Looking, Searching and Finding

Julie stared into the dark trees, wand gripped tightly in her hand. She had been in the forest before of course, but the routes always changed, like the forest outside the Shire, and she had never been in as deep as she intended to go today.

Or tonight, rather. The sun was sinking low over the sky and Julie pulled her hair out of it's ridiculous ponytail before neatly braiding it and rolling it into a bun out of the way of her face, before she took the few first steps towards the trees. She just had to find out if it was true...

Sitting on the branch of an old tree, Indiana was reading his mother's old journal. It was surprising that the late Cataline Ashford was well-versed in Anglican magic despite not going to Hogwarts. Then again, private tutors might have been an alternative form to use in getting an education.

Flipping through the pages, Indiana's eyes widened when he reached the text that mentioned the principles of magical and mundane toxicology. He was about to read further when footsteps echoed in the woods that Indiana quickly closed the book before locking it with a magic seal.

Looking around, Indiana spotted Julie before calling out. "Enjoying the scenery?"

Julie looked around before she looked up, which, in retrospect was fair foolish of her considering what she was searching. She grinned at Indiana and waved. "Among other things," she said cheerfully. "I imagine the view is good from up there."

Indiana nodded before placing the journal back into his cloak and jumping down from the tree.

"The view might have been nice but it is also sorely limited." the youth remarked before asking. "So what brings you to the woods? Going on a treasure hunt or just taking a stroll or is it something else of interest?"

"Something else of interest," Julie replied, "though treasure would be nice and a stroll is certainly involved, but no. I heard a rumour down at the Broomsticks that someone had spotted an Augury. I want to see if I can find it," she explained with a wide grin.

Indiana's eyes widened a bit in understanding, though he wondered on where one could be found in this current time. Then again, there were individuals that defied natural conventions and known expectations so perhaps there's a chance of seeing one.

"This oughta be interesting. Can I tag along?" Indiana asked.

Julie grinned. "Of course, two's company after all," she said, stepping back slightly to allow room for Indiana to climb down. She glanced around as well while she did so, checking the surroundings carefully. For all that they were on the grounds of a school, it would not do to get caught unawares.

Auguries weren't the only creatures rumoured to dwell there.

"Thanks." Indiana spoke. Rather than opting for his wand, he withdrew a card with a red circle that contained a pentagram and two runic symbols in the center. Given that it was night time, some light could be useful.

"Any idea how you'll find one in the nighttime?" Indiana asked, hoping that Julie had a plan of conduction for her search.

Julie nodded. "Considering this isn't their natural habitat, I'm going to presume that if one's here, they'll be more distressed and therefore louder and more restless than they are usually. I'm not even bothering trying to find by sight," she explained, letting her wand slide down her shirt sleeve and holding it up. "So I'm going to spell my ears to increase my hearing capabilities. I'll probably pick up more than what I'm looking for, but considering where we are I don't really see that as a huge disadvantage," she said dryly, tapping her ears.

"Would you like me to do your ears? Or are you capable or have a better method?" she asked Indiana, instantly regretting it as her voice boomed in her ears, making her wince.

"I guess that's a valid assessment." Indiana remarked as he followed along. Amid hearing Julie's offer, Indiana thought it over for a moment before shaking his head.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine without it. I wish it was simple to just use the Summoning Charm to summon the Augury from wherever it may be." Indiana spoke casually while keeping an eye on the forest. Hopefully, they wouldn't be coming across any acromantulas.

Julie grinned toothily. "But where would be the fun in that?" she said quietly, so as her voice didn't boom in her ears.

She had to admit, it was a pretty cool spell and she was glad she'd found it - she could hear the leaves rustling and every crack of twigs. Indiana's voice was loud in her ears, but she was adjusting.

"Point taken and noted." Indiana whispered quietly in reply as he focused his hearing into their immediate surroundings. At the same time, he memorized some of the landmarks that were on the terrain that he and Julie were passing across, realizing the necessity of having a quick exit path from the forest should the need arise.

The night sky loomed above with only the moon shining and the stars twinkling in the heavens.

Julie grinned and strode down one of the various paths through the trees, the sound of soil under her feet giddy in her ears. She had the greatest temptation to close her eyes and attempt to find her way by sound alone, but knowing her luck the wind would die down and she'd walk into a tree. Plus they were in the Forbidden Forest and doing something quite that stupid was just asking for trouble.

Animal noises to her left stopped, leaving only the sound of leaves rustling in the wind. Then, even though her eyes were wide open, the breeze died down and there was nothing. Julie was struck with a sudden urge to say 'it's quiet. Too quiet.', but she suppressed it and merely gestured for Indiana to stop.

Indiana noted Julie stopping and gesturing for him to stop, leaving him to wonder on what she might have noticed through her enhanced sense of hearing. He looked around and kept his hearing focused on the sounds around him.

Taking a deep breath, he held the runic card in his left hand while waiting to anticipate sudden surprises that await.

For a few moments there was nothing, and Julie wondered if she'd imagined it, but then the underbrush to her left started moving again - in a big way. And it was coming towards them.

"Run," she said quietly to Indiana, sprinting straight forward and around a bend to the diagonal-left of their position, hoping they could slide around whatever it was.

Indiana hesitated a bit as Julie ran past before catching a glimpse of a large acromantula emerging from the underbrush. The gigantic spider raised its front legs before dashing towards Indiana, who quickly hightailed it in a different direction.

"I thought there weren't anymore acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest!" the youth yelled as he swung a nearby tree to the other side to get behind the acromantula as it ran past him.

Channeling magic into the runic card in his left hand, Indiana chanted. "Fire at my palm. Become a blade to judge my foe!"

Flames erupted around his left hand before the youth directed it at the acromantula, unleashing a blast of fire that engulfed it and sent it flying through the bushes. Recuperating, Indiana watched as the blazing acromantula ran about for a moment before collapsing, succumbing to the inferno.

Julie skidded around, eyes wide as she watched Indiana take out the acromantula. "Holy spoons!" she screeched. "Argh!" she then whimpered, clasping her hands over her ears. "I have brains," she grumbled to herself.

She straightened herself, though shaking slightly. "Yeah, I thought they'd been exterminated years ago. It's not like they're endangered or anything. How the hell did you do that?"

After calming the adrenaline in his system, Indiana stood up and heard Julie's explanation and question before speaking.

"Wands aren't the only instruments for using magic." the youth spoke softly as he took out a card that had a red pentagram with two symbols, Kaunan and Ansuz, in the center. "Some people designate certain functions into cards or parchment that have inscriptions on them for powerful spells."

Turning to the burning acromantula and seeing that it was dead with its legs curled towards its center, Indiana noted that the flames have mostly dissipated but he took his wand out and pointed at the dead arthropod before chanting. "Aguamenti Maxima!"

A large jet of water shot out of his wand before dousing the remaining flames entirely.

"No need to leave something burning that could start a forest fire." he muttered.

Julie nodded. "Smart thinking," she said, twisting her neck to calm the large amounts of blood and adrenaline racing through her. Cards? Maybe runes? She should probably have picked up that subject, a small voice in the back of her head that unerringly imitated her grandmother chided.

She turned to go back to the path she'd chosen for that night, but a thought stopped her and she turned back. "Reducto," she muttered, flicking her wand at the massive spider. It disintegrated quickly with a wet, hissing noise that made her magically enhanced ears protest at the squickyness. She didn't particularly want to alert anything that might be in here that they were here and could take care of themselves.

Keeping the card in his left hand and his wand in his right hand just in case, Indiana watched Julie disintegrate the dead acromantula before moving back onto the direction that they were heading in.

Looking around the darkness of the forest, the youth kept his ears and eyes open.

"I guess we should move on." he whispered enough for Julie to hear him.

Julie nodded fervently, gesturing towards the path she wanted to take that night. She definitely didn't want to hang around where noise had been made. While acromantulas would keep away the smaller wildlife for a little while, it probably wouldn't take long for them to realise the Big Bad was gone.

Indiana nodded before following. He had to commend Julie for her determination on achieving her goal and not being deterred by obstacles. Still, he hoped that the acromantula they had taken down was a straying wanderer. The youth wasn't sure if he would be up to taking on many acromantulas in one setting.

The wind began to stir along the path ahead, placing him on the edge for a moment before he merely shrugged. The weather was ever-changing like a person having mood-swings.

Julie heard the wind pick up and shivered. One life-threatening beasty was quite enough for one night. She had to find this bird. She cast a warming charm on herself quietly, not wanting the wind to chill her overmuch, and paused as they reached a fork. She was fairly certain she'd exhausted all the paths to the left and outer-leading fork... so that meant the right. It was likely the augury had flown deep to avoid being disturbed.

The wind whistled in her ears as she took the path less traveled.

Indiana followed Julie while keeping his eyes out on the surroundings. From his peripheral vision, the youth noticed movement but when he turned to look, nothing was there. He was tempted to cast some light but that would attract so much attention like a swarm of flies going after the scent of carrion.

"Julie, are auguries nocturnal?" Indiana asked in a whisper. "Do you know any certain foods that they eat?"

"Nocturnal, yeah - I don't know for certain about the food though," she whispered back, glancing at him. Something moved out of the corner of her eye, but she couldn't see what it was. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"