Buzzkiller

[Perseas Stratis]

Another inflated non-explodable, luminous balloon raised in the air and bounced twice on the ceiling as it was prevented from going higher. What was it? The twentieth that Perseas was releasing to reach the stone ceiling of the dungeons? Yet he wasn't planning to stop there. He still had a handful of them in his pockets that awaited to float away. Perseas had seen other students inflating the non-explodable ones and letting them float around the school while passers-by where shooting spells on them to test their endurance. However, those that Perseas was releasing were anything but non-explodable. They were actually filled with ink. Just the right portion to keep floating in the air but at the same time, to stain those who were going to pop them. He had decided to test his new idea in the dungeons where Slytherins were roaming. Nothing personal with the snakes but he had noticed that they were the most eager to jinx the other balloons, the non-explodable ones used by the other students. Just a simple spell on them and they were going to release a nasty surprise. He couldn't wait to see that. Perseas decided to check the balloons he had already left innocently floating around and see if he had already his first victims. He visited the locations where he had released them but no signs of the golden balloons. No ink stains on the floor either to suggest that someone had fell for his prank. Puzzled, he continued his investigation to find out where his balloons had disappeared.

 

[Erik Metzger]

Erik Metzger made his way through the dungeons for the millionth time, hauling his backpack over his shoulders. However, he looked up to see a lot of balloons. There was some liquid moving within them as well. He let out a sigh, and he went toward the study of the Head of House. With the help of Professor Styx, the balloons were gone with the vanishing spell since Erik could not perform that spell himself. Erik listened as the professor told him to remain in the dungeons to inform him of the student that may have done the foolish prank. Erik was not about to disobey the professor, but he would not rat someone out either unless he was someone he did not like. Erik did not want to wait around here, but sure enough, someone was going to come down to observe the absent damage. The fourth year leaned against the wall, his longish hair covering most of his profile.

Finally, someone, puzzled, looked around for something. Erik noticed that he was not a Slytherin. Emerging from the shadows, and Erik raised an eyebrow. Perhaps this kid would own up to what he did, if he were the prankster. "Looking for something, Gryffindor?" Erik spoke in a low, not so mean tone. It was not friendly either, it was completely neutral. Erik did not appreciate pranksters. One could say that he had a stick shoved far up his ass, but he just had a smarter sense of humor, not something like this. He did not get his jollies from laughing at others' humiliation. That was what pranksters did, and for what he thought, they should belong in Slytherin if Slytherin had that awful reputation at laughing at others humiliation. That was Erik's opinion. He was definitely not one of those Slytherins.​

 

[Perseas Stratis]

The dungeons had a certain, eerie feeling that was repelling most students away from its depths. Perseas liked places like these that had a haunting aura. It felt like the location has a personality of its own and it was a huge, living organism. Maybe the dungeons were enchanted to get rid of objects that weren't supposed to be there because there was no sign of those balloons he had been releasing earlier. Much like the moving staircase, the dungeons could have their ventilation mechanism that was activated magically. Maybe the ink filled balloons were now flying over Hogwarts and they were never destined to pop on the head of an unfortunate Slytherin. Only droplets falling from the moist ceiling was echoing in the distance and was the only audible sound there. The voice of someone else there was so unexpected and out of place. Perseas turned around the face the guy that emerged out of the shadows. It was a classmate of his but he had barely exchanged brief greetings between classes. He couldn't even recall his name. Just that he was a Slytherin and thus Perseas was trespassing his haunt. "Actually yes." he replied and eyed him suspiciously. "I noticed some balloons floating around. They looked suspicious so I though of investigating. They seem to have vanished now." he scratched his forehead still showing confusion. "You don't know by any chance what happened to them, do you?" he asked, mustering his diplomacy. He had no idea who this guy really was. If he was an aspiring prefect or a professor's pet, he could easily snitch Perseas if he was going to imply that he was releasing this balloons around the dungeons.

 

[Erik Metzger]

Erik stared at the Gryffindor, expecting the boy to come clean about his prank. Only a Gryffindor would have chosen a group of Slytherins to prank. He narrowed his blue-green eyes slightly, as he wondered who this boy was. Just that they were in the same classes, but he thought that he saw another one that was like him. However, the boy seemed to be playing innocent, so either the boy was really innocent, or he was a good actor. Either way. The boy asked if he knew by any chance what happened to them. Erik didn't lie. "Actually, yes. I had Professor Styx follow me and he made them vanish with Evanesco. He told me to look around for a suspicious party to see who would have done something so childish." Erik continued to lean against the dungeon wall, and waited to see the reaction of the boy. He didn't want to deal with pranksters, but apparently, he would have to keep an eye out. Since the prank wasn't even executed, maybe he wouldn't have to turn anyone in. He didn't want to have to spend more time with his Head of House more than he had to.

"I would imagine it was the same boy that pranked my sister, but I can't cross hairs with that," Erik shrugged his shoulders. There was a prankster in his year, and though he would love to know who it was, Erik just didn't want to deal with someone who still acted like they were seven. Erik didn't want to accuse someone innocent, so he would keep his distance, and keep observing. Thankfully, he could spot a liar if someone managed to slip up. Even one tiny slip up, Erik might be able to notice it. Might.​

 

[Perseas Stratis]

His intelligent, grey eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to study the Slytherin. He didn't quite look like most Slytherins and this was the reason why Perseas dismissed already the idea of guiding him to an alternative trap or prank. He always had one in mind and currently, the concealed shaft leading down to an old, abandoned cellar was the closest choice. A quick way for him to get rid of prefects in case he was caught out of the common room after curfew. However, he thought that this guy didn't deserve this despite spoiling his time-consuming prank. He might have even admitted that those innocently, floating balloons were his work but when the Slytherin mentioned professor Styx, Perseas decided not to.

Instead, he decided to be cooperative and play safely. "Thank Gaia!" he said relieved when the boy told him that the balloons were removed. "I saw them earlier myself and thought of informing a professor. Those things had some liquid inside them. Who knows what it could be." he continued, genuinely disapproving the whole situation. So far he had escaped detentions despite causing havok around the school. It was thanks to the network of hidden passageways he was familiar with like the palm of his hand and to the fact that he was a great actor. He didn't like lying to the first Slytherin he was might actually going to like but he had to make sure that he was going to avoid detention.

For the resourceful person Perseas Stratis was, it didn't take him long to come up with another plan and throw the blame on someone else. The victim of his new scheming wasn't going to be this Slytherin but his twin brother, Theseas. The two of them didn't quite look like but they were often mistaken by people who didn't really know them. The twins were competing for everything and last time, Theseas was the winner when he appeared at the Yule Ball with Rhiannon McGowan. It was time for Perseas' payback. He had no idea who this guy's sister was and if she was indeed a victim of his pranks. He wasn't the only one who was causing trouble around school. In the end, it didn't really matter. Even if this was the case, she was the victim of his twin and not his. "I'm afraid I know the prankster." he sighed disheartened, ready to frame his twin brother as the bad guy. The black sheep. "Floating balloons..." he mused for a moment. "It's not the first time my dear brother does something like this." he continued frowned, looking utterly disappointed about his brother's deeds. "I could help you look around and see if he's up to something." he offered although he had no idea how this search party could turn out. "I'm Perseas by the way." he extended his hand for a handshake. If they were going to look around together for the ambitious prankster, at least they should know each others name. Perseas drowned any signs of remorse gnawing at him. If he was going to admit his misdemeanor, the Slytherin was most possibly going to turn him on to Professor Styx. He had no other option but to play innocent for now.

 

[Erik Metzger]

Erik continued to wait for the Gryffindor to explain himself a bit more, but ever so suspicious. He had no intention of turning the Gryffindor in. The less time he interacted with Professor Styx, the better off he would be. That was the way he thought. He was looking out for himself. As soon as the Gryffindor mentioned something about Gaia, he raised an eyebrow. Who the hell was Gaia? Erik watched as the boy seemed to know more about the balloons, and he added in, "The balloons had ink in them. It was obvious with the color of the liquid, thus the predator's intentions." Erik almost yawned but he managed to stifle it down to where he just seemed like he was getting a little tired. And he was, to some extent. The boy mentioned on how he knew who the person was. This was strange. He should have mentioned it before, or got a professor. Either way, Erik was not very happy. Why would he be, he ended up speaking to his Head of House more often than usual, and he aimed to have zero minutes of conversation or even eye contact. That was all Erik could really ask for. And, it was ruined thanks to whoever did this.

The Gryffindor said that it was his brother. The boy, now named Perseas, looked pretty genuine, but Erik was now taking his words with a grain of salt. As a brother, he would always have his sister's back, and he wouldn't tattle on her. He'd gladly lie to a professor's face. He merely looked down at the guy's hand before remaining still. "Interesting," mused the fourth year. "I am a brother, myself, but the difference between us would be that I'd never throw my sibling under the bus, even when I have no intentions of fetching Styx. Either you are framing him, or you have one sad family." Erik shifted a bit, before he shrugged once more. "Oh, and I'm Erik Metzger." Erik thought about turning around and going back to the common room, but he would stand here for a moment. He did just kind of insult the boy's family with his harsh words, but he wasn't a very nice guy until he got around to trusting someone. One could say that he was like his father when he was a kid, but his dad was a bit of a flirt too, which was definitely not Erik.​