Building a raft!!! That was too cool. He walked a bit away from the large group and then whistled loudly an waved his arm in the air. "Anyone want to be on a team with me and build a BIG raft?!" he said excitledy as he balanced himself on a piece of lumber.

They could build a super raft with magic and muggle work.

Simon looked at the Professor. "You mean too say you haven't seen the Oxford V Cambridge boat race?" Simon was shocked. "Professor you don't know what your missing." Simon said. "They have a race on the river Thames it's a laugh expecially when the boat sinks because they keep on rowing even thought they know the boat is going to sink." Simon smiled. "I'll tell you more about it later." Simon said.

Simon looked at the Professor, he wondered how many people had brought their wand, he hadn't, there was nowhere for him to put his wand so he had left it somewhere safe.

"Heigh-ho, heigh-ho It's off to work we go." Simon suddenly started to sing as he looked around and got a few pieces of wood and some string. "Professor do you have a Hammer and some nails?" Simon suddenly asked.

A boat? Hmm... This should be interesting! he mused. Anyone wanna...? he began, but then trailed off, thinking better of it. If someone wanted to work with him, they would just ask. But students tended to stay away from group work with Keefer. He preferred to think it was because he was free-spirited and spontaneous.

Skipping over to the pile, he lugged some wood over to a small clearing about ten feet away from the rest of the group. Walking back over to the supplies, he sized up the rope and glue. Glue will never dry fast enough to be much help, and I doubt it's waterproof he thought, but he would need something to hold it all together. With a shrug of his shoulders, he picked up a length of rope and said Diffindo! to cut a reasonable amount. He coiled it up and hefted it along with glue back to his small stack of lumber.

Staring at his small pile of supplies, he pondered his next move. This is going to be difficult.

Leilani wasn't too excited about the whole group thing. Not the easiest thing for her, especially since she knew almost nobody in this class. And just when she felt positive she was doomed, mister big head saved the day.

"Yeah!!" she yelled back.

Well..... That was easy.

Well that was sure fast. Someone had already volunteered to be in his group. He waved excitedly to her from atop his lumber island. He jumped off and walked closer to her, it wasn't cold in just his swim trunks down on the Grounds.

"My name's Chris Potter, Head Boy. What's your's?" he asked with a grin, eyes squinted into the sun.

Yeah, see? The conversation Brinkley had imagined went somewhere along the same lines to the conversation they actually had. Pointing. Giggles. Smiling. Appraisal.

Boys and Girls were universally the same. "My name is not Brinky," he protested with a small frown before directing the same disapproval at the Hufflepuff next to her. If he waved too, Brinkley was going to hurl. Waving was so awkward. "Fun....I wouldn't use that word. I guess it's...interesting."

Oh. It was Grayson again. Merlin, no matter where he went the third years just sniffed him out like chocolate biscuits. "That sounds like a grand idea actually," retorted Brinkley with brows raised. His hands sought out his trouser pockets instinctively. However, the gesture ended up being awfully clumsy due to the fact that---well, he had no trouser pockets because he had no trousers on.

Bloody swimming trunks. "You can go sail, I'll just stand here." And survive.


....who was Raiden talking to? Brinkley made a face at the distracted Prefect before grumbling about his missing trousers some more.


First, she laughed at him, removed all his remaining scraps of dignity by forcing him to mount his desk and now....she asked for him to face one of his greatest fears and sail the frackin' lake all the way to the other side, hostile merfolk and man-eating cephalopods aside.

"I think I'm going to barf," he mumbled, twisting his body to dry heave away from Sho.


If he hadn't been dry heaving earlier he was definitely now. "The professor what?" he said with a disgusted look and clamped a hand over his mouth. "I hope you're..."

HEAVE. Did he insinuate something about Professor Lainey's looks?


HEAVE. HEAVE. GAG. "Yeah, well, with his last comment," he whispered back, hands on his knees. "I can't possibly fathom him being innocent."



Brinkley looked up from where he was willing himself to throw up to...EYE the Head Boy. No. The last thing he needed was to be in a team and he felt he was unknowingly being shoved into one as he felt like puking his stomach out.

"I am rubbish at team work," he murmured to anyone who was hearing. "Don't pick me."

Selena looked around. She was dying today. There would be crazy people running around. It was like Muggle Studies all over again. She hoped there were no saws here. Or power drills. She looked around again for someone to work with. She saw Leilani with some other guy. She wondered if... "Hey, do you guys mind if I work with you?" she said with a bit of a hopeful smile. They didn't seem crazy and didn't look like they would kill her.

Raiden. Raiden. Raiden.

Jacqueline repeated that several times inside her head, and soon discovered that the name will never stay there. She grinned at him, and introduced herself, regardless. "Jack. That's my name. Jack."

Chatting up the Slytherin prefect may have been a priority of hers, had it not been because the Hufflepuff had said. such an atrocity. How offensive, really.

???????????????????? "You don't know who BARTY is?" Eyes opening wide, and then narrowing them in suspicion, she continued, "So what planet are you from? Because Bartholomew Henry the Second is the giant squid!"

Jacqueline ignored Brinkley's response, and rolled her honey eyes at his dramatics. He nudged the Big and Alien Hufflepuff student, and went to join the group composed of Sho, Brink, Slytherin Boy and... a girl of short stature. "So when do we begin?" She'd already formed her group, clearly, "And this is Hufflepuff boy I just met." Hufflepuff Boy was his name, yes. "He's cool beans except he doesn't know who Barty is." Jack was quick to make introductions, and gave the group of people a look that obviously said, 'He's obviously from another planet.'

Looking up from the first Slytherin girl to join him he noticed another one coming. AMBUSH!!! Oh never mind they wouldn't hurt them. *giggle* He liked the snakes more than not.

"Hello there, what's you name? I'm Chris Potter." he said holding out his other hand to shake her's. She looked a bit cautious. "Hey now no need to be nerous working with me. I most likely won't hurt you with anything. I would feel awful ....I could lose my badge." he said pretending to be serious. "Just kidding if I do hurt you I would care about you." he nodded as if that was anymore reassuring.

Ok so a raft. The Head Boy looked around the stuff in the area. "What do we need first?" he asked the girls.

WHAT!?

She did NOT just call Marie a psycho... did she?

"I am NOT psycho," she said pouting. Sure, she may do some crazy things but that didn't mean the professor had to call her a psycho. That was just... MEAN.

AHA!

She was right, they DID have to build their own raft to sail on. Hmmm, maybe the professor meant to call her a psychic and it just came out wrong. Still that thought didn't make her feel any better. The professor had blurted out in front of the whole class that she was a psycho.

Whatever

She would show that she wasn't crazy. She would build the BEST raft ever... with a little help of course. "You guys wanna work together on this?" she asked Carter, Destiny and Evelyn. Yeah, the four of them together (and anyone else) should be able to build an awesome raft.

Deciding on what to do, he picked up each piece of wood in turn, pointed his wand, and said "Impervius." He did the same for the ropes. There. That ought to take make it sufficiently waterproof! He did a quick count and saw that he had ten logs. That should be just enough for a one-man craft. Excellent.

He started by laying two logs parallel to each other on the ground, about six feet apart. He then went to lay seven other logs on top of these, all perpendicular to the two on the ground. These are heavy! I think I'll help myself along a bit... Muttering under his breath, he said "Wingardium leviosa" and deftly guided each log into its place in the top layer. Next, he snaked the rope in an out of the logs, lashing them together. When he was finished, he looked proudly at his handiwork--well, partly wandwork as well.

That oughta do it! He admired his craft, but then felt that something was still missing from it. It needs some flair... I know exactly what this dingy needs! Thinking of his sheets down in the common room, he concentrated with all his might and said "Accio!" He waited with baited breath, and was disappointed when nothing happened. After all, he hadn't learned the spell in class yet, but had only heard some fifth years practicing it for their O.W.L.'s. Ok, I'll give it one more go. Maybe a bit more specific this time... Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes and uttered the incantation. "Accio Keefer's bed sheet!" Within ten seconds, his sheet was soaring towards him. YES!

He caught the sheet, though not without clumsily tangling himself in it first. He folded it up and lashed it to the remaining log, which was placed vertically up into the air in the middle of his raft. "Finished! Let's go see if she floats!"

Er. Right. Groups.

Raiden looked at those he was standing near. Sho, Brinkley, some... small Ravenclaw person who had sneaked up on them, the Hufflepuff who apparently didn't know the Giant Squid, and... Jack?

Jack.

"Right. Nice to meet you, Jack," he murmured, smiling again before gesturing around to all of them. "Should... we all work together? It would be easier with the lot of us."

And they were all mostly older students, so they could do useful spells. Yes, this was a good plan. They wouldn't sink halfway across the lake.

He looked at the small, unidentified Ravenclaw and the Hufflepuff.

"Who are you guys?"

Selena was still a bit cautious. That's what everyone said before they killed you. 'I'm not going to kill you!' Then bam, you're dead. She took his hand and shook it. "It's nice to meet you Chris Potter, I'm Selena Vivianne Zabini-Riddle," she said with a smile. Yeah... she wasn't worried about working with him, she was worried about all the people that would be running around with saws and power drills trying to kill everyone.

Eh. He didn't seem half bad. So time to start. "Well, we need, obviously, wood, then nails, I suppose, a drill, or we can just use a sticking charm to make a flat raft," she offered. Always take the easy way. It means less work.

The guy didn't look so good. Probably got seasick or something. "I know right?" As if the Gryffindor had agreed with him. Chez put a hand on the dude's shoulder and whispered into his ear.

"Totally hot for a Professor," he didn't want the ~girls to hear that. They might not approve.

Chez' eyes narrowed at this girl, who's name was apparently Jack based on her chat with the Slytherin. She was getting defensive over this party, and Chez was getting defensive over his cluelessness. JOY.

"NO!" He exclaimed to his defense. "Squid? And you nam---"

....

"OOOOOOOH. I've heard about that actually." He crossed his arms and looked at the girl from the corner of his eye. Anyways, she was off again and he took this as his cue to follow. Toward... the group of people. A group of people that didn't know his name.

"--Chez," he interjected. "Call me... Chez." Czeslaw was a ghastly name. He nodded at his peers. "And don't blame me, I just transferred here. Barty seems... cool. I guess." Not really but whatever. Green eyes scanned the group, he needed, NEEDED some sort of words to fill in any awkwardness he might have sensed. "SO. Boat right? Yeah... boat."

Leilani smiled. "My name's Leilani, I'm a fourth year." she said in her distinctly American accent. Dang. Even she was wearing a t-shirt over her bathing suit. How did he manage that? If it had been her, she'd have felt practically naked.

YAAAAY!! SELENA!! okay, serious face. What would they need? "Uh, lumber, rope, metal if at all possible." that last one was unlikely to be there but if they could find some it would deffinitely help.

Well, this was just getting better and better. Grayson had decided to come over too, along with Raiden and Jack...but that huge Huffie had decided to follow her. This was alarming. However, more alarming was the fact that Brinkley was doubled over and apparently trying to barf.

The Squid had a name? " His name is BARTY?" Sho laughed aloud and looked highly amused. That a giant squid would have such a cute name just tickled her funnybone.

Oh right. There was a heaving Brinkley to deal with. She came a bit closer, eyes widening at the dry heave noises.

Concern furrowed Sho's brow. " Hey...um. You're kinda stuck with us. But...if you want to just..supervise? Something?" She didn't want him to BARF all over them. Turning her attentions to Jack, she smiled. At Jack. Not the suspicious Huffie. " So. Whos' doing what?" She said, obviously antsy to get this thing GOING already.

That huffie was speaking again. " Yup, Chez. Boat building for all." Sho said. And she thought SHE had a weird name.

Oh, so Gryffindor boy understood sarcasm. Made things even more fun, as far as Grayson was concerned. Especially as it meant she got to be amused by his attempt at sticking his hands in nonexistent pockets. Sticking her own hands in the pockets of her cutoffs, she sent him a grin. "Okay. We'll make a boat, you can stand there, and then we'll tie you to the mast to get you across the lake. So you don't fail the lesson," she said matter-of-factly, trying not to giggle, especially as his attention went to the others nearby.

So Slytherin prefect's name was Raiden. Grayson made a note of that, at the same time as she neatly stepped aside to avoid Gryffindor boy's dry heaves. He was definitely dramatic, but entertaining. She glanced around, however, as the other Ravenclaw girl who had joined them spoke loudly about Barty. The squid. Apparently the big Hufflepuff boy didn't know who Barty was, and as far as Grayson was concerned everyone should have known that. But then, everyone should know why her ferret's name was Draco, too, and Torin hadn't known that. So maybe this big Hufflepuff was like Torin, except not quite as giant, as far as she was concerned.

Ravenclaw girl had introduced herself to Raiden as Jack, so Grayson just nodded as it seemed she was joining their group. "Grayson," she said, eyeing Hufflepuff boy as Jack did. He needed to be informed of stuff. "Well, he doesn't want to go across the lake," she continued, deciding to answer Jack's question. "But I think we need to build a boat. Or a raft. Or something. At least, that's what Professor Lainey said." Educating weird Hufflepuff boy, who was apparently named Chez, would just have to wait, although she'd decided someone was going to have to do something about him. Maybe Gryffindor boy could tell him things while the rest of them built whatever it was they decided to build. Except Gryffindor drama boy seemed disgusted by Hufflepuff boy. Oh well.

Jayce looked around. He most definitely did not want to work by himself. Group, Group. I need a group. He thought to himself. He looked over to some older student in Gryffindor colors and two girls in Slytherin colors. Hm.. "Hey, do you guys mind if i join your group?" he asked as he walked over to them.

Daisy squeealed. "OMG I can't believe it. I still remember how to make a boat too!!" she pulled out her wand and had all the supplies she needed levitated to her and then she began. She too it slow starting with the bottom of the boat and the outside of it. she used her wanted mutter spells that her dad had used when she was six. she watched as a boat slowly formed. Once the outside was sand and she even had inscribed her name on it. In the end iit was a good looking boat. Powered by magic and hard labor. "Finished...just one more touch." she waved her wand and muttered a few words then the boat turned Gryffindor colors. "It's officaily done."

Chris smiled brightly at the first girl. "Nice to meet you Leilani, you know I seem to attract alot of Slytherins." he chuckled. "Random Chris Potter fact number one. I also punched a Doxy once, but that's a story for a different time." he nodded and then conjured a peice of parchment out of the air to jot a few things down for their raft. Noticing that she was looking at his bare torso. "Hey don't look at me like that!" he faked a whine and used his arms to cover his upper-body and then burst into laughs. He liked messing with people obviously.

"Good to meet you Selena. I guess you two know each other?" he wrote a few more things on the list. "OK so I think we can start now. I am comfortable using either way you guys want magic or muggle-style. But I think we should split the work up between the three of us in tasks. I volunteer to build the hull. I will let you two decide who does which of the other two things; the mast and sail or the oars and rudder (thing that steers boat)." he nodded as he began to cut pieces of wood to be the same length using a saw. Might as well put his Muggle Studies work to use.

Looking up from his wood cutting, the Head Boy noticed another person joining them, someone who looked vaguely familiar from the Common room; a fellow Lion! "Hello there, Chris Potter, Head Boy. Sure you can join us. Which of the things I listed before would you like to help with?" he asled with a grin. The more the merrier.

Oh goodie, they were going to build a boat.

Whoever got stuck with Destiny in their group better HOPE they know how to breathe under water, since she was SURE the boat would sink. It would sink just like that really big boat she saw on the muggle box, the one that CRASHED into that iceberg. The only difference between her and the muggle lady on the box would be Destiny telling that dude Jack to LET GO! There would be NO way she would hold his hand for that long.

Especially when the dude was like DEAD!

Crazy muggles.

As she thought about that crazy muggle thing, Destiny started to look around for a group. She didn't have to look very far, since Marie had come over and asked! Excellent! "Sure, we can all work together!" she said. Like Marie even had to ask that question!

"Can I be the CAPTAIN!?"

'Cause that would be SO cool!

Looking up from his work for the first time, Keefer noted the general confusion and chaos. Not bad, just the right amount. Every class needs a good bit of craziness he decided. That's why he liked Lainey's classes. For the craziness. He was also amused by the fact that most groups didn't seem to be making any progress on their boats. Perhaps there are Wrackspurts around and they cannot figure what to do he mused, as if this were an entirely plausible occurrence. Keefer wore Wrackspurt siphons to every lesson in order to avoid just such a problem. Well, time to test the HMS Keefer, I'd say.
Wand aloft, Keefer levitated his small craft over to the edge of the lake, letting it come to rest on the top of the water. Ending his spell, he saw that the boat floated. Right-o! Now to get on! Humming a sea chanty, he stepped onto the raft. Fortunately, the raft floated and Keefer's 1920's style white-and-orange-striped bathing suit stayed dry. He stepped back off and dragged the craft back onto terra firma.
Spotting Lainey, he sauntered over to her, back to practicing his freestyle swim stroke as he walked. "Sorry to bother your relaxation, Professor, but I was wondering if you could inspect my raft, please."
Perhaps after his craft was given the ok, he might find a log to lie on and practice his swim strokes like back in the classroom.

Leilani laughed. She hadn't been looking at him like that. He was a funny guy. She turned to Selena to ask which one she wanted. "I don't mind either, you can take whichever you like." of course, she'd probobly get her's done faster considering she was planning on using magic. Hey, as long as it got finished.

How did that swimming lesson help any one at all? It was....everything was.... Legend ran his hand threw his hair. Okay. Enough thinking his brain was gonna explode soon. Lainey clearly wasn't a normal professor. No wonder his sister had liked her. He on the other hand....was really freaked out.

Good thing he knew how to swim.



"No thanks man..." Building a super boat? That meant there was an even bigger chance of that boat going sinking, and everyone being eating by the squid and the merpeople. Yeah right.


Waiit a second! Was that Czes by those group of people? WHO WOULD WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH HIM?! Legend frowned that was not cool, he even knew one of those kids. It was DIRT KICKER! Or....whatever her real name was again. Some boy name like Grayer...maybe.

"Hey you dirt kicker! Or...you people with dirt kicker! You guys know how to build a boat?" Cause he sure didn't. And even if stupid Czes knew he would have to work with him.

Siggggghhhhh.

Teamwork was a pain.

BUILDING A BATTLESHIP!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeep!

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!
Miranda bounced on her feet, looking quite excited that they'd be able to CONSTRUCT an awesome BATTLESHIP out of whatever they wanteeeeed! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY - and they could use MAGIC! *ZOMGGASP!*

Seeing everyone getting into groups, she decided to work alone until someone wanted to work with her. But, she wasn't holding her breath. Hehe.
OH GOOOOODYYYYYYYY!

So, the first thing she did was make the chocolate she had in her secret-chocolate-hideout and make it appear on the grass before her. And then she sat down to eat and ponder and think. WHAT did she need to build the superaweasomeBATTLESHIP of awesome!?