The old man ignores and continues about his business, revealing a metal mechanism partially to Hermione. Licyn, having listened to the sake of heavens, hung back when Hermione walked over, giving himself a full body shake before his heavy head shifted from side to side, ears flicking forward, then back.

He trots after her not two heartbeats later, ears pinned flat against his head. The vines are dying at an increasingly swift rate, new ones pushing up from the ground as the world around them groans, the walls from before beginning to shift around as if dancing in a slow, drunken manner.

He's right back behind Hermione all over again, though he swings sideways, now pressing his side against her backside so nothing can sneak up and bap him on the rear. The vines will try, they're grabby, he's dealt with that already, but the walls? He hadn't seen them actively shift before now.