entranceway | ♛ twenty-fourth hunt

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♛ twenty-fourth hunt - voice;

Okay, public service announcement, here: if you don't filter or lock your messages, we can all see them. And read and hear them. Which usually doesn't matter, but just... I mean, if it's quote-unquote sensitive information, you probably don't want it on the public network. And we don't, either. Usually. And even then... I mean, there're a handful of tech-savvy people in the mansion, so even if it's encrypted, it still could be, you know, decrypted. I'm just saying, it's almost always better to talk in person if you're making big plans or swapping secrets.

That said, does anyone know the network's origin? I mean, I never pegged the Queen of Hearts or the Duchess or whoever to be good with computers. It had to start somewhere, by someone who knew what they were doing. It's a pretty complicated system.

Just... don't tell me it was "magic." [ Sigh. ]

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"What it's doing?" You make it sound like the network's sentient.

[ God forbid. ]

Jesus. [ What do you even say to that? ] Philip-- Yeah, should've figured. I'll shoot him a message, get him in on this.

Haven't you ever thought it's funny these things turn on by themselves now and then? I don't think that's an accident. I think they've actually got a sense of humour, like the closets do sometimes. Not that I'm saying they're naturally that way, but items can be enchanted to think for themselves, or at least to act like they do.

[It's the only explanation James can think of. Granted, he doesn't know much about technology, but from what he does know muggle devices can't do much without someone operating them.]

I think he'd be willing to help. I don't know him very well, but I think he's gotten used to being a walking Wonderland history text at this point. [He laughs a bit.] So have I, really.

Still magic though, James. [ He smiles faintly. ] The other explanation is it's an electronic glitch. Could be a combination. That's the problem; we've got no clue.

[ Sigh. ]

Hey, better that somebody's been here a while. ... In that you know stuff about this place and what's happened, I mean. Obviously not... that you're stuck here.

So? My point is that magic is a perfectly viable explanation. [And honestly, he seems sort of put-out that he doesn't seem to agree. That's his entire culture there, Sam.] But I suppose that's true. It doesn't mean that we'll never figure it out though.

[The awkwardness is more funny than offensive, and James can't help taking the easy bait and teasing him.]

Oh no, no. You were pretty clear the first time. Obviously it's fantastic news that some of us have been stuck here for eons. Glad I could help everyone else by never managing to be the one to go home. [He pauses, and then laughs.] I'm kidding. Besides, I still want to figure out how to remember everything when I do leave, and I haven't gotten that solved yet. I don't want back and forget everything I've learned here.

I know it is, I just don't want people to think it's the only explanation. [ Sam smiles weakly, hoping some of the amused exasperation seeps into his voice. ]

You and me both. I've tried, and it didn't... go well. And didn't work.

[ And yes, those are two separate bad things that happened. ]

I don't think any of us want to forget.

[James can hear it, and off-screen he's rolling his eyes. Muggles can be so...muggle-y sometimes.]

What did you try? For curiosity's sake, of course.

[A pause.] Well, that and I've got a book series to ruin when I go home.

Book series? [ squint ]

Uh-- D'you remember River Tam?

Mm, a book series. Though, if you haven't heard of it yourself then I suppose I shouldn't give it away.

[To be honest, the Harry Potter books have turned out to be so popular that James tends to assume more people are familiar with them than not. If someone hasn't read them then it's a pleasant surprise for James, since that means one more person who doesn't automatically know his future. He sounds surprised by the mention of River though.]

I do remember her! She was a friend of mine when she was here.

[It's an important distinction, he's found. People don't always come back wanting to be friends a second time.]

Which one? [ He doesn't say "Not your book series, right?" Because that sounds rude in his head. Unfortunately for James, Sam is a big Potter geek. And he knows exactly what happens. ]

Mine, too. [ He turns somber, smiling faintly. ] She, uh... I asked her to try and see if she could do anything about locking away memories from this place when we're sent back, but it... sort of backfired. Lost my memories for a while.

Oh, you know. The one about my famous son and his friends. About seven of them, thick as bricks? Those.

[So yes, absolutely his book series. He's read them and passed them along to his friends, and there's no way that any of this could go horribly wrong at all.]

You lost your memories? All of them? [He pauses, thinking.] ...But you've obviously got them now. How did you get them back?

... Yeah, I-- [ Oh. Those. He clears his throat hastily. ] I have, uh... read them.

[ Then, quickly: ] Sorry. And, if it makes you feel any better, I know what that's like. Same thing happened with me and Dean.

[ It's pretty much the absolute worst. ]

No, it was just the memories of people I knew back home, even if they were in the mansion. Didn't recognize them. And they...

[ He trails off, frowning. ]

Either they just came back naturally after a while, or, uh... Lucifer restored them. I'm honestly not sure.

[James was about to launch into his usual routine of turning the whole thing around and teasing Sam for being a fan and harassing him about his favorite character (like he does to most people he finds out have read them), but the apology stops him in his tracks.]

Really? You too?

[He never heard about it from the previous Dean (and the current Dean obviously wouldn't mention it) so it takes James entirely by surprise.]

...Err. Thank you. I actually don't hear that very often. You don't have to be sorry though - if we can get out of here with everything in tact, it's not just about saving myself or Lily. That last book is essentially a step-by-step guide to defeating You-Know-Who, right down to where all of his horcruxes are. We could end the war a good twenty years early and prevent hundreds, maybe thousands of deaths.

[They could change everything, for everyone, and James seems pretty optimistic about their chances of actually accomplishing this.

He listens intently to Sam's report, and unfortunately there doesn't seem to be anything that would help his own research along. Unfortunately though, James has never met Lucifer, and no one's ever actually mentioned that the Devil himself is in Wonderland, so James just laughs, assuming that Sam is joking. It sure sounds like a deadpan sort of joke.]

Right, right. Lucifer. [He laughs.] Well, I'm glad they came back at least! That could've been awful if they hadn't. Probably the biggest setback I could ever imagine.

Edited 2014-12-23 04:23 (UTC)

Yeah. It's not... exactly the same deal as you guys, but we had books published about our lives out there with all the gritty, personal details.

[ Sam pulls a face, clearly less than pleased with the situation. ]

Right, definitely. [ He scratches the back of his neck. ] If we can find a way to keep the memories... this is what we're talking about, right? Changing things before they get worse, saving lives, if we can.

[ If. ]

I'm sure they would've come back one way or another. Wouldn't be as easy to torture me without them. [ Wonderland's personal brand of torture usually involved turning their memories, fears, thoughts, etc. against them in vivid hallucinations or worse. ]

Right, exactly that. Once we get this memory business sorted out, we'll be able to change a lot for the better.

[James is having none of this "if" business. He's the optimistic glue holding everyone else together at the moment, and he knows that if he doesn't keep saying "when" and "will" everything will fall apart. There's no such thing as too much hope, to him.]

Sorry you've got books of your own though - the whole thing is sort of invasive, really. It's helpful in its own way, but I can't say I enjoy the fame, considering what it is I'm famous for.

[Sometimes he still can't believe he's dead less than five pages into the book. It's astonishing.]

But that's true - even though this place takes memories, I'm not convinced it wants all of them gone. It would have to find some other way to torment us without them.

You're famous because you and Lily gave your lives for your son, because your bravery and love for him was literally stronger than the darkest wizard ever. I know it's not... something you want, to be killed, but it's really admirable. A lot of people look up to you both for all that. You're like, wizard saints.

[ SAM HAS A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT HARRY POTTER CAN YOU TELL ]

... Uh. [ And he clears his throat. ] Sorry. But, uh, yeah. I think you're right. Once we get some kind of hint, maybe we can make sense of some of it.

[No one has ever defended his future quite that passionately before and James, for once, is stunned into silence. Maybe he should laugh at being called a Wizard Saint, or make light of it somehow since Sam's clearly awkward about it afterwards, but James can't bring himself to do it. Perhaps it's because a lot of people speak to James about it with the knowledge in the back of their minds that it's just a book, but Sam sounds like he could have been plucked out of Diagon Alley for this conversation. He talks about it like it matters to him.

He's genuine, and James appreciates that too much to pick on him for it.]

...Thanks. [Really. he sort of needed to hear that.] And we will get that hint eventually, you know. We'll figure this all out.

[Mostly because James just can't deal with not being optimistic about it.]

[ Thanks for not teasing him, James, because Sam is a little flustered now and clear his throat rather pointedly. ]

Right. Uh-- We'll figure it out. I'll let you know if I get any leads, alright? Whenever that might be...

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♛ twenty-fourth hunt - voice;

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