REALLY GOOD?! Zeke beamed, the kid was going to do fine, for a bookworm he seemed physically able enough for the task. Besides, it WAS about the charms work, really... so it couldn't be TOO challenging. The class activity set them up for this perhaps too well. "Cool," he nodded, "and don't worry about it, you'll be fine, if not at least you'll get some practice in." Heh. It would be a win win for the kid.

As Aldous came to a stop, Zeke paused behind him, peering down at his companion and giving him a pat on the shoulder, "Looks good to me," he confirmed, accepting the ball that was offered to him. "You ready?" he asked as he started distancing himself from the first year, taking a few measured paces backward. Banishing the ball would be easy enough, but slowing it before catching it... weeelll... Alders better have good timing.

Zeke slipped his wand out his holster, rolling it around his palm a little as he held the ball out in front of him.

Ready?

Set?

"Depulso!" he recited as he completed a clean sweeping motion with his wand, sending the ball toward his partner swiftly.

See? It was not an issue. He had nothing to be worried about, just needed to chill.

Okay, so here they were! Aldous pulled out his wand and readied himself for the ball to come at him. He got the hang of the spell at class so it shouldn't be a problem casting it now, right? The first-year raised his wand and kept his eyes on the ball. And in a split second it was in midair. Wow, when did THAT happen?

"Aresto Momentum!" He uttered quickly waving his wand at the ball that was now just a couple of feet away from him. Then it fell to the ground. He was going to say that the HE was the one who slowed it down and that it wasn't due to the friction between the ball's surface and the air, aka the natural reason. Ahem. So next time he was just needed to be extra ready to stop it before it got too close to him. Or well, slow it down.

The Ravenclaw nudged the ball sending it back to Zeke. lame. "Here you go," And then he took a couple of steps back to allow himself more distance and time to cast the spell. The ball was light and fast.

Zeke wondered if Aldous would get the ball in time to catch it, but as it turned out, he did better than that and stopped it earlier. "Quick reflexes," he complimented, watching as the first year nudged the ball back in his direction. Instead of reaching down to pick it up, Zeke opted to summon it to his hands.

"Accio ball," he stated clearly - his intent clear in casting, following through with the wand movement. The ball, instead of flying away from him, flew straight at him, which he stopped and caught comfortably in his palm. So, take two?

"Heads up!" he called out, holding the ball out in front of him for leverage once more. "Dupulso!" and again, a measured sweep sent the ball back in the Ravenclaw's direction.

After leaving the dungeons, Jet decided to take her Potion outside. She believed it would be much better for her animal form to take some fresh air and have plenty of space to experiment.

Holding the vial in her hands, she looked around, trying to spot the ideal place for her transformation. Maybe she would be able to interact with other creatures too.

Aldous watched as Zeke summoned the ball so casually fascinated. He was going to become like THAT! Super successful wizard that barely thinks before flicking his wand and getting stuff done. But for now he was going to get back to the task at hand. Slowing down the ball.

His eyes were fixed on the ball and wand was pointed in its direction. And the sign he got prior to the casting was hugely appreciated. Waving his wand, the Ravenclaw spoke, "Aresto Momentum!" And with that the ball slowed down then came to a stop half way to Aldous. HA! He got this magic thing, piece of cake. Which got him excited to try MORE things.

"Would the banishing charm work in an upwards direction?" He asked as he walked over to the ball to push it all the way over to his partner. It'd be COOL if Zeke could throw it up in the sky and Aldous could freeze it right there.

This was the fifteenth location at Hogwarts that Rooney had visited today in an attempt to find THE perfect location to drink his potions homework. It wasn't the last on his list, but he had already given the location four stars before leaving the last location. There was room and he was outdoors and therefore he was sure this would be THE one. Shoving his notebook into his trousers, he wiggled his way out to the courtyard, commenting on things as he passed them.

"Ah..." He wasn't the only one with this idea.

He kept his potion vial in his pocket and meandered around near a bench and an open space.

Kangaroo's really needed room to jump, you know?

Was there enough room here?

"Hey, excuse me?" From behind, Rooney couldn't tell who it was or if she was a Ravenclaw, but he had a quarter of a chance that she was.

Marsha had been sitting here for about forty minutes already with parchment on her lap and a list of animals that she could turn into for her homework. Unfortunately, the list hadn’t decreased by much, as the animal lover kept arguing with herself that they ALL would be amazing.
Sighing, she tapped her lip with the end of her quill as she continued to try and get the list shorter. However, as she looked up and across the courtyard she smiled as she saw Roo. Maybe a break and a talk with a friend was just what she needed to clear her head.

Standing up, she help the parchment and quill to her chest as she moved over to her Ravenclaw friend. ”Hi Roo.” She said, though he had just started talking to someone else… so maybe she shouldn’t have interrupted? Whoops.

Jet turned around when she heard someone near her say something. "Yes?" She gave the younger boy a calm look. Almost immediately after, a girl called what was probably the boy's name and so Jet looked in her direction as well.

Turning the mixture inside the vial, Jet looked from her Potion to one of the kids, then to the other. She glanced at the parchment the girl was holding against her chest and was able to see a list. "Potions homework?" She asked in her tranquil tone, never ceasing to turn the mixture in the vial she was holding.

Before the which-house-are-you-girl could turn around to answer his inner questionings, Rooney heard his own name in a voice that he rather enjoyed hearing. "Hey Miss Marsha, good day?" She seemed somewhat unlike herself, and Rooney wasn't one to pry, but he gave her a little hip bump and offered his hand for a high-five if she needed some sort of uplift. He bet she was struggling to choose what to have for dinner this evening and that was what she was listing, but as he peered - he really wasn't activitely trying to be nosy, but it happened - he saw that that wasn't the case.

"I chose kangaroo. Because it's like my name." And Mama, Lop and Daddy Dex all called him Kangarooney. His choice was mainly because of the name similarity, and also because he was intrigued as to how the jumping happened and other kangaroo characteristics. Wasn't there a rumour that kangaroos boxed? Was Roo going to develop some sort of punching power when he did drink?

His gaze turned from Miss Marsha to which-house-are-you-girl and he nodded, showing her the top of the vial in his pocket. "I'm trying to find a space that I can use well enough as a kangaroo. I don't want to break, damage or hurt anyone or anything." And definitely not himself. If he broke something when a kangaroo, would he have broken it as Ravenclaw-Roo?

Giggling as Roo once again called her Miss Marsha, she nodded. ”Yeah, it has been pretty good so far.” Beaming smile for one of her bestest friends, especially at the hip bump. See, weren’t her friends awesome. He got a soft, ‘thanks’ type smile and she nodded to him one last time before they both turned to look at the older girl… Slytherin… and she knew her name it was….. it wassssss….

Nope. She didn’t.

”Yeah.. but I can’t decide which animal I want to be… I want to be them all. I’d love to - but I don’t think Professor Culloden would let me turn into almost 15 animals… so I’m trying to decide one one… and I currently have way over five options left.”

Gasping though, Sha turned to look at Roo. ”No way! That’s an awesome idea… I always wondered what their babies would feel like in their pouches. I mean they bounce so much - it can’t be that comfortable… right? Really.. but then they are just as hyper as I am so maybe it works?” She had no idea really… just that if Roo turned into a Kanga, she wouldn’t do that one… Maybe she could be an eagle and FLY!

Looking up at the other girl, she tilted her head to the side; ”What animal did you decide on?”

This game of catch was going alright, despite a lack of 'catching' per se. Still, they both had a good handle of the charms, and that was all that mattered at the minute. It was impressive that Aldous was so good at it, slowing it so much that the ball didn't reach him.

Again, he aimed his wand at the ball that was pushed back in his direction and he summoned it once more.

With the ball in hand, Zeke looked over to his companion when he asked a question. Upwards? "Of course, you can banish an item in any direction you want," he nodded... and so... was that what he wanted? Adjusting his hold on the ball, Zeke held it above his head. He wasn't sure about the angle... whether it would shoot straight up, or upward but still in the Ravenclaw's direction, he was hoping for the latter.

Here he went!

"Depulso!" he swept his wand upward though still in the same direction.

How was that?

Jet's gaze went from one kid to the other as they chatted a little about their day so far. Roo and Marsha. Both were also going to experiment with their Potions now. One already knew the animal he was going to be, the other were still indecisive. "The courtyard's ideal." Jet told the boy when he mentioned the type of place he was looking for. She knew it was obvious, but maybe that was what he was about to ask her when the other girl called his name.

The fifth year then listened as the two chatted about Roo being a kangaroo, the reason why he had chosen than animal and Marsha's questions about its pouch. A small smile crept onto her lips as she imagined what the both of them would end up doing. "I'll be a cameleon." Jet replied, raising the vial she was holding and looking at it.

She didn't want to take much longer to get to it, so after the two kids had absorbed what she had just said, she opened the vial, looked back at the both of them, shrugged and drank her Potion.

Adi just kept laughing with Hady. Life was just the best when you laughed with friends! "Awwh. I'll just be the stubborn one, trust me. I'll take a while to brood but then we'll be best of friends again.'' Just a little warning there for you, Hades. Adi knew himself very well by now so he was sure what he was saying was true. The good thing about him, though, was that he could not stay mad at anyone.

He flipped the coin, catching it in his left hand. "You got it! On the count of three, then? One... two... THREE!'' Adi tossed his coin in and at the same time making the wish. "I wish Hady and I will be friends for the rest of our lives! You'd better work with me to make it happen, Universe!"

SPLASH!

In went the coin by the time he was done making his wish.

SPOILER!!: Awesome Puffer!

Adi just kept laughing with Hady. Life was just the best when you laughed with friends! "Awwh. I'll just be the stubborn one, trust me. I'll take a while to brood but then we'll be best of friends again.'' Just a little warning there for you, Hades. Adi knew himself very well by now so he was sure what he was saying was true. The good thing about him, though, was that he could not stay mad at anyone.

He flipped the coin, catching it in his left hand. "You got it! On the count of three, then? One... two... THREE!'' Adi tossed his coin in and at the same time making the wish. "I wish Hady and I will be friends for the rest of our lives! You'd better work with me to make it happen, Universe!"

SPLASH!


In went the coin by the time he was done making his wish.

Laughter was really wonderful. True healing of the mind, body and soul. Especially in the company of a friend. Hady grinned up at him. "I'm not worried about it cause I bet we won't argue or disagree on anything anyhow." So see nothing to worry about.

Hady watched him flip his coin and begin to count down. She made a fist facing upwards and set the coin on top of it waiting as she counted down. "One...two...three!" On three she flicked her finger up sending her coin into the air and down towards the fountain water while making her wish. I wish Adi and I always remain friends and we will! This should was sure of!

Her coin hit the water just a moment behind Adi's and she leaned over a little to watch them sink. "It'll work. We'll see to it that it does!" Mhmm. Logic right there.

Candice still trying to get use to be on the skateboard while she was listening to Colt's answer. "That's good. I'm glad that you like it here." Huh? Wait. Hold on. Back up. rewind. "You met someone special?" Okay now this was interesting. "Wow. You worked so fast, Mr. Casanova." Three months and he already got himself a girl? Well done, Mr Winchester. "So.....Are you going to tell me about this girl?" Or better yet introduce her?

Okay so she was right about the balance part being the key and apparently she was right with the strong leg too. Skid or lean all your bodyweight to the tail end of the board? That didn't sound hard. She should be able to do that, right? "Okay. I think. I'm going to try it my on." So he didn't need to push her.

"Which do you have left on your list?" He hadn't looked close enough to be able to recall, but he was definitely on hand to help her choose if she needed that assistance. He wouldn't even require anything in return for that. With a smile, Roo pondered over Marsha's question and mentally kicked himself for not thinking about that himself. "Mama's rock their babies to sleep though, right?" Actually, his Mama had bounced Luca to sleep because it was the only way he stopped screaming enough to get sleepy and close his eyes. That had been the best times of Luca being little. The quiet hours. Well, minutes. Because that child had mastered the wailing when asleep.

"How do the babies get in and out of the pouch, d'you reckon?" He patted his tummy in reference to a pouch that he would have soon and them bounced a few times of little height. He was practicing for when he was Kangarooney, and not Ravenclaw!Roo.

A chameleon? Roo smiled, nodded and gave the other girl a thumbs up. "Sounds a--Whattayou---ohMY--MISS!!" Before he even had the chance to ask her what she was expecting for her experience, she had drank her potion and he was ready to watch her change into a chameleon.

Was she going to disappear?

The new information was noted! And now that he thought of it, that was probably mentioned in class? Or not. He couldn't remember, he must have been so caught up in practicing that he could have missed a thing or two of what the professor said.

Aldous watched as Zeke held the ball above his head now and pointed his wand in a different direction. So the Ravenclaw took a few steps closer since now the ball wasn't going to be thrown in his direction.

He pointed his wand in preparation and waited for the Gryffindor. The moment the ball was thrown upwards, the first-year waved his wand, "Aresto Momentum!" He said and the ball froze there up in the air for a good couple of seconds before slowly dropping to the ground. COOL! A big smile pulled at his lips. "We aced it, right?" He turned to Zeke with the toothy grin.

He watched as the ball shot up, and then watched as Aldous successfully slowed it down. They had the hang of the charms, even if there was no actual 'catching' of the ball involved.

"Yeah, I recon we did," he beamed, closing the gap between him and the Ravenclaw. "You did well, practically a natural," he encouraged, giving the kid a pat on the shoulder. "It's been great practicing with you, I've gotta go now though, but I'll see you around, yeah?" Yeah? Cause that'd be cool.

And the ball, did he want it? Cause Zeke didn't... so it was all his.

Tossing the ball up to herself and catching it as they walked to the courtyard, Sophie had her other arm looped with Reagan's, grinning massively as they went. Reagan coming back to school had been the best thing that could've ever happened, really. The girl was a LIFE-SAVER. She didn't know what she would've done if she'd had to deal with Evie on her own. No, having Reagan around was a dream. She was the absolute best and never made Sophie feel the way Evie did. Even more than that, Reagan made Sophie feel better than just about anyone ever had. Except maybe Zander, Tobes, and CB. She was pretty much at best friend status already.

Because Reagan Penrose was an actual angel.

As they reached the courtyard, Sophie untangled her arm from her dormmate's and turned around, walking backwards, still smiling like a total dork. "I'll go over here. D'you wanna try banishing it to your hand first?"

She held the ball outward from her new position across the courtyard, as if offering the ball up for Rea to take. Except... she wouldn't be TAKING it, she'd be doing COOL MAGIC.

Phillip was READY. He was ready to POUNCE! He just needed to find a target, is all.

The first year, who had added in the animal sample and had already taken a dose of the potion, was hiding behind a pillar in the courtyard, occasionally peeking his foxy -- AHAHAHAHAHA -- head around to see if there was anyone coming.

Oh, he was FUN-NEE.

And stealthy. Or, at least, TRYING to be. See, as comfortable as it now felt to be on all fours -- how WEIRD was THAT? -- it was hard to try and hide behind the pillar he was trying to hide behind. Not even standing up on his hind legs helped because soon enough, he was TIRED and PANTING.

But he needed a target. A good enough target. One that he could sniff out.

Sniff sniff!

Sophie Brown was the angel, to be honest. Utterly! Reagan simply felt blessed to know her...and relieved that she'd come back to Soph STILL wanting to be her friend. See, Rea hadn't known what to expect with so much time passing between the end of Third Year...and the beginning of Seventh. So, how LUCKY was she? Very. That was the correct answer.

Offering up her BIGGEST, brightest, and warmest smile, which wasn't much of a change from her usual expression - she was just a happy girl, okay? - Rea wiggled. There were always good vibes with Soph. Very refreshing. She wanted to BASK in it. "I don't mind!"...but she thought it was lovely that her friend had asked. So considerate!...And, to be honest, Reagan was just happy there weren't any green balls to distinguish from. Her poor eyes that day...and Slytherin how won. Hopefully, that hadn't been her fault...."Are yooooooou ready?" Sophie LOOKED ready, but it was polite to ask, you know? Just in case!

Taking a deep breath and focusing her mind, which was much easier to do one on one...she beamed at Sophie; lifting her wand. Concentration and intention. That's all there was to it! She wanted the ball to go from her friend's hand to her own; the one outstretched in preparation. Not her wand hand, obviously...but that was obvious. Also, Rea was concentrating so hard, a small crease had appeared between her brows...which might've looked a little odd with her almost manic smiling.

Whispering Depulso! in her mind, the Ravenclaw traced out the 'M' shape with her wand.

Reagan was THE absolute cutest, and Soph couldn't stop smiling huge over at her. She was like a ray of sunshine, did she know? Or... more like the ACTUAL sun. Yes, Rea WAS the sun.

Sophie was ALWAYS READY. "Yep!" She let the ball balance on her open palm and watched it carefully, looking between Rea and the ball, watching expectantly...

Aaaaand after a moment of silence, the ball was NO LONGER IN SOPHIE BROWN'S HAND, and Soph BEAMED over at Reagan where the ball had gone. "Look at you. You're a professional. Y'make this look super easy. Are non-verbals your thing?" Because they weren't Sophie's thing at all, though she was trying VERY HARD, OKAY?

She was half tempted to cheat, to practice this little activity with verbal incantations... but of all people Soph could fail at non-verbals in front of, Rea was probably the best possible person. Reagan wouldn't make her feel stupid or look down on her or be disappointed in her. If anything, Rea would just build her up, right?

...But she was still a little apprehensive, and she subtly tried extending her wand outward, waved it in a sweeping motion, and tried to silently cast, Depulso!

"Shh! I'm just comfortable with charms, since I use them so often. I think the practice helps." Rea chirped across the space between them, STILL bouncing excitedly in place. And thank goodness this was Charms...because if Sophie wanted to see real failure, she only needed to watch Reagan trying to perform Transfiguration spells. Of course, she had a good sense of humor about the lack of success, as it was part of the learning process, but for the life of her, she could NOT get them to work out for her.

...BUT SHE'D KEEP TRYING. That's all she could do, right?

Breath bated, Reagan watched eagerly as Sophie concentrated and waved her wand. In fact, Rea almost dropped the ball...as she was cheering her friend on. Soph HAD this, didn't she know? She was going to OWN this charm. Nothing to sweat!......and even when it didn't fall DIRECTLY into her hand...AT FIRST...it had landed on her head, which then caused said ball to roll/bounce down into her palm. It was so perfect, it would probably never be done again.

That was Sophie Brown for you. Doing the impossible!...and making it look flawless.

Laughing and doing a small jig at her accidental success, Rea flicked her wand again, doing the 'M' shape, and repeating the incantation in her mind. WOULD IT WORK WITH HER LAUGHING? Why not? Laughter made everything stronger in the older Claw's opinion.

Depulso!

”Oh a cameleon… that is an awesome choice.” She said with a nod of her head. ”I’m mostly between a cat and an eagle… but I can’t decide… ‘because I could FLY but I would like to see what it is like to be a cat like Duchess… I don’t know if she really does just eat and sleep all day.” Laughing, she grinned at Roo though.

”I think that the babies actually have get themselves into the Mama’s pouch… I think I read something about them being reallly really tiny and pink when they are born and they go into the pouch and get skin-to-skin contact and they suckle on the milk and are basically in the pouch until they are big enough to eat food. Poor Mama having to cart the babies around all the time.” She giggled though, ‘cause that meant that she should technically be able to fit in that pouch of Roo’s… which would be a once in a life-time thing… Hehehe. Maybe she could try.

Sitting down on the bench, she watched as Jet changed into her cameleon and motioned for Roo to take his potion too. It was nice and quiet out here at the moment, and she didn’t want him to loose his space for jumping around and fully experiencing being a KANKAROOOOONEY.

Gigggggle fit.

Reagan was just being modest, clearly, and Soph wagged a finger over at her friend. "Don't you shush me, Reagan Penrose. You're gonna let me drown you in praise and you're gonna like it." HEHEHE. Such a cutiepie, she was.

For the record, Sophie's weakest subject was Transfiguration, too, so they were RIGHT THERE STRUGGLING TOGETHER. A match made in heaven.

The fact that the ball had ended up in her hand at ALL at any point was remarkable, but the trek the ball took to get there was HILARIOUS, and Soph was laughing with Rea, too. "I... am a hot mess," she snorted in good humor, smoothing down her hair before extending the ball out for Rea to try again, unfazed by her own dumb luck.

Except the sun wouldn't STOP SHINING and emitting her RAYS OF JOY upon the courtyard through her musical, beautiful laughter, and the ball did not want to move from Sophie's palm. Still giggling, too, because Rea's laughter was infectious, Soph shook her head and playfully reprimanded, "Y'have to stop laughing, y'silly!!" Which would be hard, now that they were BOTH laughing and playing off each other's energies.

They were never going to get this done. Couldn't they go, like... bake some vegan treats instead? Or go lay in the sun and bask in the nice autumn weather?