The same reason they were... wait, hold on, what? Toby blinked and looked properly at Dakest, wondering if the professor knew he was talking in riddles. He puzzled over how any sort of Quidditch skills might possibly lead to the two of them stood in the middle of the creature housing. Toby had actually started to realise what it was that Dakest had meant, but the next question drove those thoughts from his mind entirely.

He'd had his eyes on Dakest while he'd been thinking, but now quickly looked away again. "I dunno what you're talking about," he said automatically, and then instantly cursed his runaway mouth. It was almost a natural reflex for Toby to deny knowledge or memory of anything negative, even to himself, and as that one lesson had been a complete and utter disaster (including the dummy incident), he'd attempted to drive it from his memory. But in recent years, usually at home, when he'd made a steadfast claim of ignorance, he was usually reprimanded (though gently) for not being truthful. He quickly backpedaled now, not wanting Dakest to think him a liar. "I mean..."

Toby chewed at his bottom lip for a moment, stepped down from the stable door so he was back to his regular height again, then (perhaps predictably) started chewing at his fingernails instead. After a few moments thought, he spoke again. "It was an accident. It just sort of happens, sometimes. When I get really-" Toby paused, just catching himself before saying 'angry, or really sad'. But saying it would be admitting that he felt those t hings, and that was a very un-Toby-like admission to make, so he went with a broader definition. "-... overwhelmed. Things just... yeah, I dunno."

Fire. It was always fire. Which was... slightly worrying, for reasons.