astro2-1
 

Honestly this was no big deal. West had no issues anyways, once again unerringly looking for the pointer stars and using those as a guide to find Polaris. Just as they'd been taught in class. Maybe for the next one he'd use one of the other methods just out of sheer whimsy. Seriously he'd found Polaris about a hundred times this school year already, it was effortless at this point. He spotted it and lined up the sextant then dropped the view down so that Polaris would be a direct line once he adjusted the mirrors. Which was the next step obviously.

Also he was hungry.

Just saying.

Astronomy 3: Post 2.
 

Keeping eyes up on Polaris, Dylan leveled the sextant up and prepared to push the clamp. Yep. He was about to push it...His fingers were moving TOWARDS it....slooooooooowly. Smirk. Then it was TOTALLY pressed.

Polaris...where are you?

Noting the mirrors and stuff, he waited for the North Star to make an appearance...He had to adjust and move the sextant a few times for it to become visible....but once it was, he locked it in place by releasing his finger-hold on the clampy clamp.

Bam. Hello, North Star.

....and yes, it was STILL trippy. What an odd instrument this sextant thing was...

Glancing down, Dylan seen the pointer indicating 36 degrees and rolled his eyes. How was magic effecting this thing so drastically? It was weird.


"Done."

astro2-2
 

He didn't mind the whole wandering around thing, at least Dylan wasn't being a jerk about it, you know, the whole 'accompanying' thing. Which was dumb, West thought. He WAS fifteen after all. This was what he was thinking as he brought the sextant in line with the horizon again, and then, pressing on the clamp he adjusted the sextant by moving the slide so that the mirrors would bring Polaris down and back into view. He had to move a bit and adjust it a little to get it lined up right, but once he had he let go of the clamps with a practiced ease, then gave it a swing to check it was right. Good o.

And for the measurement.

"Done." West agreed and followed Dylan off to the next spot. Where ever he wanted to go. You know. Cos West was just fifteen and couldn't be trusted to wander on his own and all that.

Oh? Were they talking about injuries now? This seemed legit and something she didn't mind discussing. At her old school she and the boys in her class would compare scars. She typically won and that was how she liked it. "I think the worst was the time I broke my arm at my elbow." That...that hadn't been as fun--but she could kinda beam at it now. "I fell off the neighbour's roof and landed badly on it." They were all still puzzled as to how she got up there but she wouldn't say or they'd try to make sure it never happened again. Not that she wanted to break something again but you get the point. "What about for you?"

"A wonderful offer but I'll probably be off finding my own trouble adventure. If we ever run into each other we could always merge them and have an epic one." There was always that option and she wouldn't have minded. He didn't seem like the type to get himself hurt then whine about it--he'd better not be.

Blink. Was it that surprizing? She figured everyone's kneazle did that. "He does." And there was a solemn nod added to that. "He hasn't caught anything at Hogwarts though which is good!" Of course that was because of her supervision...and really she was only assuming since no one was crying about a missing pet.

Lex grinned when she saw just how shocked he was. His reaction reminded her of Jeremy's. Only difference was, he wasn't yelling about how irresponsible or reckless she had been. "It wasn't so bad when I think about it but back then I know it sure hurt. I didn't cry though!" BEAM. That was probably the part she was most proud of, the fact that she didn't shed a tear even though IT. WAS. PAINFUL. "And Daddy got me ice-cream after we left the hospital so I guess I didn't mind it much." The ice-cream was nice enough and she'd gotten her way in the end.

"Oh neat! That must have really stung! How much did it bleed?? Were you crying a lot??" She leaned forward so she could see the scar. It was all healed now but it still looked epic. "Shame broken bones don't leave much of a scar, I could have had something to show off too." Then they could compare scars and it would be just like old times!!

Lex scrunched her nose. "Ew. History. Don't mention that." She was fine with an epic adventure but it making history meant more for her to study and fail in tests. No thaaaaanks.

Lex was positively BEAMing by now. So what if it was only a Firstie giving her compliments? They were still true. Not crying after something like that was a BIG deal. Her father kept saying that the pain was probably so much that it made her numb but that was all excess details she didn't care too much about. "I wouldn't call you weak. Everyone handles pain differently. I embrace it and think of how epic I am for making it through it, you could be different and I only got ice-cream because Daddy was trying to make it up to me. See, it was his fault why I fell. If he had just let me have my way earlier I wouldn't have climbed the roof in the first place." But she forgave him so all was good!

"Whoa..." Lex was in awe. "Not that that happening to you was cool but dude, that injury sounds wicked!" GRIN. Oh...erm...the bad memories part though. She moved back to her original spot, no longer staring. "We can talk about something else if you want...I don't mind." She wasn't trying to scar him, she just thought his cut was epic. Mooooving on?

Hehehehe tractors. "Lucky for you, those don't happen to be in my vocabulary much if at all." It wasn't a topic she really focused on, ever. She was more likely to spend hours talking about candy or mischief.

The last week or so he thought only of pie and still felt like a fool for having to ask his grandparents for more baking items, but he would explain to them very soon, the school year was almost done and over with. Then he would decide if he was to go to Wizard University or to go right into the Cash pie baking business. Nashville's grandparents really felt that he could make the pie shop sail into the future because it was still forty years in the past. But his mother and father always tell him education before pie and they wanted him to go into a journalism career because they thought he was good at writing and he was but pie was just more important to him.

Nashville was so glad he had baked more mango pies than any of the other pies. Almost done with the pie Nashville looked up to see who had joined him. RYAN! The other pie lover! Wooo! "Hieatpie,mate!" Nashville smiled with his mouth full of the mango pie. BUTTERBEER! Yuum. That was the perfect drink to go with pie...in his opinion. He wondered if anyone else was going to show up at this point.

How long well it was very time consuming. Nashville set his pie tin on the black and yellow blanket along with his fork. He knew he would have to save some ice cream pie for Alec. "Well I had to wait a couple of days to get some of the baking items and ingredients from my grandparts...afterIthreweverythingintothefire. So about a week but it only took me three or four days to bake all of them." Nashville nodded grabbing another mango pie. "The ice cream pies take the longest to make though." Nashville sighed taking a piece of his pie on his fork.

Someone who actually agreed that falling off the roof wasn't her fault. She knew she liked this kid and he got himself another GRIN. "Daddy's trying to learn the muggle way of doing stuff so Amanda can be comfortable--she's a muggle, doesn't know anything magical and she's always freaking out about the silliest things." Lex rolled her eyes. Her father might not have been willing to admit it but the woman was a nut-case, she couldn't understand why he married her. Er...not that she had anything against muggles. Definitely not. "Is your mum muggle, or muggleborn?" Just wondering since she knew stuff about them.

Flashbacks? Those were some of the best parts of an injury, going over it in your head, remembering everyone's reactions and storing it away in your memory but meh, to each his own. Kace didn't like the flashbacks. "I definitely think so. I didn't get many bruises as a kid, just got hurt. Daddy keeps telling me it's a good thing because I shouldn't be wanting scars but I disagree. How else will I prove I did what I said I did?" Something to think about.

Oh? Were they duck watching again? She could do that. "I don't suppose they'd appreciate me draining this ice-cream into the pond?" Maybe they would like it better if it was already floating around where they swam?

For some reason, she was giggling. A daddy being a muggle sounded so...so weird. She couldn't imagine her father being a muggle and she could imagine him wrinkling his nose at the mere thought. He didn't mind muggles either--obviously or he wouldn't have married Amanda--but he was happy with his magic. He liked showing her neat spells and watching the awe on her face.

Say what now?

Her expression fell almost immediately at his suggestion. "Amanda is not my mother." SCOWL. Not even. The sentence played over in her head and made her scowl deepen. That creature was in no way related to her screw marriage. "She's something my father brought home one day and married some months later." She looked over at him, not in the least bit amused by the conversation anymore. "My mother can't meet you dad, or anyone else's dad. She's gone." Deep breath Lex, he wouldn't have known.

She shrugged. "I'll keep the ice-cream to myself." Now she needed it more than they do.

Climbing trees was like... really hard work. Dora had forgotten, since she didn't do it ever, but it was. And it was harder when your pockets were packed with lots of things. "I'm coming." Her voice came out muffled as she finally got up from the branch and started to climb more, using the path that Cassia had taken since it had to be easiest, right?

Wrong. "I think we need to pick something... easier next time." Like maybe they should have started with the dueling. She was good at that. "Like reading about trees. Reading about them is easier than climbing them." True fact.

Sitting on the branch, Cassia peered down and watched Dora climbing up. It was obvious that the Ravvie wasn't really enjoying this. Not that the snake was but she could tolerate it for now. "Easier. Not sure anything we'll do will be that easier," She said. "You can do it Isidora!" She shouted encouragingly to her friend. Did it work? She hoped so. And did she really say reading?? "We'll read about them once we finish climbing and want to take a nap." She grinned teasingly. Cassia surely preferred climbing trees over reading about them. Dora knew.

Grabbing for the tree's trunk, Cassia rose to her feet slowly making sure not to stir the branch which will lead to losing balance. She wouldn't want that for sure. Also, she figured that it might not be a very good idea that both she and Dora sat on the same branch. Just cautioning here. "Let's just get to that branch," She said pointing, " Then will start climbing down," Because she knew that for them the climb down would be just like the climb up. Hopefully a bit easier though.

The snake sucked in a deep breath then stretched out her arms and grabbed the closest higher branch. With the same technique, she dug her feet in any curves and pulled herself up. And now, she felt her arms and legs burning. Talk about being graceful. It would have also been more tolerated if the branch wasn't rough and if she hadn't cut her hand in the process. Not deeply but enough to sting. The fourth-year sat straddling the branch and leaning back on the tree's huge trunk. She fell silence regaining her breath and examining the cut on her hand.

"Okay...We feed...the ducks then head down," She said panting.

There was a reason those two didn't play Quidditch.

Minerva bounced towards the Duck Pond.. She was happy, but she wasn't sure why. She felt like she should be sad and part of her brain was. She could feel it, but the rest of her brain was screaming to be happy. Why should she be happy with everything that had went on in the past few months, but her brain was still happy.. happy.. happy. She took a bite of the ice cream she had brought with her. Oh she wasn't suppose to be eating this was she. No Ethan didn't want her eating it and she told him she would try, but she just couldn't help it. It was so good and on such a nice day why not eat it.

Her eyes darted around, but she breathed easy telling her self that Mr. Awesome amazing professor got rid of all the dementors at that prefect event. There wasn't any left.. no.. she was safe out their by the ducks. Oh the ducks maybe they would want some ice cream. Yes.. now what were their names again. She tried to remember what Duck Daichi said.. Hmmm oh well. "Here Ducks ducks.. want some ice cream?" She smiled and walked closer to the pond.

So, THE END was approaching, and even the word 'home' was enough to make Forrest grin in the silliest way. Homehomehome. Soon he would be HOME where it was CLEAN and he didN'T have to do laundry and he could EAT GOOD MEAL and he could play FOOTBALL--really, the list was endless. So, to plan, he got outdoors with actually a pen and paper in his hands (or better phrased, parchment and quill).

PLANS. SUMMER PLANS. He LIKED them.

Today's destination would be the Duck Pond, and so he went towards it with the biggest grin his mouth could do. As he arrived there though, the grin was replaced with a deep frown quickly.

Minerva was breaking school rules!

It was so scandalous that he dropped the pen and paper dramatically only a few metres away from her, gasped loudly that was probably heard in Australia and just stared with this deeply shocked look.

Minerva was focused on the Ducks and trying to remember their names. Seriously where was duck boy when you needed him. Which two did she name again. Maybe is she said their name they would remember. "Sal... Sal.. Hey.. SAL AND SAL" Honestly it was the same name for both of them so it shouldn't be to hard.

Just as she was getting a little closer to one of the ducks that she was positive was Sal number one she heard a gasp and turned. Forrest! What was wrong with Forrest. Was he hurt.. Typical Minerva would have frowned and rushed over, but since she saw no blood she skipped towards the first year with a big smile on her face.

FOOOORRRRREEEESSTTTTTT


"Hey little badger.. Whatcha doin?" Honestly what was he doing. With recent events first years shouldn't not be alone, but he wasn't alone now was he. She was there, but she didn't have her patronus fully yet.. Maybe she shouldn't be the one with the ickle.

"Forrest want some ice cream?" Hey if they were out here they should just eat and enjoy the ducks.. Oh right the ducks, "Sal wants ice cream, but I can't seem to find him." She had to find Sal at some point..

I'm doing... staring... you're doing... rule-breaking... he's doing--

Forrest blinked and shook his head to get out from the shock. It didn't say anywhere firmly that feeding the ducks was against rules, but it wasn't allowed either. Should he tell her? Well of course; she was so kind, he didn't want her to get into trouble. What was the correct way of phrasing it?

As he was struggling with opening up to Minerva, she had moved onto new questions. With the short attention span he had, he forgot about warning her and made a face at the ice-cream.

"I'll pass. Thanks." What was so marvellous about it?! "M--may--be youshouldn't--feed the ducks, y'know." Gulp. Pale. Gulp.

Just a thought?

Minerva tilted her head and laughed a bit, why was Forrest acting so strange. Strange adorable little ickle... She started patting him on the head. "Why are you so nervous? The duck pond is a great place!" She turned, "See all the ducks? Aren't they fun.. What to go run around them with me?" She felt the need to run and enjoy the sun. It was spring.. SPRING!

but... that meant Ethan was done at Hogwarts and.. and.. no.. it was happy time.. HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY.. Her brain wouldn't look to sad not right now, not when happy was all around, taking another bite of the ice cream Minerva smiled at Forrest.


Feeding the ducks, why wouldn't she feed them. She dressed them a few terms back, so why not feed them. "Oh Forrest you can't deny them this wonderful yummy amazing ice cream. They want some too. If Duck boy was here he would agree with me." That's when she noticed the parchment and quill, "What are you writing? Homework? Maybe I can help!" Because helping her little badgers was AWESOME!!


Looking back to the ducks Minerva lost focus as one started waddling towards them. She laughed, "They waddle funny.. Oh.oh maybe this one is Sal.. Sal.. Sal.. is that you? Did you come for your ice cream. You didn't, didn't you?"

Vine :>
 

The term was going by too fast for him. You know what that meant.. another visit to the pond filled with DUCKIES! Or so they say.

Wade was a little early for them to be out, so with his fresh bowl of Ice cream and pickle from the kitchen, he made his way down to the Duck Pond. Sitting at the edge he casually crunched on the pickle. Noow, what to do before they came.

Her day was off.

Totally off.

Though, she had faced tons of problems recently, she still managed to go on. And she didn't want worrying about them all the time. Only one person was on her mind. She knew it's been a long time since she saw him but...he's the perfect ideal man. He might be a little off sometimes, but he's still the bestest. :eyebrows:

Just like what she told Kat before, she'll be following that person to the university he's been attending, if the heaven's will allow.

She went over to the duck pond, a certain Hufflepuff, a Quidditch player she guess...was also there but ignored him. The place is just right for a place to read...with a book on her hand...How to make your crush to like you. Ha. She should be hiding it from Beezus, otherwise she'll be teased all her life.

Smiling all to herself, looking as if a foolish person, Erin lied down the freshly mowed grass with the book on her tummy. She closed her eyes for a second but opened it the next. Admiring the clouds. She lifted her hand to block the piercing light coming from the sun but still peeks.

"They are fun." Was it obvious Forrest said it automatically? Because right now, they were the LEAST fun animals in the world. Minerva was breaking the rules, see? That made ducks the worst animals ever.

"Minerva, I don't think they eat ice-cream." Please Minerva, please. He was STILL nervous and looked at the ice-cream as if it was a lethal weapon. It probably was for the ducks! He had to stop her somehow. He took a step towards her, and his voice was PLEADING.

"It's not homework--will you leave the ducks alone?"

Minerva giggled at Forrest. Why was he so worried about the ducks. Had he not eaten this ice cream yet. "Fine Forrest the ducks can wait for their ice cream if you share it with me." Yes because everyone should have the ice cream. Ice cream was amazing... unless you ask Ethan


Now her interest was on the parchment. If it wasn't homework than what was it. "Letter to home? I bet you're excited to be going to see your family soon. I remember being super excited my first year to see them." If only she knew it would be the last summer she would spend with them she might have tried harder to spend as much time as possible with them. A shudder went through her thinking of that first summer and she took two bites of ice cream.

Ice cream helps hurting.. It really does. She took more spoonfuls, " I feel like I'm eating this all.. Please have some.. Please?" Does puppy eyes work on first years, well she was going to try, but it probably wasn't helping with the laughing she was doing with the puppy eyes. Man the puffs lucked out this year with Awesome first years.. So many cutie ickles she just loved all the new little badgers.