[A n o n y m o u s T e x t | A c t i o n]

[greatestgood]

There is a house. One enters it blind and comes out seeing. What is it?

[This riddle is so damn historical. Whoever gives the right answer will interest him greatly. A fellow lover of history, literature and philosophy! Or you've just heard this one before.]

[Action: Everglade]

[Everglade is where he lingers, the tip of his wand lit. He is in the process of searching, pausing now and then to cut leaves from surrounding foliage. Should anyone come upon him, they will find themselves briefly frozen by a spell.

Did he even move his wand? The real question should be: does he need to? No, Gellert is too fine of a Wizard to rely on such a rudimentary implement - though you will have to pry the Elder wand from his cold, dead fist. Unless you are Albus Dumbledore.]

You should wear a bell.

Comments

[Text]

[scarlet_devil]

Would that be a school?

[ Or just really old. Well, five hundred and fourteen, to be exact. ]

[Anonymous Text]

[greatestgood]

Very good. Do you like history? [Or are you part of it?]

[Action]

[randallboggs]

[What Gellert will see, frozen by his spell, is a human-sized purple lizard-like monster with wide, surprised eyes at this moment in time. Obviously, the freezing was unexpected but he'd had just enough of a second to register somebody nearby. It had clearly startled him.]

[Action]

[greatestgood]

[Poor thing. Gellert waves a hand to release him, lifting his wand so that they have plenty of light with which to see one another.]

Forgive me for being so rude. I wasn't sure who you were.

[Action]

[randallboggs]

[Randall shudders. That was an odd sensation. He brushes himself off as if he feels he's been covered in magical dust somehow. Then he glares in the stranger's direction.]

Just what d'you think you're playing at, pal?

[His manner isn't friendly.]

[Action]

[greatestgood]

[He might not be entirely wrong. Magic does leave a...residue. How else would Aurors follow a trail?]

Nothing in particular. [Oh he's only searching for ingredients and small creatures to experiment with/on.] What brings you out here? It isn't safe.

[Action]

[randallboggs]

What are you? My mother?

Look, I live around here. What's your excuse?

[Action]

[greatestgood]

I am only giving you a friendly reminder. [He grins, a sudden flash of wild happiness.]

I have work to do. Nowhere else has this environment.

[Video]

[riddlemehiss]

[Ches is technically working when he sees the anonymous text post, but switches on the video anyway (because what is anonymous and why would anyone waste effort typing?) to respond. Who can resist a good riddle? It's fortunate Rose is such a forgiving boss.

Kitty is employed as a "tour guide" (lol why) at Torchwood Haunted House, which explains the bats nesting in the corner and the small group of guests clinging to each other in the background.

But meh. They can take care of themselves for a while. Probably.]

Does the house sell eyes?

[Action]

[randallboggs]

[The grin only makes Randall more skeptical, leading to his next words.]

You don't look like you belong around here.

[Anonymous Text]

[greatestgood]

[Mischievous Cheshire! Gellert is tempted to respond in kind, but he will draw it out a little longer. This is an innocent trap he has laid to see who has the right sort of mind for working out this world's mysteries.]

It does not. Could the eyes be a metaphor?

[Action]

[greatestgood]

I am relatively new, so I doubt I belong anywhere in this world. [He walks closer, tightening a bag on his shoulder.]

Are you offering to guide me?

[Video]

[riddlemehiss]

[Ches gives a thoughtful hum and ponders on the question some more even while ushering his guests into the next room of the house. This one is home to some ghost Pokemon, so Gellert may catch glimpses of a few creepy and unfamiliar creatures in the background.]

Does the house fix eyes?

[What a shame! That generous hint is lost on him.]

[Anonymous Text]

[greatestgood]

[Color him very curious about those presences! As if Cheshire isn't enough of a mystery. If only all Magical cats were like him.]

The house helps them to see; to work in a way they never have before.

[Video]

[riddlemehiss]

It hires people for jobs they aren't qualified for!

[The irony of that suggestion even as Ches is neglecting his job duties to talk nonsense with some anon.]

[Video]

[greatestgood]

[Cheshire. He can't resist any longer. Gellert switches to video and gives his favorite cat a smile.]

You are further from the answer than ever!

[riddlemehiss]

[Oh! Wizard! Have a giant grin and enthusiastic wave!]

That's if you assume there's only one answer! Are you house searching perchance?

[greatestgood]

[If possible, this Wizard's smile warms even more at the enthusiasm.]

There is only one. It is a riddle, you see, and I know the answer.

[He chuckles and shrugs.]

I might be, but that has nothing to do with the riddle.

[riddlemehiss]

Why ask the network if you already have the answer?

[He's about to say more, but there's a sudden piercing shriek that tears the guide's attention away from his screen. Ah! They finally noticed the unstable looking chandelier with the "dead body" hanging off it!]

Not to worry! We get a lot of those! AH HAHAHA!

[So comforting. And whatever "those" means is entirely left up to interpretation.]

[scarlet_devil]

You could say I've lived it.

[action]

[chambermusicandtenpins]

[He admits to being impressed by the skill with which he's frozen. Then again, he's always admired Gellert's skill, even when he was horrified by what those skills were used for. It's been one of his ongoing trials as Gellert's influence had spread, seeing what a talented man he was even as his goals grew more savage.

Dumbledore had been exploring Everglade partly for his own curiosity -- even if the magic there was supposed to be dark, it was still magic, and it was better to have some idea of what the place was then to simply ignore it. Gellert had been right, of course, that Fayren was far more his type of abode, but he was always ever-curious, even about the things he knew were dangerous.

-- which was probably why he'd approached Gellert in the first place and been frozen. Funny, really.]

[action]

[greatestgood]

[Surprise flashes over his features - and maybe something akin to remorse. Maybe. It's brief - like a flash of light - and then it disappears. Since he has Albus in this position, he might as well take advantage of it. Right? He is a true Slytherin.]

Well, well, well. Are you tracking me, Albus? [He walks up to the man and slides the tip of the Elder wand down Albus's cheek.] I can't leave you like this.

[The spell will be undone in the next breath, freeing the other Wizard without a word spoken.]

Tell me what brings you here. [Is that legendary curiosity leading his once friend down a different road?]

[greatestgood]

Why indeed, dear Cheshire.

[He has a feeling the cat won't see the truth behind his motivation - and, really, it doesn't matter. Gellert is content seeing him again.]

Bodies or houses? [The screams make him grin and that is probably an entirely unnatural reaction.]

[greatestgood]

I am speaking to an ancient being.

Well met. I had hoped to encounter one like you.

[action]

[borntolove]

[Being held in place by a binding invisible force - this is a new one]

Maybe you shouldn't be so uptight.

[Gellert may sense that this one may look human but isn't quite human and if legitimacy - only surface feelings that someone isn't human will be felt- digging, The Doctor will block back with his own telepathic abilities]

[A cheery]

Hallo.