Casual Reading (open)

Ian smiled back at Artemis and followed her throught the dark hallways. The girl seemed to be quite smart and able to stand up for herself. Most of the girls in his own house were either rather shy and boring, or giggly and annoying, so for him it was a nice change to meet a girl that was a bit different.

Artemis rolled her eyes. ''We may not be lions but we are loyal. Very loyal.'' She explained. ''I am a first year snake. I do not know everything about Slytherin but i know a fair bit.'' She then paused and furrowed her brow. ''Slytherin corresponds with an element but i can't seem to remember.'' Artemis said, biting her lip trying to remember. ''C'mon...the statue is not so far away.'' She mused and began walking towards it.

"Water..." Mio muttered under his breath. "Slytherin corresponds with the element water. At least that's what my father told me." he said a bit louder. That was actually quite a good idea Artemis had there. It would make sense for Slytherin to combine all things that stood for his house to place his chamber there. "Maybe there is a secret cave here with a well or something like that?" he thought loudly

Artemis immediately looked up at Mio and grinned. ''Thanks! It makes a lot of sense. Can't believe i could forget that.'' She sighed and then tilted her head. ''There could be some hidden tunnel behind the snake statue that led to some cave or something.'' She said and turned around a corner. The statue was right there and portraits lined the wall. ''Oh Salazar...They're going to talk a bit.'' She groaned.

Ian looked at Mio and Artemis in interest. He hadn't known that the different houses also matched with the elements, but it did make sense. Slytherins were usually very adaptable and good at hiding things, like water that could swallow everything and still have a smooth surface.
So Hufflepuff would probably correspond with earth, he thought, but that was fine. The earth was strong and calm and the bottom of everything.
Looking up, he realized that they had arrived and Ian pulled out his wand as well. "Shall we try the charm to open doors? ...Erm...what was it again?" he rubbed his head thoughtfully. "Oh Alohomora, right?"

That was when David finally stepped forward, tapping the statue with his wand saying "Alohomora" He then looked away, not wanting to be disappointed when nothing happened, he would wait to see his.. whatever they were.. reactions.

Artemis nodded at Ian for a moment before watching David. As nothing happened, she tried not to kick the wall in frustation and knelt on the floor, touching the writing at the bottom. It was in ancient runes and she traced them, tilting her head.

Mio had been watching David try to open an invisible door with Alohomora but nothing happened, so he took out his own wand and tapped it against his chin slightly, pondering what else to do.
"Maybe it is not an invisible door, but something like a trapdoor?" he asked the others. "What if the stature is standing on top of it and we have to move it somehow?" It would be difficult as the thing was made of solid stone, but if they would work together they might manage.

He looked around at the statue as nothing happened.. he then pondered Mio's statement "well.. its pausible, but even I don't know any spells that would move such an object.. I read about 'wingardium leviosa' but i doubt it would lift such a large object.." he then started thinking about Salazar the person and said "well.. if I were Salazar Slytherin" he shuddered "I would not place it right under my own houses animal statue.. where any old person could find it.. I would put it somewhere where no one else would find it, where no one would suspect..." he then started to laugh "Imagine if he put it in the Gryffindor tower?" his eyes widened.. that was actually a good idea.

Artemis stood up and turned towards the boys. ''You mentioned ghosts...Moaning Myrtle knows a lot of gossip as she likes to listen in on people. We have conversations now and again.'' She mentioned and touched the snake statue. ''She haunts the first floor girl's bathroom and because she haunts it...no one really goes there.'' She mused.

Mio burst out laughing at the thought of the chamber of Salazar Slytherin in their own Gryffindor tower. "I don't really think so. I know that Slytherins are immensely proud people and he wouldn't place such an important place into Gryffindor of all houses. Anyway, wouldn't it be too suspicious if a Slytherin would creep up there?" he said, still chuckling at the thought.
Turning to Artemis, he frowned. "You think she has been around long enough to know something? Or that she knows someone that does?" he asked her.

Artemis nodded. ''That is true. Wait...I'm not a proud person...am i?'' She said, tilting her head actually contemplating it. ''Anyway...Salazar and Godric always had their feuds. Why would he want something of his in the lions chamber?'' She mused and looked at Mio. ''I am not sure she would be willing to meet people. She was reluctant to meet me but i kept coming back. Besides...She is quite skittish at times and will most likely be focusing you boys. She has wee crushes on most of the guys.'' Artemis could not help but laugh.

Mio snorted at the thought of some ghost chasing after the male students in some bathroom and laughed along with Artemis. "Well then if you think she might know something, it would be you who would have to talk to her." he said chuckling.
He inclined his head slightly, looking at the girl. "I don't know if you are proud, yet. But I could imagine you to be and I don't think that pride is a bad thing, like I am very proud of being a Gryffindor." he shrugged. "Actually it's the pride in your house or family that makes you stand up for it."

He shrugged "thats why i said it, it would be the least likely place the chamber would be.." he then chuckled at Artemis's other comment "two things wrong with that, first.. i wouldn't be caught dead in a girls bathroom, and two.. I could dumb down my sexyness for her"

Ian had beend standing a few steps behind the other three, watching them try their luck with the stature, but his shoulders dropped in slight disappointment when nothing happened.
He chuckled along with them, though, when Artemis mentioned the ghost that had crushed on the male students. Ian would really like to see that ghost, she did sound quite interesting.
"So, do we go upstairs to ask her, or do we try our luck here and keep looking for something else?" he asked

Artemis smiled at Mio. ''I suppose you're right.'' She said and turned to David with a raised eyebrow. ''First of all, it's no longer really a girl's bathroom seeing as no one uses it. Let's just call it a unisex bathroom and Second of all, there's no need to down your sexiness seeing as you have none.'' She smirked. ''Besides i'm sure she'll be more interested in Mio over here.'' She winked and looked at Ian. ''It all depends on our wee lions. I'm up for anything.'' Artemis admitted, looking back at the statue making a mental note to go back to it.

Mio bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud at the conversation between Artemis and David, it was just too comical how she dressed him down again and again while still staying her charming self. Finally though, he could hold it no longer and burst out with his typical barking laughter, his dark eyes sparkling with mirth.
Shaking his head to calm down a bit, Mio took a breath and turned back to Ian who had been a bit quiet so far. "I think we should stay down here for now. If we don't find anything in the dungeons we can still ask that ghost later, but I think it would be rather unhelpful to start running up and down the stairs now." he stated his honest thoughts.

Artemis looked at Mio, seeing him trying to bite back a laugh and then smirked as he finally did. ''Finally! Someone sees that i'm hilarious.'' She grinned at him and leaned against the statue. ''That seems like a good idea..and like i said, she probably won't talk.'' Artemis admitted, touching her locket as she went into deep thought.

David took the insult with ease, it did not matter to him what the Slytherin thought anyway. He did turn to Mio when he started laughing "just remember that i could beat your sorry butt any day of the week, and twice on Saterday" He said in a serious tone, but his smile gave it all away, he couldn't hurt the kid even if he wanted to.. both boys were too nice. he clapped Mio on the shoulder, to stress how un-serious he had been. he then turned to the gang "so, anyone else think they could do the levitation charm? more than one could lift this big ass statue."

Ian bit his lip slightly, all of the threats making him a bit nervous as he wasn't used to that at all, even in a joking manner. Therefore, he did feel quite relieved to see David smile at the other Gryffindor and he relaxed again.
"Well, I can cast a levitation spell. I practiced a bit on the train." he said readily and gripped his wand a bit tighter.

Artemis rolled her eyes. ''If you boys actually inspected the statue without going straight to magic, you'd have noticed the scratch marks on the floor and paid attention in the Ancient Runes class to realize the plaque says it can be freaking moved.'' She growled and pressed her back against the statue, moving it a little bit. Keeping at it, she revealed a hole in the wall leading somewhere. ''Ta da!'' She said, bowing. Brushing her hands on her thighs, she pulled out her wand and whispered Lumos. A bright light appeared from her wand and Artemis began inspecting the hole only to see runes on the sides of it.

David had not taken ancient runes, so he would have even noticed anything 'remind me to take that class" he said as he lifted his own wand a said "Lumos" It lit, which he knew it would having tried it at home. It was not as bright as some wizards probably were, but that was due to the fact he was a first year, and still new to magic. "ladies first" he gestured to the hole, for which she could inspect

Artemis smirked. ''Yeah i will. I'll give you some of my books if you wish.'' She offered and stroked the runes. Getting into the hole, she crawled for a bit before looking back. ''C'mon little lion cubs and hufflepuff. It's clear...Be sure to move the statue a bit.'' She told them and continued going down, weirdly thinking she could hear the trickle of some water.

Ian put his hand over his mouth to stiffle his laughter when Artemis just shoved the stature to the side. Sometimes the easiest way was the right one, it seemed, he thought grinning and waved his wand a bit, so a small bulb of light appeared at it's tip. "Now it get's exciting..." he whispered.
Then he followed closely behind the Slytherin girl, so they woudln't lose each other in the darkness.

David just shook his head and followed after Ian into the darkness.. noticing all the runes "I hope you can decipher these Artemis?' He would choose to ignore all her little japes at the Gryffindors in the party. If they didn't find anything interesting, the little snake had it coming for her..

Artemis looked over her shoulder and glared at David. ''They're simple directions, David. Besides...i think we'll find something good. I think i hear water up ahead.'' She admitted as the trickling of water got a bit louder. Despite her usual smirk, a true smile formed on her face and she went into her robes, pulling out what looked like gloves but they had claws on the end. They helped her crawl through the tunnel faster. Crawling faster, Artemis suddenly stopped and held up her wand. ''It seems...we're going to have to go for a bit of a swim boys...That's if you're up for it.'' She said, looking at them. There was enough space so she could move and show them the hole in the floor that was filled with water but with the light it showed, there was more underneath. ''I can always go under to see if there truly is more if you don't want to get wet and annoyed.''

Mio rolled his eyes at David and playfully bumbed shoulders with him before following him into the darkness. His wand lit the way in front of him, but it was still quite dark in the small passage.
When Artemis told them to go for a swim, he grinned back at her. "A cool bath. Sound just like what I need now." he said, chuckling. He moved closer to the hole and held his wand near the edge. "I think we shouldn't all go in at the same time in case something happens. I would go, though." he shrugged, not really worried about it.