Taking her shoes off by the shore, Lux slowly made her way into the water. She was wearing a dress, so there was no need to worry about her clothes getting wet and she loved dipping her feet in the water.

This was so nice and relaxing, and there was no one around which could be nice at times. As much as she loved being with people, sometimes alone time was amazing. That didn't mean she would be opposed to company, but the quiet was definitely calming.

With the prospect of O.W.L.s looming over her head, this Fifth Year was going to take any opportunity to relax whenever it presented itself to her.

Free time was great, except, he'd run out of Bertie Botts, didn't feel like pre-reading, wasn't in a mood to talk to the portraits, and was just... LOST.

In his lostness, Zeke found himself exiting the castle and taking the path down to the lake. The lake, it was huge, there were HEAPS of organisms and things in there. Some microscopic and some quite large. Merpeople too, or so he'd been told, he was yet to witness any though. Sighing to himself, Zeke meandered from the path and took across the grass area down to the lake's shore.

"H-eeyy Lux," he greeted softly, flopping himself on the grass a short way from the edge. The water was probably nice, but being dry seemed fine with him for now.

Brian was mostly lost. His primary school definitely hadn't been this big and he was still more than a little upset with the stairs that seemed to just refuse to let him get off on the floor he wanted to. So he'd just taken them all the way down and went straight out to the grounds and proceeded to get even more lost.

He eventually found himself by the lake. It looked pretty different in the daylight, but no less majestic. So Brian decided that this was as good a time as any to catch up on some reading. Yeah, the light was pretty good here. He'd just find himself a nice patch of grass and get down to finishing this book.

You know the best place to study transfig spells. The lake. Well maybe not during winter. But during the fall. It was a pretty nice place. Dante could even use the textbook as a pillow to nap once he was done reading. It was genius, if you ask him. So here Dante was sitting down on the ground with his book and his rock. The rock better turn into a hat at the end of his lake time....or he will kick it across the lake.

That would show it. Just as long as it did not hit the squid

That squid was cool, man

Maggie had been carrying around the sweets she'd bought in Diagon Alley every single day since arriving here. All of it too. So it was a heavy bag, okay? Because she'd bought A LOT of sweets. And she didn't know that 'make things lighter' spell she'd seen some of the older kids use. Maybe she should ask someone for help. She just wanted to make sure she was prepared in case she needed the sweets, though. So far she hadn't.

HER TIME WOULD COME THOUGH!

The lake was where she'd seen a lot of students hang out so she figured that was as good a place to go as any. Only when she got there all she could see was...Dante. Not exactly who she was looking for but Maggie decided to sit down next to him anyway. She needed a break. And maybe some advice. Possibly.

"Hiiiiiii!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meizzner

You know the best place to study transfig spells. The lake. Well maybe not during winter. But during the fall. It was a pretty nice place. Dante could even use the textbook as a pillow to nap once he was done reading. It was genius, if you ask him. So here Dante was sitting down on the ground with his book and his rock. The rock better turn into a hat at the end of his lake time....or he will kick it across the lake.

That would show it. Just as long as it did not hit the squid

That squid was cool, man

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lislchen

Maggie had been carrying around the sweets she'd bought in Diagon Alley every single day since arriving here. All of it too. So it was a heavy bag, okay? Because she'd bought A LOT of sweets. And she didn't know that 'make things lighter' spell she'd seen some of the older kids use. Maybe she should ask someone for help. She just wanted to make sure she was prepared in case she needed the sweets, though. So far she hadn't.

HER TIME WOULD COME THOUGH!

The lake was where she'd seen a lot of students hang out so she figured that was as good a place to go as any. Only when she got there all she could see was...Dante. Not exactly who she was looking for but Maggie decided to sit down next to him anyway. She needed a break. And maybe some advice. Possibly.

"Hiiiiiii!"

The options Ariel had of where to spend time between classes were slim. The Common Room was way too far away for her to go back and forth to, the Great Hall was noisy and overwhelming, and the rest of the castle was unexplored by her for fear of getting lost. She hadn't even found the courage to find the library yet. However, the outdoors were easy to get to and the way back inside the castle was always clear. Plus, she knew the weather wouldn't be conducive for leisure time for long. Not that she had planned to spend her time leisurely. There was always homework to do, preemptive studying, and general catching up with her classmates in areas she was a little behind on.

There was also people-watching, though. Which Ariel found very hard to escape from. Especially when a bunch of magical children, free to do pretty much as they pleased, were running around. That boy, for example. Ariel was curious about what he was practicing with that textbook and rock. From where she had been sitting, the girl scooted closer. It didn't matter much to her that he looked to be younger. He might still be able to do things she couldn't.

Then, of course, he was joined by someone more his age. Embarrassed, Ariel quickly opened her own text to a random page and stared blankly into it.

It took a moment for Lux to realize that she had company because she was so busy SPLASHING in the water, but there was Zeke sitting on the grass nearby. Grass was alright, but the water was nicer and splashing was fun. Honestly she didn't mind not being able to properly swim in the lake; splashing was close enough to swimming in her mind! In fact she called it swimming now because why not.

"Zeke! Are you sure you don't want to join me? The water is niiiice." But she wasn't going to make him if he didn't want to because that would be mean and make her not a very good friend.

Dante had already figured out how to say the incantation and wand movement and everything. Just when he tries it on the rock. It does not work. Tectum Caput. Maybe he is saying it wrong or should go to Bellaire for help. That was a long shot at best. Still Dante was in not that far in the zone, to notice people watcher. Hey, he people watched too and knew how it was done. Like that girl hiding behind her textbook or was she really reading. This question was better than his studying right now. That is until he hears the words Hi.

"Hi, Maggie!...Wow look at all those sweets. You are prepared for this year, so far....hold on a second"

Dante took the last fizzing whizbee he had in his pocket and threw it at the girls book...perfect shot.

Oh. Yes. That.

Maggie nodded down at the bag in front of her and shrugged. "Yes. Do you-" -want one? Because why not, she had A LOT. Her sentence was however cut short when Dante shifted his attention to something else (RUDE!).

Or someONE else, rather (more rude). She tilted her head slightly as she watched the fizzle wizzle (what was it called again?) fly off towards a girl sitting somewhat close to them. Now the real question was: if the fizzie wizzie in fact hit the book would it in turn hit the girl in the face?

And was it going to be funny?

For Fearlessleader19

Well, crud, Domino wasn't going to get peace anywhere was she? Nope, she guessed not. She shrugged though and decided to keep her distance away from everyone as she sat down at the shore.

Kace decided to make his way to the lake. He hadn't been down here on his list of places to go once he finally came to Hogwarts. He missed the fresh air and the scenery. He found this place was quite peaceful. I guess he wasn't the only one because he saw a little first year it seemed reading a book. He reached into his bag and pulled out his sketchbook and though to join him. He plopped down next to him and commented, "What book are you reading?" as he began to do a random doodle.

Text Cut: Dante and Maggie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meizzner

Dante had already figured out how to say the incantation and wand movement and everything. Just when he tries it on the rock. It does not work. Tectum Caput. Maybe he is saying it wrong or should go to Bellaire for help. That was a long shot at best. Still Dante was in not that far in the zone, to notice people watcher. Hey, he people watched too and knew how it was done. Like that girl hiding behind her textbook or was she really reading. This question was better than his studying right now. That is until he hears the words Hi.

"Hi, Maggie!...Wow look at all those sweets. You are prepared for this year, so far....hold on a second"

Dante took the last fizzing whizbee he had in his pocket and threw it at the girls book...perfect shot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lislchen

Oh. Yes. That.

Maggie nodded down at the bag in front of her and shrugged. "Yes. Do you-" -want one? Because why not, she had A LOT. Her sentence was however cut short when Dante shifted his attention to something else (RUDE!).

Or someONE else, rather (more rude). She tilted her head slightly as she watched the fizzle wizzle (what was it called again?) fly off towards a girl sitting somewhat close to them. Now the real question was: if the fizzie wizzie in fact hit the book would it in turn hit the girl in the face?

And was it going to be funny?

....They were talking about sweets. Great. Now the kid would never get on with his magic, probably.

Definitely.

Ariel looked at the ground to see what had fallen after hitting her book. It was candy. So it was the kids that were supposed to be doing magic. The girl peeked over the top of the textbook, but didn't want to say anything. Were they mocking her? Were they targeting her? Did they know she was new? Or were they just playing a prank on a random person and she happened to be there?

Anyway, she just stared at them for a moment, then went back to her 'reading'.

He lay on his back, but kept himself propped up by his elbows so he could still admire the view... and watch Lux, of course. She appeared to be having fun, and it struck him that he didn't think anybody could just splash around by themselves and enjoy it. It was great that she could though.

"I dunno," he started with a shrug. He was quite content with where he was now, yes, but then again... what would it hurt to have a go? "Bah, alright, you convinced me," he decided soon after.

Kicking off his shoes and rolling up his pants - though he'd survive if they got wet - he took the last few paces to the waters edge and followed Lux in. "It is nice." Coldish, but refreshingly so.

OWLs

OWLs

OWLs.....

This year was the year of the OWLs, and Chance was ready freaking out. Deciding it was time to come the Lake instead of thinking about the OWLs, he grAbbed a few pebbles and began skipping them. How the check was he going to get good OWL scores?? He was NOT a good test taker. Point blank. Anxiety was already hitting him.

He threw a rock too hard on accident and water splashed. Whoops.

Domino looked up and smiled when she saw a familiar face.
'Oh, it's you," She whispered. "Oy! Chance!" She called over to him.

At first Lux didn't think that Zeke would join her since he sounded so non-committal, but she was pleased to see him change his mind and step in the water with her. Yep, it was feeling nice and refreshing today; not too cold and not too warm. Cold water was terrible, and she would have froze if she headed in much later than this. Summer was coming to an end soon, and she wished that it could stay around much longer like it did in Westeros. But on the other hand, those long winters would be killer so maybe not...

Part of her was tempted to splash him with water, but she wasn't sure if it was a good idea when they were both wearing proper clothes and not swim wear. Maybe they could do something else instead. "Can you skip pebbles?" she asked him curiously. Maybe they could have a competition to see who could skip them the furthest along the water.

Caleb HAD to get out of the castle. He felt like it had already been an entire month, but really it had just been a few days. The whole points thing at the feast, and the meeting was just weighing on him. Why had he thought this prefect thing would be EASY? It totally wasn't. It was like...work. Actual WORK. Who knew?

This on top of OWLs...he was not looking forward to this year. Sigh.

He sat down on the grass near the lake and stretched out, laying and down and closing his eyes. It wasn't TOOOOOO crowded out here right now, so he was able to relax a bit.

Puck was happy that the feast was over, that was a fiasco. She was also still debating finding Flamsteed and asking him what had made him think she was ‘Prefect Material’ so she could stop being it.

Puck walked down to the lake and glanced around, to make sure that there weren’t any first years around because really, she did not want any questions about ‘how to find this’ and ‘if she’d seen so-and-so’. because really she didn’t know anything or anyone and didn’t want to do any work. Nope. She wanted nothing more than to be lazy.

She was being so lazy that she didn't even really see Caleb until it was too late and her shoe had caught on his foot. One thing horse back riding (the few times she had really been) had taught her was how to fall gracefully. So it looked and seemed more like she had nudged his foot and thrown herself onto the ground to sit next to him.

"Hey Newell" she added in for effect.

Zeke moved his legs about some, kicking up small waves and letting the water rise and fall against him. His attention was partly with Lux, partly with the lake, and partly in France with Ashley.

He looked up briefly before returning his gaze to the water at his legs. "Nope, mine just sink, but I can throw them far," he informed. Skipping stoned though, nope, he never did get the hang of it, at all. It was something to do with angles and speed, all that physicsy stuff, but he didn't get it. "Can you?"

Hehe, Zeke was making waaaaves in the water. How awesome. Lux kept splashing around while still managing to keep her dress dry. Dresses were amazing and she loved them. It felt like ages since she had thought they were gross.

Oh BOO, he couldn't skip pebbles. No competition but it was okay. For a moment she debated teaching him, but somehow got the feeling that he had tried in the past and just couldn't get the hang of it. "Yep, I can." Picking up a pebble from the shore, she sent it skipping across the water not to be a show off but just because she could.

He was getting flecks of water on him, from Lux's splashing about, and he was tempted to start splashing too - if only to get her back... be he refrained for the time being.

Watching curiously as Lux took some pebbles from the shore, he figured she was going to demonstrate. It was impressive, and his face even said so. "Neat."

Grabbing himself a small handful of pebbles, he weighed one up in his palm, catching it a couple of times before bracing himself, feet planted firmly and swinging!ditching the pebble out of sight across the water. It landed somewhere, the faint PLONK could be heard, but he wasn't perceptive enough to see WHERE.

"Does it get easier?" he suddenly asked, "the home sickness thing?" he added for clarification. It hadn't been so bad last year, it wasn't easy, but he had enough distractions. This year, he just felt robbed. Robbed of the company he could have had here.

Brian was halfway through the second act when someone decided to sit next to him and enjoy the relatively nice weather about. It was nice, but he was dreading the day that the cool would turn into biting cold and his fingers would go numb as he tried to flip the pages of his books.

"Julius Caesar," he said with a small shrug, before turning to take a proper look at the person who'd joined him. He was a Hufflepuff, and it wasn't just the coloured robes that gave it away. Just the fact that Brian was pretty sure he'd seen him around the common room. "I don't think I quite understand it, though." What was this guy doing? It looked like... "You draw?"

It was a nice day. This was what made Adi decide to take a trek from the Castle down to the Lake. Plus, the water would be good. It would help him to relax.

Normally, Adi would have joined the part of the Lake with all the students but he happened to see someone else sitting all by herself. Adi hesitated before going over to her. Maybe she didn't want company? Or maybe she was too shy to join the others.

"Hi!'' the Puffer greeted when he reached the girl sitting at the water's edge. "You don't mind if I join you, do you?" Because he'd have no problem if the girl wanted to be left alone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Optimist

Puck was happy that the feast was over, that was a fiasco. She was also still debating finding Flamsteed and asking him what had made him think she was ‘Prefect Material’ so she could stop being it.

Puck walked down to the lake and glanced around, to make sure that there weren’t any first years around because really, she did not want any questions about ‘how to find this’ and ‘if she’d seen so-and-so’. because really she didn’t know anything or anyone and didn’t want to do any work. Nope. She wanted nothing more than to be lazy.

She was being so lazy that she didn't even really see Caleb until it was too late and her shoe had caught on his foot. One thing horse back riding (the few times she had really been) had taught her was how to fall gracefully. So it looked and seemed more like she had nudged his foot and thrown herself onto the ground to sit next to him.

"Hey Newell" she added in for effect.

OOOOOW. That was his foot!

Caleb looked up and was about to tell off the idiotic firstie who had stepped on him - but it was actually one of his fellow prefects Puck. He smiled instead as she sat down next to him and he sat up a bit. "Hey Prefect!" he greeted in return...because he actually wasn't sure if he knew her last name or not. THAT would be embarrassing.

"So...that feast was a disaster, to say the least," he said with a grin. Really, he was still mortified by all of it, but if he joked about it - it might get easier, yeah? That was the hope...