Setting Little Traps
Jul 10, 2018 15:04:32 GMT -6
Post by Snick on Jul 10, 2018 15:04:32 GMT -6
Every year she did the same thing after dinner, first day of school. With no classes till Monday, Elizabeta didn't have to worry about being out too late. She left her room and headed across the grounds, a briefcase in hand. It may look odd to newer students or those who haven't seen her yearly ritual yet, for her to walk towards the stables with a Muggle style briefcase. Elizabeta didn't have to do this each year, she could easily use other means to see to the needs of her pet but she was picky.
Once she reached the stables she moved out back where the old straw was kept. Eventually it would be carted off and used as fertilizer...but till then, it was a great place to find what she wanted. Mice.
Placing the case on a clean spot of ground she opened it up and pulled out several rectangular metal boxes, about 8" long. Once she had them out of the case, she walked to a a thick patch of grass growing along the base of the stable. Mice like moving along sides of buildings, close to cover. A solid wall was one less area a threat can get at them. No mouse would run out in the open, not if it could help it. She laid down the trap, set it and placed some peanut butter on the trigger. Most people may think cheese was the best way to use in a trap but Elizabeta knew peanut butter worked just as well as cheese and didn't harden as fast as cheese did.
Every twenty paces or so she set another trap, spacing them out and making sure they were out of the way. The last thing she wanted was McKay to complain of tripping over them. Or another student. So far she never had any issue setting the traps. Most times she only did it a few days at the beginning of the year. It didn't take long for her to catch enough to last her for a couple of months. After that, the group she kept alive, would have given her litters which she easily grew up to large enough size for her snake.
Walking back to her case, the first four traps set, she headed towards the other side of the barn. She set two more at each short end of the building, but none where the main doors are. Unless students walked around the stable, her traps often went unnoticed. Not always. Some brat destroyed two of them last year. Fortunately it wasn't hard for her to replace them. Most were simple Muggle contraptions with a minor enchantment cast upon them. A simple charm attuned to a bracelet she wore which would warm up should any of the live traps catch a mouse.
She crouched down and started setting the two traps on the left side wall of the stable.
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After seeing his sister stolen away by the Lighthouse, Lorccan once more retreated to the grounds to be alone. He was furious but what could he do? The Lighthouse was some sort of sentient magical thing and it picked its own Keepers. Of all the Legacies his sister had to end up in was the only one he couldn't get in himself. Its not like he could swim across the channel to the little island the Lighthouse stood upon. The cliffs made it impossible to do it, not unless he went to the far side of the island to launch a boat.
Who was he kidding? Siobhan was in the one place he can't get into. He highly doubted he would be chosen, if he was why wasn't he taken the same time she was? It left him in a very foul mood. Lorccan was best alone when he was in a foul mood.
Walking by the stables he noticed an older student, laying out what looked like little rectangular metal boxes. Curiosity burned through his anger and he walked up to the raven haired 6th year.
"What are you doing?" He asked, picking up one of the boxes she just set on the ground.
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Elizabeta turned when she heard somebody approach, spotting one of the O'Briens. She frowned when he picked up one of the traps she just laid.
"Its a live trap to catch mice." She explained, walking over and carefully taking it from his hands. "I prefer to catch my own mice and this is a good way to do it."
The younger student didn't protest when she took the trap from him which suited Elizabeta well. It wasn't his to touch anyway. She placed it back among the tufts of grass growing along the side of the stable. "Once I get at least one male and a couple females, I won't needs these traps anymore for the rest of the year."
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"Kind of stupid to use these things to catch mice." Lorccan snorted, finding it was the most ridiculous thing for a witch to do. "Just summon the mice, save you all this time and hassle. Unless you don't know how to cast a summoning spell. I heard they are taught in Charms in fourth or fifth year."
He leaned against the stable wall, watching as she placed the trap down where he had picked it up. Maybe she sucked at summoning spells, afterall he didn't do all that well in his classes. Not that he wasn't bright it was more, he didn't find the classes worth his time.
"Why do you want live mice anyway?' Lorccan asked, realizing catching mice was an odd thing to do for a witch. "Afterall you can just buy them at any pet store."
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She shot the boy a dirty look. Elizabeta certainly didn't appreciate being called stupid by a little brat of a wizard. Putting her last trap down inorder to give herself some time to cool her temper, Elizabeta didn't answer the boy's question till she was finished what she came here to do. Standing, she walked over to the case she brought the traps in and closed it up.
"I know how to cast a summoning spell and yes, I could have used it to summon up all the mice I want. However, that wouldn't work in my favor. The spell doesn't discriminate against what mouse it 'summons'. It can be one from the other side of the island, a student's pet or an old thing that is well past breeding age. By using the live traps I get active mice who are searching for food or nesting material. They are more likely to be healthy and not somebody's pet. Besides, setting the traps myself gives me an excuse to be outside."
"I need them to feed my snake." Elizabeta says simply. "I also don't trust store bought mice and in case you haven't noticed, there aren't any pet stores on the island. I prefer to capture a few live ones and breed them over the winter. Plenty of food for Eclipse that way and I know what they have eaten."
"Good evening to you Mr. O'Brien." Elizabeta says then starts walking away before stopping and looking over her shoulder. "Please don't disturb the traps, I will know if they are disturbed and I know how to find you." With that hint of a threat, Elizabeta headed to her Legacy house for the night.
<fin>
Once she reached the stables she moved out back where the old straw was kept. Eventually it would be carted off and used as fertilizer...but till then, it was a great place to find what she wanted. Mice.
Placing the case on a clean spot of ground she opened it up and pulled out several rectangular metal boxes, about 8" long. Once she had them out of the case, she walked to a a thick patch of grass growing along the base of the stable. Mice like moving along sides of buildings, close to cover. A solid wall was one less area a threat can get at them. No mouse would run out in the open, not if it could help it. She laid down the trap, set it and placed some peanut butter on the trigger. Most people may think cheese was the best way to use in a trap but Elizabeta knew peanut butter worked just as well as cheese and didn't harden as fast as cheese did.
Every twenty paces or so she set another trap, spacing them out and making sure they were out of the way. The last thing she wanted was McKay to complain of tripping over them. Or another student. So far she never had any issue setting the traps. Most times she only did it a few days at the beginning of the year. It didn't take long for her to catch enough to last her for a couple of months. After that, the group she kept alive, would have given her litters which she easily grew up to large enough size for her snake.
Walking back to her case, the first four traps set, she headed towards the other side of the barn. She set two more at each short end of the building, but none where the main doors are. Unless students walked around the stable, her traps often went unnoticed. Not always. Some brat destroyed two of them last year. Fortunately it wasn't hard for her to replace them. Most were simple Muggle contraptions with a minor enchantment cast upon them. A simple charm attuned to a bracelet she wore which would warm up should any of the live traps catch a mouse.
She crouched down and started setting the two traps on the left side wall of the stable.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After seeing his sister stolen away by the Lighthouse, Lorccan once more retreated to the grounds to be alone. He was furious but what could he do? The Lighthouse was some sort of sentient magical thing and it picked its own Keepers. Of all the Legacies his sister had to end up in was the only one he couldn't get in himself. Its not like he could swim across the channel to the little island the Lighthouse stood upon. The cliffs made it impossible to do it, not unless he went to the far side of the island to launch a boat.
Who was he kidding? Siobhan was in the one place he can't get into. He highly doubted he would be chosen, if he was why wasn't he taken the same time she was? It left him in a very foul mood. Lorccan was best alone when he was in a foul mood.
Walking by the stables he noticed an older student, laying out what looked like little rectangular metal boxes. Curiosity burned through his anger and he walked up to the raven haired 6th year.
"What are you doing?" He asked, picking up one of the boxes she just set on the ground.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elizabeta turned when she heard somebody approach, spotting one of the O'Briens. She frowned when he picked up one of the traps she just laid.
"Its a live trap to catch mice." She explained, walking over and carefully taking it from his hands. "I prefer to catch my own mice and this is a good way to do it."
The younger student didn't protest when she took the trap from him which suited Elizabeta well. It wasn't his to touch anyway. She placed it back among the tufts of grass growing along the side of the stable. "Once I get at least one male and a couple females, I won't needs these traps anymore for the rest of the year."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Kind of stupid to use these things to catch mice." Lorccan snorted, finding it was the most ridiculous thing for a witch to do. "Just summon the mice, save you all this time and hassle. Unless you don't know how to cast a summoning spell. I heard they are taught in Charms in fourth or fifth year."
He leaned against the stable wall, watching as she placed the trap down where he had picked it up. Maybe she sucked at summoning spells, afterall he didn't do all that well in his classes. Not that he wasn't bright it was more, he didn't find the classes worth his time.
"Why do you want live mice anyway?' Lorccan asked, realizing catching mice was an odd thing to do for a witch. "Afterall you can just buy them at any pet store."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She shot the boy a dirty look. Elizabeta certainly didn't appreciate being called stupid by a little brat of a wizard. Putting her last trap down inorder to give herself some time to cool her temper, Elizabeta didn't answer the boy's question till she was finished what she came here to do. Standing, she walked over to the case she brought the traps in and closed it up.
"I know how to cast a summoning spell and yes, I could have used it to summon up all the mice I want. However, that wouldn't work in my favor. The spell doesn't discriminate against what mouse it 'summons'. It can be one from the other side of the island, a student's pet or an old thing that is well past breeding age. By using the live traps I get active mice who are searching for food or nesting material. They are more likely to be healthy and not somebody's pet. Besides, setting the traps myself gives me an excuse to be outside."
"I need them to feed my snake." Elizabeta says simply. "I also don't trust store bought mice and in case you haven't noticed, there aren't any pet stores on the island. I prefer to capture a few live ones and breed them over the winter. Plenty of food for Eclipse that way and I know what they have eaten."
"Good evening to you Mr. O'Brien." Elizabeta says then starts walking away before stopping and looking over her shoulder. "Please don't disturb the traps, I will know if they are disturbed and I know how to find you." With that hint of a threat, Elizabeta headed to her Legacy house for the night.
<fin>
