gooseberryhigh | MORNING ANNOUNCEMENT

In the morning, the blizzard has passed, but everyone is detained in the lodge, apparently so Mr. Covington and other staff can have time to clear the snow on the trails to the campsites. A black-robed MACUSA agent stands at every exit, and the mood is sober as everyone settles in for breakfast. Headmistress Bloom stands up and makes some announcements:

The "Strangers" entered the lodge during the storm and attempted to cause wide-scale panic. They may have imitated a friend or trusted adult and said something to try to upset you. However, it's been determined that these doppelgangers are easily dispatched by basic defensive spells and jinxes, and will likely run rather than fight. Although staff recommends that students disengage if they encounter another doppelganger, Ms. Lilywhite is offering lessons in Duelling Club and in the DADA classroom during non-class hours for anyone who needs help handling themselves in a fight.
The MACUSA contingent lead by Director Grimshaw is working to contain the situation. In the meantime, students should not take unnecessary risks. The buddy system is mandatory when travelling the trails. Do not go into the forest. Do not go to the Grotto. Anyone you buddy up with from your cabin or the lodge will be safe, for reasons detailed below:
Security has been tightened on the cabins. The doors and windows to a cabin will be magically locked by default, and can only be opened at the touch of one of the cabin's inhabitants. Any outsider visiting a cabin must be escorted in (and out) of the cabin by one of its inhabitants. (Prefects and staff may be granted access to a cabin in case of emergency, but by default, they're not able to come in.) Mrs. Bloom says that the MACUSA has assured them that this measure will work to keep the doppelgangers out of the cabins, although she doesn't elaborate on how they found this out.
Everyone must be magically scanned by an Auror before they can enter the Lodge. Two agents will be posted at every exit of the lodge, and will scan their wands over everyone who wants to enter, to assure that they're not a doppelganger. It's recommended that students should come to the lodge for classes five minutes than usual so they're not held up by scanning. (There will also be scanning at the entrances to the Artificing shed, greenhouse, stables and Quidditch pitch.) Every evening after the lodge is closed at 9 PM, Aurors will do a patrol of the school to ensure that no one has been left behind or forgotten.
If anyone is struggling with that they saw on Saturday, Dr. Perry's office is open for new appointments. ("I also accept drop-ins!" he calls out, interrupting Mrs. Bloom.) Please make use of the counselor's services, he is here to help.
Be critical, but do not lose faith in your friends. If someone you care about acts in an unusually hurtful way, they may be a "Stranger" and you should attempt to disengage. Communicate with your friends often to avoid any doppelganger-induced discord. The teachers at Gooseberry are doing our best to protect you all and provide you with a good school experience.

Students will be permitted to leave the lodge after breakfast. Aurors watch carefully for any imposters trying to enter, or any dangers coming from the forest.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Zach resolves to drop in and see Dr. Perry sometime... later, when it's less busy. He's pretty sure he must be up to his EYEBALLS in stressed out students right now, and it wouldn't be right for him to ADD to the BURDEN. Besides, what if he took a spot from somebody who REALLY needed to talk? Maybe he'll go some time in March — IF he was still feeling worried about stuff. He's PRETTY sure everything would be better by spring.

The juniors are subject to the now-familiar sight of Zach offering to brainstorm, decompress, or just sit next to anyone who needs a shoulder. He's plainly concerned about recent events vis a vis the Strangers, and he'll admit to it freely — in part because, as always, he hopes that by revealing his own insecurities, his friends will feel comfortable opening up about theirs.

Hang in there, guys!!! He'll find a way to make things safer.... SOMEHOW!!!!

Micah grabs Zach by the arm and drags him to a private corner. Which is honestly way more suspicious than just quietly talking to him at the table, but hell, Micah's never turned down the opportunity for an overly dramatic gesture in his life.

"Did you see one?" Micah asks without a good morning or even a how are you, Zach? Good? Great, let's talk bodysnatchers. "Or did anyone see you? Like not you, an evil clone you who doesn't say warm, encouraging things or give out candy."

Edited (maybe this is all a preamble to micah asking for candy) 2018-02-04 17:47 (UTC)

Zach reflexively checks his pockets for sweets, but without turning them inside out, it's impossible to know if there are any Werther's Originals in there. As usual, they're bulging with miscellany: a pen, a cool rock, at least four paper clips, some yarn, a piece of plastic he'd found on the ground and pocketed for no discernible reason, etc etc. Oh well!

"I don't know!" Zach replies in a volume just slightly too loud to be considered conspiratorial. "If anyone saw me, I haven't heard about it." The unspoken yet hangs in the air. "What about you? Did you... have an encounter?"

Edited (zach's got at least one piece on him but micah's gonna have to work to get it) 2018-02-04 17:57 (UTC)

Lucas watches the assembly over his arms, head resting in the crook of his elbow, hair all crazy, and one eye squinted shut because, somehow, it's easier to stay awake that way. He struggles to latch onto any of Ms. Bloom's words but his thoughts rush away, preferring instead to run, again, through the list of every Charm he knows that might be helpful. All of it kind of abstract, dream-like.

He looks at the half-eaten banana next to his fingers while the Headmistress talks about Dr. Perry and tries not to think too hard about how much worse this could get.

why do my characters love to throw grotto parties at the most dangerous times

They're rebels and I love them.

If Riley's feeling lukewarm responsible she can throw the party at the Sorting Cave.

Galentines in a cave filled with disco animals!!!!

They can do the emblems nails

put some eyeliner on the trout

god i want to go to that partay

Riley's going to defeat the mimics with the power of makeovers

all they want is to look beautiful like everyone at this school and Riley Mae is here to serve

LOL If you're really worried, we can move the party to somewhere else? But FYI my girl character will still show up for Galentines no matter where it's set.

my little dumbass has never worried about a thing in her life. GOSH GUYS JUST USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM AND IT'LL BE FINE.

Zach's pocket filled with random crap is very endearing and relatable :(

there's a candy in there somewhere i swear

quick question!!

what sort of notification would families receive about these events?
i've been trying to figure out stuff w phin's mom c:

(even if he didn't tell her, would she be informed that he'd fought a mimic?)

I thiiiink for the sake of simplicity (and preventing anyone's fictional parents from freaking out), we'll say that no families are notified about what happened. Technically, none of you were at risk of dying, so.

But kids can tell their parents about this stuff if they want!

yuuuss thank you for enabling phineas to keep his mother completely in the dark !! :D ♥

MORNING ANNOUNCEMENT

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