Framed Secrets

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

Early that day, Alkander has set exploring the castle that now was his new home. As a boy that had a fascination for ruins and old places, this castle was only presenting opportunities for new discoveries and secrets awaiting to be found. He roamed around for hours. He climbed up and done the grand staircase several times, he walked the long, meandering corridors of each floor, he noted down the location of his classes and found a couple of rooms concealed behind tapestries and small bookcases.

Alkander was very observant. After hours of walking around, he had noticed that some identical portraits were located at more than one floor. This, along with a conversation he overheard at Gryffindor's common room, had him come to the conclusion that there was a network of shortcuts in Hogwarts where secret passageways were connecting different floors.

After wandering around the ground floor for a while, the boy paused in front of the portrait of Mirabella Plunket. After he ensured that no pry eyes were watching his actions, he inspected the portrait in suspicion. He was convinced that he had seen an identical portrait somewhere on the first floor while exploring around earlier and he was confident that they were concealing a secret passageway.

Like the portrait of Gryffindors common room, access wasn't going to be granted without a password. Alkander watched the witch in the portrait squeezing in her embrace with affection a large fish. Most first years wouldn't have been aware of Mirabella Plunkett's story but Alkander was collecting cards of famous wizards and witches since he was three. He knew pretty well that the redhead witch had fell in love with a merman once but when her parents forbid her to marry him, she transfigured herself into a haddock and disappeared.

Minutes passed and Alkander remained in front of the portrait, pretending he was admiring it every now and then when passersby approached to interrupt briefly his inspection. He tried to negotiate with the portrait's tenant but the woman was adamant, even refusing the existence of a passageway behind her portrait. However, Alkander didn't buy that and continued trying with undiminished persistence.

The boy tried to think reasonably. The password mush have something to do with her, he mused and his grey eyes focused on the thrashing fish desperately trying to escape Mirabella's embrace.

"Hmm...haddock?"

His grey eyes flashed with excitement. He raised an eyebrow at a surprised Mirabella as her portrait slid upwards. Alkander couldn't believe his luck as an opening with stairs was revealed, leading upstairs. He decided to investigate since he still had half an hour before curfew. He quickly checked for a last time that no one had witnessed his discovery and stepped inside, with the portrait sliding down again behind him. Thrilled that his assumption turned out to be correct, he climbed the stairs, taking two at a time. He finally reached a narrow corridor that brought him at the back of the identical portrait of the first floor.

As soon as he reached close enough, the portrait slid and he jumped out of it, only to collide with someone that was unfortunate enough to be passing by.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire was finishing up the finer details of the first floor now- which classrooms where who's, which paintings were where, all the little details like that. She had almost finished and was rather hurrying down the hall, quill flying over her paper with her head bent and all her focus on her task.

And then, out of nowhere, someone knocked into her and sent her toppling and her four new map pages scattered across the floor. "Bloody Hell..." She gasped, the wind knocked out of her. How did she end up on her back? It took all of two seconds for her to realize her hands were empty and she shot up, her black hair a mess. "Bloody hell!" She quickly went to her knees, gathering up her map pieces and the twenty or so blank parchments that had scattered with them. She had completely forgotten she had been knocked over in her haste.

 

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

In his haste, he ran right smack into someone else. The two slapped flat into each other. The collision nearly knocked the wind out of him. There was a flash of light and for a moment- Alkander saw stars. At first, he didn't even know who it was that he had collided with, but he did know it was a she from the cursing voice. Once he regained his balance, he was standing in the middle of the corridor. Only then did everything come back into focus. Alkander could have collided with anybody that evening, but it was not just anybody. He was staring right into that Slytherin girl's face who was frantically collecting sheets of parchment from the floor.
"It's you again! Erm, Emerald?" He purposely said her name wrongly in retribution for messing with his name the other day. Alkander knelt as well to help her collect her pieces of map. "Are you stalking me?" He asked seriously but he couldn't contain his smirk that soon after curved his lips.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire's head shot up when the bloke talked, and she froze for a split second. Her eyes narrowed a bit and she cocked her head before she ducked it down again, hiding behind her hair as she tried and failed to hide the pleased smile that crossed her face. She was secretly glad to see the boy, but she'd be damned if he knew that. She let out a quiet huff before going back to collecting her things.

"Of course it would be you who ran into me, Alissander," She replied flippantly. "Who else would try to hurt my dear maps so?" She picked up the last of them before slipping them all back into her bag. She stood up then and put her hands on her hips, a sly grin on her round face and a sparkle in her sapphire eyes. "What's wrong? Can't handle a little friendly competition?" She wrinkled her nose at him playfully.

She didn't bother asking where he'd come from so suddenly- he could keep his secrets for now. She would either figure them out later or if he deemed to tell her.

 

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

Alkander had met the girl a couple of day ago, when he accidentally joined Slytherin table. It was a surprise that not only he had seated opposite to a very easygoing Slytherin but she also shared mutual enthusiasm for exploration, having drawing maps of the castle's floors as well. He handed back to her the maps he had collected and snickered. "Yeah, right. No need of your maps. Mine are better." He stated, always ready for some friendly competition.

"Whatever you do, I will be one step ahead. See this portrait?" He gestured at the portrait of Mirabella Plunkett at the wall next to them. The portrait's redhead occupant glared at the boy who had succeeded in uncovering her secret. "This is one of the many identical portraits located at different places across the castle. This one leads straight down to the ground floor without having to synchronize with the grand staircase." He revealed and his eyes gleamed with excessive enthusiasm. "Watch. Haddock!" He spoke of the password and the portrait slid upwards again to reveal the shortcut. "See? You can thank me now." He said with a broad, cheeky smile.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire took her maps from him and put them in her bag, and stuck her tongue out at him when he said his maps were better. "Eye of the beholder, Ollivander." She retorted, but he wasn't listening. He went on to boast happily about what he had just found, and Sapphire couldn't help but grin widely back at him. Okay, he was as clever as he thought he was. But no need to tell him that. She pulled out her own map of the corridor and marked it down quickly. "Where does it come out At?" She asked, and before he could tell her she grabbed his grimoire and flipped to where he had the dungeon. "You did good, Jusander. Here-" she pointed to a statue and a painting "This knight statue comes out behind the lady statue on the second floor and the painting of the grumpy looking bloke opens up behind the snarky girl on the third floor." She giggled. "I got in a fight with the grumpy bloke and I outwitted him. I left him speechless and he opened right up." She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with delight.

 

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

Alkander soon found out that Sapphire was quite busy herself since the last time they had met. She took his grimoire and showed him a secret passageway that she had discovered herself. He made a mental note to note that one down later when he was going to have a quill and some ink. "Nice!" He admitted with a genuine smiled. He thought that he had might found a comrade. With her assistance, they could map the whole castle much quicker. In addition, Alkander could do with some company. It was much more fun exploring along with someone else.

"You know, I have noticed another pair of identical portraits. One of them is not far from here." He said, having no problem to check that one out with her. "Wanna come with me? We have less than half an hour before curfew is in force but I think will be enough time to track this one." He suggested with an enticing smirk.

 

[Ms Fortune's Portrait]

Every year brought with it more nosey first years who thought it funny to harass the many portraits lining Hogwarts castle - most of whom were great witches and wizards whom had accomplished much in their life, far more than half of the young witches and wizards who graced the corridors could ever hope to achieve. This year was no different, as Fortune was starting to see first hand. A boy had sprung out from behind the portrait of young Mirabella, a lovely woman, if misunderstood, and his exchange with another girl roughly his own age brought some amusement to the painting. From the canvas she was visiting, she continued to listen to their conversation, suddenly bursting into shrill laughter upon hearing the girl brag about besting one of the other portraits as if it were a great deal. They both seemed quite proud of themselves for such small feats. "Oh my stars." Fortune piped up from the wall, still chuckling to herself. "Do neither of you have anything better to do than harass paintings this late in the afternoon? 'Tis somewhat of a rather queer thing to boast of, is it not?" She certainly could not understand the infatuation with annoying people who were long since deceased, their likeness eternally captured in brush strokes. While it was true that a handful of them contained secret passageways - her home portrait included - it was so bizarre to see them take up harassing paintings as a hobby, and talk about it in such a way that they might deem themselves as well accomplished as the paintings they spoke to.

 

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

Alkander was talented in sprouting out of nowhere and startling people. He was about to taste of his own medicine as an unexpected voice came from behind him. Startled, he jumped back and turned around to see who had just sneaked up on him like that. It turned out it was the occupant of another portrait. It took him a few moments but he recognized this redhead witch as well. Her portrait was in his investigation list.
"Jeez lady! You scared the hell out of me!" He exclaimed slightly annoyed as the lady seemed to have enjoyed spooking them out. "We don't harass paintings. We just learn your secrets. I know you hide something behind your own portrait too." He said with overconfidence gleaming in his grey eyes. So far he hadn't found an identical portrait for Ms Fortune so possibly she was hiding behind her main portrait a secret room, maybe with a treasure. "It would have been better for both of us if you, portrait occupants, were telling us your passwords straightaway. Then we wouldn't have to bother you that much." He suggested, knowing that his proposition most possibly wasn't going to pass.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire jumped when the shrill laughter rang out, grabbing onto Alkander's arm without thinking. What was it with people and the jump scares around here? She looked around until she spotted the elegant woman in the painting as she chastised them. Sapphire turned her eyes to Alkander, who retorted confidently and then openly challenged the painting. She raised her brow at that. What was it with him and paintings? She liked the statues better, they didn't talk or need passwords.

She looked back at the lady and decided not to let Alkander take all fun. "Sorry to bother you, but what else are we supposed to do? I thought that the pursuit of knowledge was important, especially in a school." She smiled innocently.

 

[Ms Fortune's Portrait]

Fortune continued to chuckle to herself, behind a closed lipped smile. "Why, of course I do! I'm not the Lady of Fortune for nothing, dear. Mine is a highly sought after secret, very few have succeeded. I'd be highly impressed if even you two portrait hunters managed." She waved a dismissive hand, not even entertaining the thought and glossing over the fact that she, too, was now boasting. First years especially rarely figured out how to access her trove, for they didn't necessarily need it to begin with. It was all about necessity with her particular secrets. "Pray tell, what would be the point of a password if we just gave them away willy nilly? Besides, not all portraits have something to hide, and certainly I don't believe they'd appreciate children trying to pry them open with words or otherwise." With a small shrug of her shoulders, she leaned forward - or as forward as a two dimensional being could be. "As it is, some doors aren't meant to be opened. Some of us hold simple shortcuts through the castle, but some of us, we stand guard for a reason, and certainly don't appreciate people attempting to guess our passwords over and over without good reason to be there. Bear that in mind." The portrait nodded to the girl, with a small raise of her eyebrow. "One might have mistaken you for a Ravenclaw. Knowledge can be powerful, but it can also be quite dangerous. Or unnecessary. There are better things the two of you could be doing."

 

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

When Alkander arrived at Hogwarts and had a first glimpse of its wonders, he was expecting engaging in some unprecedented activities. He hadn't expected though to be having full conversations with portraits and witches or wizards who were long dead. The title Lady of Fortune sounded promising but she seemed pretty adamant she wasn't going to just reveal the password of her portrait. She had openly challenged them however and Alkander always picked up a thrown down gauntlet.

The boy rolled his eyes as the lady kept preaching and finally interrupted her. "Thank you for taking the time to share all these bits of information but unless your portrait conceals a stash of felix felices, I'll pass." He shrugged, setting priorities for shortcuts that could be proved more useful for the time being. "We intend to find the shortcuts. I personally don't want to be late for my classes." He couldn't say that and keep a straight face because it was an utter lie. "So you suggest that ignorance is bliss? No thanks, I prefer to be on my toes anytime." He shook his head, purposely misinterpreting Ms Fortune's account about knowledge being sometimes not needed. Alkander crossed his arms against his chest and stared at the woman in the frame. "Better things? Such as?" He asked amused, anticipating the lady's suggestion which most certainly he was going to dismiss right away.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire stepped back, forgoing her usual snarky remarks in favor of listening to Alkander and the Lady interact. She wasn't sure what this bloke was, friend or foe, but he was clever and very, very amusing.

She bit her lip to keep from snickering at the two of them, but couldn't help the bemused grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth. She crossed her arms and looked to the Lady after Alkander's last remark, eager to see how she would reply.

 

[Ms Fortune's Portrait]

The lady of the painting pursed her lips as the youth responded, choosing not to heed her warnings. The mention of felix felices got something of a reaction out of her, however, a brief expression of what may have been surprise, concern, and fear all rolled into one. Liquid luck had not benefited her in life - quite the contrary, in fact, but her expression passed quickly and she sat back against the arm of a lavish looking chair in her background. "Might I suggest keeping track of the time instead, as your peers do? You have heard of a clock, yes? I hear they've become quite advanced since my time." She smiled, now a little more pleasantly despite the exchange. With the mention of time, she knew that by now it was surely close to curfew, judging by how deserted the corridors had been in the last hour, as she observed from her canvas. If she kept them talking long enough, a professor was bound to chance past. "There is a complete castle at your disposal, and then some! A library of endless knowledge, gardens of mystical plants. I'm sure it's not hard to find anything else to do. You're a wizard, are you not? Why waste time poking at portraits when there's so much to learn?" She looked between the two of them, and her smile broadened. "I know of some spells they don't teach you in classes. How to petrify your enemies, or create beautiful flowers of flickering fire."

 

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

Alkander was definitely fishing for information in his own unique way and noticed a subtle reaction from the lady of the canvas when he mentioned felix felices. The boy always wanted to become an auror when he was going to grow up and he had a talent at eliciting information from other, after playing so many times with his younger sister the auror and the outlaw. Of course he always picked the role of the auror. He tried to make something more out of the lady's reaction but it was a brief one and she quickly regained a smile.

This time Alkander took heed of Ms Fortunes warning and checked his watch. A quarter was separating them from curfew and he definitely didn't want to stay longer than that. If you were risky enough to be wandering after curfew you had at least to be on the move and not stay around the same place for long. Yet he didn't want to let this opportunity pass. "You're right! There is the forbidden forest as well!" He carried on excited and then addressed Sapphire. "Should we go and check it now?" He suggested with a knowing smile. Alkander wasn't planning to visit the forest, especially when he had announced such a plan in front of a school's portrait. Ms Fortune could easily tell on them. It just crossed his mind that the lady in the portrait was trying to nibble time and keep them there long enough to get in trouble. He had another plan though. Twist everything she said to his advantage just to get on her nerves.

Ms Fortune's last proposition was definitely enticing but Alkander wasn't fooled by her offer. The boy knew the first spell although the few times he attempted to cast it were so far unsuccessful. He doubted that a first year could ever be capable of conjuring a flower let alone a fiery one, but he decided to play along. "That's so cool! Could you teach us pretty please?" He implored and flourished his wand. "Maybe you could let us in your secret area and practice there in privacy." He insisted with a devious smile on his features.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Alkander. He was up to something, she knew it. The only question was, would it work? She couldn't help but be a bit impressed. She had been surrounded by numbskulls for so long she had to appreciate someone who knew what they were doing.

She was suspicious of the Lady, too. Sapphire didn't trust anyone, and she didn't see any way that this elegant woman would go from laughing at them to offering to teach them. She was definitely stalling. She glanced at Alkander. He knew Ms Fortune was stalling, and he was still trying to play her. He was good at this game, she could see that, but would he win?

She stood there, torn. The longer they stayed, the more they risked getting caught. She could slip back to the common room quickly, but...

"Maybe you could let us in your secret area and practice there in privacy." Alkander looked rather devious as he addressed Ms Fortune. Sapphire grinned and turned to see the Lady's response, a hand on her hip. Sapphire would stick with Alkander through whatever crazy plan he had, whether it worked or not, and she would deal with any consequences later.

After all, what was life without a little adventure?

 

[Ms Fortune's Portrait]

Fortune shook her head and tsked as the boy suggested the Forbidden Forest. Not exactly what she had in mind, given how dangerous such a place was, but if they chose to head there she knew she'd be able to locate a staff member to reign them back in in no time at all. Thankfully they made no move to actually depart, and instead seemed interested in her offer, or so she thought. Of course, she couldn't help but also laugh at the suggestion she allow them access to her portrait, and the secrets therein. "Oh, bless your heart for trying, but the answer is no, children. Besides." She gave a brief wave of her hand at the scenery around her. "I'm only visiting here. My portrait is on another floor, it'd be far too much of a journey to get there, even if I wanted to generously allow you to use it." The more she interacted with the two, the more she came to the conclusion that there was practically zero chance of them getting past her frame. The boy's smile made her slightly uncomfortable. and the girl's attitude was no better.
​

 

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

Alkander checked again his watch, a grim reminder that time was against them. Ms Fortune was winning the battle for now but Alkander was determined to win the war in the long term. "Sorry my lady but I'll have to turn down your offer anyway." He began with a shrug of his shoulders. "I can't see your secret area having anything to match my taste. Apparently you don't have a stash of felix felices behind your portrait and, to be quite honest with you, I haven't seen your face in famous witches and wizards trading cards to indicate your popularity and a matching secret area of that notch." He was point-blank with his words and could be easily misinterpreted as an impolite remark. "Plus, I don't think we could cast such an advance spell. We are just first years." He talked on behalf of Sapphire as well and dismissed that final offer. "With all due respect, we will check portraits of more famous witches and wizards. They must have much more interesting things behind them." He added with a straight face although there was a devious plot in his head. "Shall we go and check the portrait of that famous witch I told you earlier?" He asked Sapphire but he glanced back at Ms Fortune to see the extend of impact his words had inflicted on her.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire would never admit in a million years the slight, slight, slight bit of admiration that she may or may not be feeling for this crazy Gryffindor boy. She might have been clever, but this boy was downright devious. And she was sure he was going to piss off this very regal lady and she sort of wanted to see how this played out.

She nodded at Alkander when he finally turned to her, not quite sure what he had planned but knowing she would back him up anyway. "Sure, if you think we have the time. It was nice talking to you, Ms Fortune." Sapphire nodded respectfully at the portrait and started off down the hall.

 

[Ms Fortune's Portrait]

The boy flip flopped between polite and rude, and Ms Fortune regarded him somewhat quizzically. He was strange, strange even for a modern child, who were all so different from when she was alive. Her face turned cross, cheeks reddening as he insulted her, but she kept back from saying anything. Children could be so disrespectful, but they were children, and she wouldn't take the words of some eleven year old to heart. Particularly as he kept talking, and she believed him to have no faith at all in his capabilities. A simple bluebell flames spell was beyond him even wanting to attempt, yet he thought he could criticise her. Her cross expression softenend slightly, to one of pity. "For all your bluster it seems to me you do not have too much self confidence. I don't know why you're trying so hard to be so rude, but you will not get very far if you continue to act this way. Good day, to the both of you." The portrait said with a dismissive wave of her hand. They could carry on for all she cared, and she hoped they were caught before they made it back to their dorms in time. They certainly needed a proper scolding.

 

[Alkander Avaskadiras]

As the two first years departed and the lady in the canvas made a last attempt to keep them around, Alkander smirked as he had figured out her plan. His was smart enough to know that he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day. "Take care Ms. Fortune." He bid a last farewell as he stepped up his pace and prompted Sapphire to do the same to catch up with him. "We have less than five minutes until curfew." He informed her after he had consulted his watch. Soon they were at the grand staircase. His way back to common room was longer than hers so he had to hurry up. "See you around and take care!" He waved at her and started climbing the stairs to the seventh floor, taking two steps with every stride. He only stopped to catch his breath once he entered the Gryffindor's common room and the portrait sealed the entrance behind him. He was going to discover the secrets of Ms. Fortune, sooner or later.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire took one of her shortcuts back to the dungeon and headed back to the girl's dorm. If tonight was any indication, then her life at school would be an exciting one. She plopped into her bed and closed the curtain. Might as well try to get some sleep. Who knew what would happen tomorrow?