Chapter 4
The weekend came round and resulted in Genevieve getting pulled out of her bed by her best friend.
“Want to come to Hogsmeade with me?” asked the blond.
“What for?” asked Genevieve.
“Garrick wants to break the news that he got into Ravenclaw to Mother and Father in person and I was informed this year that I was not to let Garrick wander over unaccompanied.”
Genevieve then remembered that Evelyn’s brother had joined their house that year.
“Why not?” she said with a smile and together they headed to breakfast where they then collected the younger boy.
“Excited for your first year at Hogwarts Garrick?” she asked and he nodded.
“There’s so much to learn that I’ll be able to finally incorporate into my studies on Wandlore!” he exclaimed.
“And you can finally stop borrowing all my books,” snickered Evelyn.
“We’ll do twice as well changing the business the sooner we jump on making our case for going to three core’s only.” Insisted Garrick and Genevieve couldn’t help but feel the child was wise beyond his years. A good fit for Ravenclaw then.
“Well, if anyone can take the wand business to new heights, I imagine it would be you two,” said Genevieve. Evelyn smiled her arm looped through her friend’s
“Because you aren’t biased at all.”
“Doesn’t mean it’s not true,” said Genevieve grinning. They reached Ollivander’s wands where Evelyn and Garrick’s father met them with a bright smile.
“Missed me already?” he asked.
“No. But we did want to share the good news,” said Evelyn.
“The Ollivander Ravenclaw line continues!” said Garrick proudly. Gervaise came around the counter to hug his son tightly.
“Congratulations my boy. Not a surprise mind you but I’m pleased all the same.”
“What would you have done if he wasn’t?” asked Genevieve humorously.
“Had to buy different house colors in the coming years. Its far simpler to get Ravenclaw in bulk,” said Gervaise wryly.
“Huh,” said Genevieve. She’d never really thought about how some family’s had children in different houses and others seemed to have a straight line in the same house.
“Well at least you won’t be buying anymore school robes for me after this year,” said Evelyn with a smile.
“No indeed, though you’ll as be needing to start budgeting young lady. I’ll pay you to work in the shop and you can have room and board, but you’ll be supplying your own clothes and anything else you want once you graduate.” Evelyn nodded looking resigned.
“Fair enough. Gen and I are going to go walk around now we’ll be back later to pick up Garrick.”
“Why can’t I come?” asked Garrick.
“Because…adult stuff,” said Evelyn clearly stretching for a reason.
“Come on I’ll show you what I’ve been working on,” Gervaise told Garrick which pacified the boy. Genevieve and Evelyn left and Evelyn sighed.
“I love him but…”
“Don’t want to carry your 11-year-old brother around on your outing all day?” asked Genevieve.
“Yes. Especially considering out “outings” generally end up getting dangerous.”
“Come on not always,” said Genevieve. “Just…most of the time.” Before Evelyn could answer a squeaky voice called out to them.
“Hello!” They looked over to see a house elf in front of an empty building. It looked to be female with wispy white hair and a tartan dress.
“Can we help you?” asked Genevieve as they approached.
“Oh! Penny was just wondering if you would like to own your own shop and have a house elves help to run it? Penny can sell practically anything.”
The idea was enticing. Genevieve picked up various pieces of clothing occasionally along her adventures in random chests. She’d sell it usually to Gladrags. Or in the case of excess potions ingredients Pippins.
“That would be useful,” she said then glanced at Evie. “If there’s not a catch I’d split.”
“I mean it’s not a bad idea though there probably is one.”
“If you want the shop you should talk to my mistress Cassandra Mason,” said Penny.
“She’s selling you and the shop?” asked Evelyn.
“Mistress rarely confides in Penny but says she’s tired of trying to let it. She’s had rotten luck with the last few tenants.” Suddenly the creature gasped covering her mouth and holding her breath.
“Are you alright?” asked Genevieve. Finally Penny released her breath.
“Penny is fine she simply needs to remind herself not to talk so much.” Genevieve shared a skeptical look with her friend.
“Alright we’ll go find Madame Mason and find out more details,” said Evelyn.
“Wonderful! Mistress lives at the north edge of the village,” said Penny cheerfully. They began to walk away and Genevieve said.
“So clearly Penny wasn’t supposed to let slip quite so much.”
“No which makes the fact that there have been so many people suspect,” said Genevieve.
“Better not let Mason catch on to that though,” muttered Evelyn as they approached the woman’s house. Cassandra was an older witch dressed in olive green and wearing round spectacles.
“Hello!” said Evelyn cheerfully. “We heard you have a shop to sell.”
“Yes I do, are you interested?” asked the woman.
“Possibly. Obviously, we want to know the terms,” said Genevieve.
“Ah you’re wise to be wary in business dealings especially so young.”
“I’d say age is irrelevant if we’ve got the money,” said Evelyn.
“Confidence. I like it. Well the terms are very generous. I’ll sell you the shop and Penny for a good price and then if you fail to make a go of it you’ll let me buy it back at a discount.”
“Would the clause about us failing have to do with your previous tenants?” asked Genevieve innocently. Cassandra’s eyes narrowed.
“How did you…Well yes it would. We really don’t want any bad apples spoiling Hogsmeade so I want to play it safe you see.” Genevieve shared a look with Evelyn.
“Just a moment,” she said and they moved away.
“Still think there’s something up, right?” she said. Evelyn nodded.
“But now I’m also inclined to find out what.”
“If this goes sideways I’m going to get so much guff from Ominis,” muttered Genevieve before they headed back.
“We’ll take the offer,” said Genevieve and they exchanged the amount of gold requested.
“Excellent! If you could just do me one favor. There’s an old trunk of my dead husband’s items back in the shop. Since he passed, I haven’t been able to bring myself to retrieve them. Would you be able to get them for me?”
It was an odd request but also not one that could be refused without seeming like a prat.
“Sure thing,” said Genevieve with false cheer.
“Oh, thank you, Penny has the key.” They headed back and found Penny in the same spot.
“Well, we bought the shop. Mind you looks a bit run down,” said Evelyn as they entered and indeed several things were either broken or dusty.
“The last tenant left in a hurry,” said Penny.
“You reparo, I scourgify?” offered Genevieve. Evelyn nodded and after several minutes of wand work the place was back in order.
“Mistress Mason wanted Penny to be sure and give you this key. It opens a chest in the back room.”
“Oh yes she mentioned that,” said Evelyn.
“Penny wonders if you should open the chest,” said the elf before once more gasping and covering her mouth.
“Penny breath!” said Genevieve quickly and the elf let out a breath. Evelyn sighed.
“Penny technically since you came with the shop surely you don’t answer to Cassandra anymore right?” Penny paused.
“Penny supposes.”
“Then what’s in the trunk?” asked Genevieve. Penny shook her head.
“Penny doesn’t know. But Mistress Cassandra has sent every buyer into that trunk and none of them have come out alright.”
Genevieve shared a glance with Evelyn.
“SOOOO. Dangerous trunk that messes with people.”
“Presumably to the point they have to sell back the shop,” said Evelyn.
“Are we thinking we go down or go BACK?” asked Genevieve.
“Well the people didn’t DIE,” said Evelyn after a moment of contemplation.
“We could report it to the authorities though without proof of anything I doubt they’ll do…”
“Anything?” Evelyn finished. Genevieve nodded.
“Alright into the spooky suitcase it is!” said Evelyn.
“Nuh uh. We’re going into this prepared. Tomorrow?” suggested Genevieve. Evelyn tilted her head.
“Alright tomorrow.”
HL
Genevieve took that evening to brew a slew of potions that might be of assistance and made sure she was wearing proper dueling gear for the following day.
Once more they headed to Hogsmeade and into the shop. Opening the trunk Genevieve had a feeling of foreboding though it was nothing compared to how she’d felt going into some of her trials or facing down Ranrok.
“Anything bad happens to me you go back,” she said. Evelyn rolled her silver eyes.
“Ah yes just like you’d leave me behind. Fat chance Fig.” Genevieve huffed.
“Loyalty like that you should be a Gryffindor. Penny!” the elf appeared with a crack.
“Yes Mistress Genevieve?”
“If Evelyn and I aren’t back by dark I want you to go to Hogwarts and inform my father Professor Fig and Mr. Ollivander at the wand shop here in Hogsmeade.”
“Understood,” said Penny. With a nod Genevieve then descended down the ladder into the trunk.
At the bottom of the trunk which seemed far bigger than it should be was cellar full of barrels. Genevieve lit her wand and Evelyn did the same upon arriving next to her seconds later.
“Alright spooky cellar in the spooky trunk, that tracks,” said Evelyn as they moved through the rows of barrels and into what appeared to be a storage room packed with chests, furniture and mannequins. They investigated the chests finding a few items to give to Penny and were just about to leave what appeared to be a dead end when the door slammed shut.
“Well that’s not very hospitable,” quipped Genevieve trying to keep things light while eyeing up the mannequins that had started to make her uneasy.
Suddenly the room went dark. Genevieve and Evelyn both gasped and Genevieve was reminded of the trial in Gringotts.
“Oh goody! Someone to play with! You seem to have your wits about you! What fun this will be! For me at least!” exclaimed an impish voice as they both lit their wands revealing a doorless wood paneled room with mannequins hanging from above.
“Who’s there?!” she called without much hope.
“Revelio!” cast Evelyn and a door suddenly appeared and opened.
“Onwards out forwards,” said Genevieve.
“And away from the creepy mannequins,” muttered Evelyn as they moved through the door and into a long hallway lined with even more. However, they’d barely entered when a blue glowing shape rushed past hem and through the door at the end of the hall slamming all the ones on the side.
“BLOODY HELL!” swore Evelyn.
“Wait a moment does that remind you of anyone?” asked Genevieve suddenly. A colorful figure able to pass through things and causing chaos. Evelyn’s silver eyes widened and she knew her friend was coming to the same conclusion.
“Another poltergeist.”
“Which means magic is going to be useless directly against him,” said Genevieve she well recalled seeing several students try and fail to attack Peeves.
“Then we’ll have to out smart him,” said Evelyn new resolve crossing her face.
“Together?” asked Genevieve.
“Together.”
They went into the next room which appeared to be a storeroom with some mannequins however seconds later the room went dark turning before becoming a dungeon and then reverting back to the storeroom.
“Gen. Didn’t those mannequins used to be in a different position?” asked Evelyn and Genevieve looked to see that sure enough the wooden bodies had moved closer. Suddenly remembering a spell that Madame Thistlewood had used when they’d explored the little labyrinth Jackdaw had hidden his puzzle in she held out her wand.
“Point me!” her wand spun. Before pointing back towards the hallway they’d come through. Genevieve and Evelyn followed and surprisingly found themselves in a completely different one than where they’d come from this one green painted and lined with lamps as they descended some stairs a swarm of bats flew past them.
“Ack!” exclaimed Genevieve in surprise nearly dropping her wand.
“Bats lovely,” said Evelyn. Next was a room with floating upside down furniture including a lantern. Seeing it matched the one on the opposite side of the door at the end of the room she summoned it and hung it next to the door on the empty hanger.
“Nicely done,” said Evelyn.
“Yes how enlightening!” called the spooky voice of the poltergeist making them jump as the doors swung open. They hurried down the next hall even as the voice continued to speak.
“Hmm. You might survive a bit longer than the others.”
“Alright this one might give Peeves a run for his money if he’s been killing people,” said Genevieve.
“He’s trying to scare us, remember Penny said the people came back they just weren’t…right. My money’s on him doing something that drives them mad. They had to be alive if Cassandra is buying BACK the property.”
“Good point. Not that driving people to insanity is much better,” said Genevieve.
“Good thing sanity’s overrated eh?” suggested Evelyn clearly trying to lighten the mood as they approached the next room and Genevieve nodded.
Here they found an elegant open room full of furniture in the center floated a chair and as it turned a man dressed in a blue coat and white wig appeared cackling.
“Oooh! You’ve come so far so quickly! Well done! You might be just the playmate I’ve been looking for!”
“We didn’t exactly come to play,” said Genevieve not liking the poltergeist but also somewhat glad she’d faced worse. Not that she’d say it aloud. No need to encourage your enemies.
“But play you shall! I do hope you enjoy my playground! I encourage you to tell everyone about it! If you make it out that is!”
“The only thing we’ll be doing is making sure you can’t hurt anyone ever again,” said Evelyn. The man grinned.
“You can try! Many have all have failed!”
“Consider us overachievers,” quipped Genevieve. In response the poltergeist tossed his chair at her. She ducked as it smashed against the wall.
“Please try to get to the end. Perhaps then we can come to some sort of arrangement. I do want your shop to succeed after all.” He bowed then disappeared his voice echoing. “What’s that saying? Two sides to every story? Unfortunately for you both are mine!”
“Gen look out!” shouted Evelyn shoving Genevieve out of the way of a couch that hurled itself her way. “Reducto!” shouted the blond reducing the settee to ash even as Genevieve blocked an oncoming arm chair with an ancient magic enhanced protego. It bounced back giving her time to cry,
“Bombarda!” the chair broke apart and Evelyn used protego to protect them from debris. With their cushy assailants destroyed the doors on the right opened up leading to a garden.
“I adore this bloomin place!” cried the ghost as they rushed to the doors on the opposite side wands aloft.
“His puns are worse than Ronen’s,” said Genevieve dryly drawing a chuckle from her friend. On either side of the door was an empty lantern stand.
“No way forward without those,” said Evelyn. A revelio revealed little of use in the garden so they took a turn off into one of the side exits leading to a mannequin lined hall. Evelyn blasted them apart for good measure and at Genevieve’s questioning look she shrugged.
“Better safe than sorry.”
No sooner were the words said than they came to a dead end and as they tried to turn back darkness once fell. When it came back they found themselves facing several lines off the wooden bodies.
“I destroyed you lot!” huffed Evelyn.
“I am so doing research in to poltergeist powers after this,” said Genevieve as they backed up and blasted their way through a doorway that was blocked off by wooden slates. And apparently for good reason.
What they came out onto was a shoddily constructed floor with gaps every few feet.
“OOOH I’m afraid of the dark! Does it worry you that I can see you and you can’t see me?” asked the poltergeist.
“Not really!” called Genevieve defiantly nodding her head towards a floating lamp. Evelyn grinned and summoned it placing it on the lantern hook nearby. Immediately a bridge appeared before them and the door on the opposite side opened. It led them round to get to the wood bridge on the opposite side.
The poltergeist. Or the annoyance as Genevieve was starting to internally refer to him attempted to toss more furniture their way and knock them into the abyss below as she made to summon the lantern from across the way to get the bridge to the next room however Evelyn fended it off and soon they’d run into the next section which was something of dance hall.
“Ah worthy playmates well done me!” exclaimed the creature. Mannequins began to appear out of the dark to attack and Genevieve and Evelyn swiftly got back to back and began shooting off spells.
“Reducto! Bombarda! Diffindo!” she cried. One turned to ash, another blasted to pieces and a third was cut in half by the strength of her spell which she’d imbued with ancient magic. A forth got hit with an ancient magic blast proper that turned it into a chicken. She saw one lung with its arms up and cried,
“Protego” just in time to cause the blow to rebound though it made her stumble slightly. Evelyn wasn’t doing badly either mind you. Her seeming uneasiness with the mannequins only made her destruction of them more vicious. Eventually all that remained was piles of wood.
“Bit like inferi you know,” said Genevieve thoughtfully.
“Because I need THAT image in addition,” snorted Evelyn giving her a playful shove.
“I’m glad you’re here,” said Genevieve. Evelyn shrugged.
“What are friends for if not to blast your enemies to pieces?” A new door opened and they followed it the wall sliding back ward until the lights went out.
“Lumos!” they said in unison the tone practically rehearsed at this point. The result was a jaunt down several more long corridors till they found one of the lanterns and were able to make it back to the garden and drop off one of the lanterns.
“One down one to go,” she said as they took the next exit. Which led them to a room with a giant chess board.
“What’s this a game within a game! Knight to H-3!”
“Ok what’s the trick here,” asked Genevieve thoughtfully. “Revelio!”
Several of the squares showed up red.
Evelyn pulled a bit of parchment from her coat and waved her wand it was transformed into a rock then tossed it to a red square. There was a crack and then the square crumbled leaving emptiness below.
“Well that’d be quite the fall,” said Evelyn.
“Don’t step on the wrong tile then,” said Genevieve and they tentatively proceeded stepping only on the squares that were not glowing and testing each one slightly before putting their full weight on it. Her heart hammered and she only breathed properly when they’d made it to the opposite side.
“The deadliest game of chess ever invented,” quipped Evelyn as they continue coming across more confusing hallways. They found the missing lantern but were forced several times to maneuver it in strange ways through the various areas of the library like rooms before they managed to return to the garden and place it on its holder leading to the doors opening.
“I suppose you have to give him points for aesthetics,” said Genevieve as they headed down more steps and out onto another platform of poorly put together wood. The annoyance rose up in front of them
“Where of where shall I put these?” he cackled as he sent several chairs and tables hurtling their way. This time a protego was not powerful enough to stop them and Genevieve was knocked off her feet. She rolled to the side dodging the next blow before blasting it with ancient magic.
The pair focused on getting rid of what he could throw only to immediately have more mannequins rise up all while new pieces of furniture would send them occasionally stumbling if they didn’t dodge or blast in time.
“Diffindo! Reducto! Expulso! Descendo!” exclaimed Genevieve.
“Confringo! Stupify! Bombarda Maxima!” she heard Evelyn shout before there was a cry. Evelyn had managed to blast back a mannequin that had been about to get Genevieve however in doing so one had managed to grasp Evelyn and was pulling her towards the edge. Fear spiked and Genevieve raised he wand high silver magic sparking out and hitting all the remaining wooden creatures blasting them to smithereens.
She hurried to the edge and helped pull the dangling Evelyn up. The poltergeist seemed to have at least temporarily been scared off.
“Godric’s heart,” gasped Genevieve.
“You don’t say,” said Evelyn shakily as they both drank wiggenwelds. Genevieve felt her energy increase.
“Ready to keep going?” she asked.
“Have you met me Gen?” asked Evelyn raising an eyebrow. “Nearly killing me didn’t scare me off. It just hacked me off. Now I want some bloody payback.”
“Then let’s get it,” said Genevieve. They kept going passing through more endless corridors now also blasting stray furniture after a random chair attempted to attack them.
“Who knew decorations could be so violent?” commented Evelyn. Eventually they kept going round and round. Not even Genevieve’s point me spell helped.
“Going in circles are we? Perhaps try retracing your steps!” taunted the annoyance. Loath to obey the creature tormenting them but also wanting to get out. The pair did as they were told and found themselves in new corridors. As they passed under a door a giant spider dropped down and they both screamed.
“MERLIN’S PANTS!” Shouted Genevieve as the lights went out and they fell back here ears straining for the familiar clicking of pincers. However, when the lights returned they were in a new hallway empty but for three manniquines though the number increased and they surrounded them when things went dark ones more.
“Reducto Maxima!” the girls said together eliminating the creatures.
“I think our poltergeist has been reading one too many horror novels,” snorted Evelyn as they reached a room empty but for a jack in the box.
“Toss for who cranks the creepy box?” said Genevieve.
“I just nearly died!” huffed Evelyn.
“It could have been me,” argued Genevieve though it was mostly playful. Evelyn sighed and pulled out a gold galleon.
“Heads or dragons?”
“Dragons,” said Genevieve. Evelyn tossed and smirked.
“You’re turn.” Genevieve rolled her eyes and cranked the box. Luckily once the little clown puppet was sprung all that occurred was the room changing to a series of mannequin lined hallways. They went through liberal usage of the “blasty spells” at this point as only about half of them attacked them but it was never clear which were going to spring to life.
Several more lantern puzzles and a shifting wall room later they came out onto another platform. The poltergeist appeared and began to pull the floor out from under them they swiftly backed up into the safety of the previous room and the annoyance flew overhead still floating the wood.
“Follow me!!!” he cackled. She shared a glance with Evelyn.
“Beating him may be the only way out,” she said and together they pelted after the colorful shape and out into a courtyard where the poltergeist popped up again.
“Ahh! Finally! You my inordinately clever friend appear to have traversed this seemingly never ending dungeon relatively unscathed.”
“Yes only nearly died once,” snorted Evelyn.
“Trivial details,” said the poltergeist. “Now I suppose you’ll want to go. Everyone leaves me—usually in a straitjacket-never to return.”
“So you admit recently there are others who you’ve driven out of their minds,” said Genevieve.
“Oh yes it’s quite fun. But I’m starting to take it personally I’m tired of having no one to play with!” Evelyn looked as skeptical as Genevieve felt about the man’s sob story.
“You mentioned an arrangement,” said Genevieve.
“Yes! How about this?! If you can match wits with me now and agree to give me unfettered access to the shop for say…one day a month to have a little fun I’ll sign a contract, pursuant to which ahem, let me see I will…blah blah blah blah blah…oh YES!—leave you and your customers alone at all other times etc etcetera.” He pulled out a long contract. “You get your shop I get my chaos.
Genevieve paused and glanced at Evelyn.
“Give us a minute.” They stepped back out of earshot.
“There’s no way to eject poltergeists. We’ll never be rid of him no matter WHAT we do. Look at Peeves,” said Evelyn.
“True. But UNFETTERED. Doesn’t sound good. I think we need to make the conditions a bit more solid,” agreed Genevieve who didn’t love the idea of making a pact with the poltergeist but knew it was the only real option to even get out of here. Or keep the shop.
“Cassandra is SOOOO paying for this,” muttered Evelyn. “As far as matching wits goes. I think we can take whatever he’s got right?”
“Oh yes. Compared to Ranrok and his minions I don’t fancy this being too bad.” Agreed Genevieve before turning back to the spirit. “Right, We’ll give you two times a month IF you agree to do it after 9 at night. And the damage CANNOT be permanent. No more driving people to the mad house. The place has to be fixable in the mornings. You said yourself you want the shop to still work.”
The ghost pouted slightly.
“I suppose. Though really you might blame that Cassandra. She’s the one that had the deal with me before. Sending me playmates. But then she always comes to take them away.”
“But now you’ll renege to make a deal with us?” asked Genevieve. The poltergeist shrugged.
“YOU own the shop and EVERYTHING that came with it hmmm?” Well you couldn’t fault the man’s cleverness.
“One more thing then if we need you to do so you’ll tell people that Cassandra was responsible for having you drive multiple people crazy. Consider that a bit of free chaos to rain on her,” said Evelyn. The poltergeist smirked.
“Agreed. That is if you win. Time to play!!!” he waved a hand and the wood he’d gathered formed into a giant creature. It charged them and both Ravenclaws split to the side.
“It’s like a troll!” called Evelyn. Genevieve had to agree though that meant that like a troll they’d have to wear it down. She hit it with a blast of ancient magic and it stumbled before picking up a barrel and throwing it at Evelyn who caught it midair and sent it flying back to hit the monster.
“Expulso!” exclaimed Genevieve after drinking a maxima potion that caused the normally powerful blast to send the creature flying.
“Hit it together!” suggested Evelyn as they both once more dodged it’s lunge.
“On three!” said Genevieve. “One two, three! Bombarda!”
“Depulso maxima!” exclaimed Evelyn who had also tossed a chomping cabbage which while it didn’t cause the creature pain was successfully gnawing at the wood. Their double blast caused it to momentarily fall apart and gave them time to both drink wiggenweld before it began to reform.
Genevieve once more slammed it with several blasts of ancient magic and could see it weakening. Evelyn froze it with arresto momentum allowing them both to pound it with spells for a moment without have thing to duck. Frankly it was going well till more maniquinnes appeared for them to fend off.
Evelyn altered her focus to the smaller figures while Genevieve used her ancient magic to pull the nearby vines from the wall and snake them round the golem crushing it like a python. The monster struggled beginning to fall under the weight of the spells.
“For once try seeing things from my point of view!” taunted the spirit and Genevieve and Evelyn yelped as the ground suddenly turned upside down. Or at least their view did for their feat remained very much planted. The creature broke free of Genevieve’s vines and charged and she stumbled out of it’s path getting clipped by its arm and sent flying. It took longer than she’d have liked to orient herself and start firing spells again. Evelyn appeared to get her bearings only slightly faster.
Finally the mannequins were gone and the creature fell to pieces. As soon as it remained rubble the world righted itself and she fell rather undignifiedly on the ground. She sat there panting and brushed the sweat from her brow. It wasn’t as bad a Ranrok but it was tiring.
“Well! Well! Finally someone deserving of the playground I so meticulously crafted! Such a treat to have fun again in my little dungeon.”
“Fun yes,” said Evelyn helping Genevieve up.
“I presume now you’ll sign the contract and let us out?” said Genevieve.
“Yes, I suppose so. Never say that Fastidio is not a poltergeist of his word. And you did manage to wear me out after all,” he signed the contract with a flourish and handed it over. Genevieve pocketed it. Then Fastidio as she now knew him to be called waved his arms and things went dark. When the lights came up they were at the bottom of the ladder.