Unborrowed Books

[Binky]

:Thread Following School Library/A Bit of Light Reading:

The sneeze sounded first, and then Binky followed it with a thump. The heavy volumes he had been carrying landed on top of him and a small cloud of dust rose from the whole motley pile.

He stood, wiped the filth from their covers, then lifted each volume and carried them one at a time over to his master's desk. He swept the dirt from the floor and then went over to the bathroom and began tidying the towels and polishing the faucets while he waited. When he finally heard the doorhandle rattle he hurried back out and stood on the large, oval rug in the middle of the room, his hands tucked behind his back, rocking back and forth on the soles of his feet.

[Barnak Pengryffin]

Barnak stepped through the door and pressed it shut carefully behind him. As he approached his desk and put down the small book he was carrying, his only acknowledgement of the elf's presence was to draw the slip of parchment that had led him to the correct shelving from his robes and let it fall to the floor on his left.

"Acceptable."

He cast a weak shielding spell he had learnt in the previous DADA class and leaned gingerly over the volumes. He opened each one carefully, anticipating trouble, but nothing jumped out at him. It seemed that whatever danger the books presented was all in their text. He turned them all over and examined them. They looked like any other books. Selecting one, he picked it up, gathered up the smaller book he had been carrying, and took them both toward the door. It was still early in the evening, and most people would be heading down to the Golden Hall for dinner. The Common rooms would be quiet and cosy with a fresh fire.

"I will dine here when I return."

[Binky]

Binky hurried forward and picked up the parchment.

"Very good, master."

He looked down at the map he had drawn for the boy. It was still folded neatly, with not a single crease out of place: high praise indeed, from a Wizard. He stepped over to the desk as his master made to leave and slipped it into the bottom drawer.

[Barnak Pengryffin]

As he approached the door, Barnak reached up with his left hand and undid the loop at his neck, letting his cloak fall to the ground behind him. The last thing he heard as he stepped out of his rooms was the patter of tiny feet running to pick it up.

::Thread Followed in Ruberagon Commons/Intruder Alert::

[Tonkin]

Outside in the corridor Tonkin stood in the darkness holding a bundle of fresh towels as an excuse to be present. He doubted anyone would see him. They had never before. But he was following up on what he had seen earlier. He had had a moment to report to his Master before being told to keep an eye on Barnak but not to be caught doing so. He knew if Barnak did see him, this would only be the first time. Surely not enough to warrant being suspected... yet.

While he didnt know much about what happened in the room. He knew a thing or two about persuasion from his master. And as Barnak moved past him and out of sight, Tonkin's mind was already formulating ways to get Binky on his own.