Originally Posted by Felixir

WHEW. This was exhilarating. Something about running on a cool October morning was that extra bit invigorating. Merlin knew, trying to run on a hot summers day could make someone sluggish. Maybe. Sorta. Okay, so... maybe not Toby. ANYWAY. Point was, he was away, and ready to go, and so was his brain.

Oh, OH. And Adi was already off. He was an eager badger, wasn't he. Toby followed him right on into the lake, not needing to roll any trouser legs up (because running shorts) and not bothering to remove his shoes (because idiot). And... oh. OH. Yes. It was... really quite cold. Though Toby had experience of jumping into this lake fully clothed in, uh... November. So. No big.

"So..." he called to Adi, now looking around for him and seeing that he'd accidentally gone waaaaay further out than him, having not heard his earlier comment. Oops. So there stood Adi in a couple of inches of water, and here was Toby, up to about mid-thigh. Well, the flags were tall, may as well make use of that, right?. "How do we do this? Like... how do we measure the depth? Stick it in, and THEN measure? Take it back out to measure? Mark the water level on the flag and then... measure the difference later?" Toby was asking these questions, but all the while he was already starting the process, not really waiting for answers.

Just thinking out loud, y'know.

Okay so, flag went into the water, the first step was easy. So now he could mark the water level and take it back out and measure ooooor... no, it'd be easier to just stick it into the floor and then line up the huge ruler next to it. So that's what Toby did. Luckily the floor of the lake was squishy enough to stick things into, but firm enough to hold. Once Toby was sure that the flag that bore his name on was stuck into the ground deep enough that it wouldn't fall over, he lined up the long ruler RIGHT next to the flag pole, with the end of THAT (the end with the zero value) down at the floor end.

Toby paused now, trying to keep as still as he could, and not disturb the water too much so he could get an accurate measurement. When the lake was as still as he was going to get, he noted where on the ruler the water level was, marked it with his thumb just for good measure (in case he forgot... which was likely) and turned back towards the sure, bringing the rule with him and leaving the flag where it stood to mark his place.

And Adi was speaking.

"Oh, uh..." Toby slowed a little as he waded out, and held up the ruler to double check the measurement. "Two feet... exactly, wow." WHAT were the CHANCES of THAT? Pretty amazing, right? And super convenient for later calculations. The Hufflepuff eyed his prefect as he finally made it out of the lake. "How about you?"

Log. Right. Yes. He should... do that. Soon. He'd set down his parchment and stuff somewhere around here...