Although the part of Josie's mind that actually registers it is too far away to make anything of it right now, there's a heavy thump at the door, like the sound of a very big man walking backwards into it. It's followed by an impatient rattling of the door handle, and a series of knocks as the party on the other side conclude that the door is in fact locked and it's still too early to start tearing it down yet.
Josie, taken for the moment by the beast that resides within her, sits poised and waits, willing her prey to show itself.
On the other side of the door, Mellie is really starting to build up steam. She's now arriving at the most terrifying stage: the one where she goes all calm and composed. In a voice that almost sounds fully under control, she tells Hugo: "Downstairs, now. Make yourself useful. We'll continue our little talk later."
Which will probably be painful, but for now you get some respite.
In the common room, meanwhile, Thaddeus is yet unable to spy anyone looking like the man in the picture professor Ivensten gave him. You were told to meet him here around eight o'clock, but naturally the excitement that this Voyage of Scientific Discovery sparks made you cheat a bit and arrive far too early. Your contact, Mr. Day, is an acquaintance of the professor, who refused to tell you much about him, saying you'd have more fun finding out for yourself. He was deemed the perfect tutor for this particular study, and you trust your mentor's judgement fully in matters like these.
You are now left with some time to kill, of course.