Whomping Willow & The Shrieking Shack

"Some ragged man in tattered robes and clutching a bottle of Firewhiskey. Probably a patron from the Hog's Head." Nearly Headless Nick replied.

The MASKED Hufflepuff slightly relaxed a bit, his mind concluding that it was a drunk trying to find a place to sleep off the intoxicating effects of the alcoholic beverage.

He was about to dismiss that when the sound of breaking glass erupted.

"What the hell is- ARRRGGHHH!!!!!" a masculine voice erupted, echoing from the Shrieking Shack along with the sounds of a physical scuffle occurring.

"Cass, go ahead and take Jasmeet out of here." the MASKED Hufflepuff spoke in a serious tone.

Jasmeet had heard whispers around her. She opened her eyes, and saw that Cass was trying to get her to wake. She saw that her friends before he might be in danger.

"Cass, lets get out of here. You too Indiana". She jumped at the sound of more glass breaking. “Come on both of you, follow me”.

"Anyways, Sir Nicholas. I think it's time we head out." the MASKED Hufflepuff spoke.

"Farewell then, Mr. Lamperouge and Ms. Marling. It's good to see you up and about, Ms. Kaur." Nearly Headless Nick replied before vanishing through the wall.

'Good thing that we didn't completely set camp.' the MASKED Hufflepuff thought as he quickly packed up and sealed the lemonade pitcher and the tea thermos canteen but left behind the disposable cups, deciding to come back later and clean up the mess.

"Go on ahead, Jasmeet. I'll cover your backs." the MASKED Hufflepuff spoke, holding his walking stick tightly while looking at the trapdoor above him.

Jasmeet walks back the way she entered, hoping that Cass and Indiana were following her. She didn't want any of the other two in danger.

She remembered the small tunnel that led to the entry and exit of The Shrieking Shack, and walked through. She breathed a sigh of relief, when she stepped outside, her eyes immediately looking back at the tunnel, for any sight of her friends.

"Jas, hurry!"
Feeling her way through the tunnel, too scared to go for her pocket and find her wand missing, Cass nudged Jasmeet along, still keeping a firm grip on Indiana's elbow.
"Don't get all noble now," she hissed, "you're coming with me!"

Indiana felt Cassopeia yank him by the elbow as he followed her out while keeping watch on the pathway behind them. He noticed Cassopeia's bag was lying on the ground with Bradley on top before whipping out his wand and casting a Summoning Charm that brought the bag along with the frog still clinging to it towards him. Placing his wand away, Indiana grabbed the bag while feeling Bradley hop and latch onto his arm before following Cassopeia out of the tunnel.

"Indiana!" she shrilled, as she tripped over either her feet or debris.

"Jas, can you give me a hand?" she hissed, as she tried vainly to get a good footing on the roots to heave herself up.

Usually at this point Bradley would've jumped on her head and-

She fell back hard on the floor. "Bradley!" she said through fat salty tears. "He's back there!"

"I have him with me!" Indiana called out as he handed Cassopeia her bag while showing that Bradley was clinging onto his arm.

Helping her to her feet, Indiana ushered Cassopeia upwards. Seeing that the two emerge through the opening of the Whomping Willow, Indiana looked back for a moment to see the light of the fire dimming before vanishing altogether.

Seeing Bradley still clinging to his arm, Indiana moved as the last person to leave the vicinity.

"Are you alright?"

"If he's ribbiting, then he's ok. Thank you," she added hastily. She landed in a heap on top of Jazz, "Sorry, help ya up!"
Cass gathered her bags quickly, and flexed her leg to see if her wand was still in its place. Yep. Still there.

Her rucksack dropped from her grip, and landed on the lever that immobilised the tree. It depressed down, and the tree was awake.
"MIND THAT TREE!"

As Indiana emerged, he felt Bradley hop off his arm and landed on one of the large roots of the Whomping Willow.

"MIND THAT TREE!"

He heard Cassopeia yell but the warning came a bit too late for Indiana as the last thing he felt was a tree-like limb slamming onto the side of his head, sending him flying a few feet across the lawn.

'Such misfortune!' he thought before losing consciousness while lying motionless on the grass.

Jasmeet saw Indiana fall lifeless to the ground, and froze. She knew she shouldn't but she ran towards her friend unconscious on the floor - scared that the tree would cause him more damage. She got there before the tree would take another swipe and pulled him out of the way.

"Cass, help me," she said, putting his arm over her shoulder.

Tristyn had seen enough. Emerging from the shadows he had been hiding in for quite some time now, he addressed the three students. "I believe the Whomping Willow is out of bounds to students, Ms. Kaur, Ms. Marling and Mr. Lmaperouge?.." his voice trailed off dangerously.

"It would seem students have a penchant for getting in trouble these days, no? Ah well, such behavior must be... rewarded.." he continued softly, watching the expression on the three children's faces. "Ten points apiece from your respective houses, shall we say? And a well deserved detention for messing with a very old and valuable plant?"

"I shall owl you three with details of your detention in good time, now please follow me back to the castle and to your respective common rooms," with that, the blond made his way towards the castle doors, making sure the three offenders were following in his wake.

"I was only trying to help my friend sir," tried Jasmeet, but seeing the anger on the teacher's face, she stopped. She kept holding onto Indiana, leading him towards the castle, with Cass supporting the Hufflepuff from the other side.

She gulped, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but first thing was first, she was going to inform Professor Lewis about her detention and loss of house points.

Managing to regain consciousness after a brief trip into the cold bliss, Indiana noticed Cassopeia and Jasmeet along with, to his complete astonishment, Professor Malfoy, who apparently was showing a rather dangerous demeanor of sorts.

'Of all the things that could happen.' Indiana thought to himself as he shook off the birds tweeting around his head. 'If there really isn't a reason, he'll probably find or fabricate one for this disciplinary sanction.'

"It's not your fault, Jasmeet." Indiana spoke softly. "Cass, you okay?"

Cass nodded glumly at Professor Malfoy. It couldn't be helped, really.
"Yessir."

No point explaining why she was there, either. She grabbed hold of Indiana, and after assuring Jasmeet it was alright, she hoisted Indiana into a fireman's lift, having done the same to Uncle Bargy when he got annoying.
"Hospital Wing, or no Hospital Wing, Indi, that is the question."

"Please put me down." Indiana replied, a bit surprised to be lifted off the ground. Cassopeia, despite her shorter stature, was stronger than she looked.

He clutched and examined the side of his head where the Whomping Willow struck him with his hand, feeling a gash that had already coagulated.

"I doubt I have a concussion so I'm not going to the Hospital Wing." Indiana replied.

Cass hid a laugh when Indiana asked to be put down. "Fine, but if you fall into the grass and degrade into the roots, I'm not digging you back out."

Finally, detention. Her first.
"Indiana, I swear you get scarred every time we do something reckless. Maybe it's me, I'm probably bad luck."

She looked at a downcast Jas. She felt bad for bringing her into this. She felt even worse than when she let Neville down in Last Defence Member Standing. Wow. This felt bad.

"Well, adversity is a challenge everyday." Indiana declared as he began walking. "It's a baptism by fire where only the sharpest and the strongest blades are forged."

Hearing her remark, Indiana shook his head. "Cass, you're not causing any bad luck. For all I know, I didn't complain whatsoever and I have no regrets."

He then turned to Jasmeet. "Sorry for getting you into this."

Jasmeet turned to the Hufflepuff, "It's alright Indiana. I would never regret being there for you, I mean atleast I did come to handy," she smiled at the boy.

She was scared what the reaction of Professor Lewis and her fellow Housemates would be, after all, she was the one that gave them punishments, and now it was her turn.