take place. She watches as he bends over and then as the lips pucker up she lets out a scream and she turns and begins to run down the corridor away from him, she drops her bag on the floor and looks back, continuing to run. Her face has a wide grin across it.
"Blaaargh. Snooooog.." rumbles Kiefer, who extends his one arm, letting his hand dangle from the wrist. He follows after her at a monstrous pace. That is to say, very slowly but determinedly, with jerky, stumbling steps, kissing the air the entire time. Mwuah! Mwuah! "Kief … must … snooooaargh!" He makes grabbing motions with his fingers even though he's nowhere near her. But this hallway only has one exit, mwuaha! Well .. two if one counts the common room, but that'd be jumping from the pot and right into the fire! He'll trap her!
Esther runs until she reaches the end of the corridor and she turns around and screams again. Her cheeks a rosey red again but not from embarrassment this time! From laughing too much and running. She continues to laugh, watching as the infected Kiefer comes towards her. "Nooooooo!" She yells!
Kiefer whips his arm from side to side to crash through invisible barriers and break nonexistent things in order to get to his prey. Closer. Closer. She has nowhere else to go! Closer. Yards away. Feet. And suddenly, he's there! He leeeeans towards her with both hands raised (because his former broken one has miraculously fixed itself!) with fingers curved like claws. There's a 'menacing' look on his face as he towers, leans, and .. *poke!* His finger is poked against the side of her rib and his expression morphs to a grin. "Lucky you, I've built an immunity to the snog infection."
Esther hands are covering her face and then she slowly brings them down and lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for your quick immune system!" She laughs and says "maybe I'm not cut out for this healer apprentice job! Take back my badge! I used my powers for evil." She hands over an invisible badge.
Kiefer grins and takes a step back, snatching back the invisible badge in the process. "You, miss lady, will never touch the healing arts again! It is sacred, and you've abused my trust." He stuffs the badge away in a pocket that he doesn't have, then glances back to his satchel, which mysteriously has a blue glow emitting from the inside. "My Rememberall…" he says, pausing after "Ah. /Potions/, that's right." He looks back to Esther, his normal grin returned. "If it wasn't for you, my free period would have been wasted sitting here doing nothing besides staring at a cat. Thanks. My next class starts soon, so I've to go. But, I wish you well. May your day be free of awkward snogging in random places."
Esther smiles at the boy and nods. "Yeah I probably should get going too. Need to get changed into something a little less…." she lifts up her arms "…wet." her grin goes wider "glad I could help! Thank you for making my free lesson not so boring!" She walks over to the common room entrance, picks up her bag and waves. "Enjoy bring snog free yourself!" She calls.