Isla kind of wanted to ice skate, but she kind of didn't want to ice skate either. There was a part of her that was slowly getting over what had happened to them and was wanting to have a little fun. She was good at ice skating, and she'd already even found a pair of skates that fit her. She had taken them off, though, and had put back on her winter boots.

She sat down on her favorite rock, which was remarkably not soaking wet and covered in ice, and she looked out at at the lake. It was a shame that everything was so pretty right now, and they had so much to worry about. She couldn't even appreciate all the wonders of the world right now, because...well, the world was gone.

Without realizing she had done it, Isla had removed her winter boots again and had begin lacing up the ice skates. Was it okay to have fun? Just a little? Was it okay to smile and laugh and hope good things for the future?

He was here for one reason and one reason only: he had promised Missa.

And it seemed like the flobberworm was going to haunt him forever and it was ALL Eloise's fault. He still had a younger classman or two showing up out of the blue and asking him about his flobberworm tattoo - WHICH WAS NOT AND NEVER WOULD BE A THING!

But...anyway.

Translucency was the least of the seventh year's concerns as he oh-so-casually clung to the side of the rink, masking his discomfort for leaning against it for dear life while he waited for Missa to finish up with whatever tasks she needed to do before joining him. His right foot sort of awkward glided forwards and backwards where he stood, his eyes trained to the ice below him as he shaved away at it with the blade. He was not NOT athletic - kengo and performance calligraphy had their demands of the body - but this was WELL out of his comfort zone and just opening him up to be laughed at because he was going to fall and fall hard. There was no way around it.

And a very big no thank you to the thought.

The red sky against the white wonderland, by the way? Kind of spectacular. One could almost forget that they were all in trouble.

He glanced over his shoulder, spotting that younger snakette who was always spouting doom and gloom and the end of the world by poisonous gas (in his opinion) and sort of just....glazed over her in favor of seeing what his girlfriend was up to.

Missa was excited, and it showed. A smile was plastered on her face as she effortlessly moved around the rink - making sure everything was okay, and everyone around was okay, and having fun.

Translucent or not, Missa Renaldi was really really trying to not let the lack of sunshine in their lives get to her today. She'd worry tomorrow, she'd mope tomorrow. It was also why, she smiled over to Isla - a thing she hardly ever did, "why are you sitting? come hereee" she called out to the girl before noticing her boyfriend finalllly making his way into the rink.

Smiling brightly, the brunette glided over toward him - and made her way AROUND him before stopping in front of him, "you know I wont let you just stay here, right?" she stated - immediately offering her hand for him to take.

He was feeling....not confident but more capable to move his left skate as well. An assumption that was a mistake as one leg went one way and the other the other, his legs spreading and his torso sinking into the splits right there against the wall of the rink.

Timing was impeccable as well seeing as Missa was coming over and offering her hand. It was an interesting role reversal but a look that was amazing on her..even if he was jealous as bruised like an insulted hippogriff in the moment.

"....just doing some stretching. Avoiding injuries is important," he offered as a means of explaining his predicament. With one hand still gripping the wall, the Slytherin accepted the help and took her hand in his other and held on tightly while trying to pull himself back up to stand.

Or something kind of like standing.

Jumping Jawas! What was he doing out here? Heath couldn't recall. One minute, he was reading in front of the fire in the Ravenclaw common room, and the next thing he knew, he was standing by the lake. His heart sank as he suddenly got a feeling that something bad had happened here, something he had done. He knew there was a reason he always avoided this place, but what was it?

Then he remembered the ill-fated kelpie lesson. Oh, no! That wasn't why he was here, was it? Probably not. If this was another DADA lesson, he would've been in uniform. It was only when Heath saw other people skating on the frozen lake that he remembered the prefects' event. Okay, so that explained why he was outside, but it didn't explain why he was here, of all places, instead of sledding or sipping hot chocolate. He didn't even know how to skate!

Heath stood out of the way, his hands jammed into the pockets of his Poe Dameron jacket for warmth. As he watched the skaters, part of him wanted to join them. It looked like fun, and as an actor, he never knew what skills or knowledge he might need for a role. Then again, knowing him, he'd probably fall flat on his bum in front of everyone, and he didn't feel like being laughed at right now!

Eiji Rasting PLEASE.

Concerned but also very amused, Missa gently tugged at his hand to help him get up and trust her enough to let go of the wall. "Are you okay?" she asked, trying not to laugh.

"I promise it's not that hard once you get the hang of it" she repeated a thing, her dad used to say constantly while teaching her. "You just need to tell yourself to not be ... scared, y'know"

Speaking of scared, and hanging on to the wall - she also noticed someone else doing the same, only he wasn't even trying to come into the rink.

"Heath, is it?" Come on in, the skates are right over there" she called out, encouraging the boy to join them.

ICE SKATING. OMG WIZARDS LIKED ICE SKATING!!!

Coming to the castle, Kitt had been blown away by all the differences between Muggle and magical means of doing things and enjoying activities. When everything went red and magic was no longer a thing, it didn't bother the boy one bit but the translucent thing sorta freaked him out sometimes. Someone...he couldn't remember who but someone had told him that things at Hogwarts always fixed themselves. Until that happened, it was business as usual--and the occasional stranger in his bed or seat in class.

Kitt grabbed himself a pair of skates and awkwardly began moving toward the ice. That's when he spotted his Slytherin friend and a wide, boyish grin spread across his face.

"Isla! Isla, come skate with me!" He implored. It didn't cross his mind for a second that she'd be on the fence. Who would be about skating?

Besides, she was putting boots on.

"Hurry!" Yes, he was eager to get to it.

Isla was still in the process of lacing up her ice skates when she happened to glance over and catch Missa smiling at her. Isla returned the smile, and when Missa asked her to come over, she silently declined. Not for any reason of not wanting to be social or whatever. She just noticed Eiji joining her, and Isla figured the last thing two older students wanted was a thirteen-year-old joining them. So she just let them be.

Besides, she was kind of hoping one of her friends would come along soon. Bernie, Blake, Kitt, or any of the other younger ones she'd taken a liking to hanging out with. Speaking of which, and almost as if on cue, she heard somebody calling her name. She looked up to see the translucent figure of Kitt Lazarus joining them at the lake. Even though he was super see-through, it made her happy to see him. She'd felt the same way when she'd seen Blake at the Christmas event. She had approached panic a few times over the last few weeks, but her friends were keeping her grounded.

"I'm on my way!" she said, finishing the lacing process in a hurry this time and less in a somber mood. "Can you skate, or is this going to be one of those times when I have to help hold you up and you eventually drag us both down?" She laughed. "Either way would be fun, but I'm just asking." She had a feeling that with this being Kitt, they'd end up crashing, but who knew. Isla had had a few run-ins with disaster herself this year.

SPOILER!!: Heath! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy

Jumping Jawas! What was he doing out here? Heath couldn't recall. One minute, he was reading in front of the fire in the Ravenclaw common room, and the next thing he knew, he was standing by the lake. His heart sank as he suddenly got a feeling that something bad had happened here, something he had done. He knew there was a reason he always avoided this place, but what was it?

Then he remembered the ill-fated kelpie lesson. Oh, no! That wasn't why he was here, was it? Probably not. If this was another DADA lesson, he would've been in uniform. It was only when Heath saw other people skating on the frozen lake that he remembered the prefects' event. Okay, so that explained why he was outside, but it didn't explain why he was here, of all places, instead of sledding or sipping hot chocolate. He didn't even know how to skate!

Heath stood out of the way, his hands jammed into the pockets of his Poe Dameron jacket for warmth. As he watched the skaters, part of him wanted to join them. It looked like fun, and as an actor, he never knew what skills or knowledge he might need for a role. Then again, knowing him, he'd probably fall flat on his bum in front of everyone, and he didn't feel like being laughed at right now!

Ice skating.

Claudine was neither perfect nor terrible at that activity. She enjoyed it, yes, but naturally hated it whenever she fell over. Still, it was her aim that day to go skating by herself and was pleased to see that the rink wasn’t too crowded. It was perfect for her to glide around for ten or fifteen minutes.

The girl deposited her skates on the ground next to a fellow student. He looked familiar but Claudine couldn’t quite put her mind on his name. “Hi,’’ she said, briefly checking to see if he was as translucent as she was. The Snakette eased herself onto the cold ground {good thing she was all bundled up for warmth} and began swapping her current footwear for the skates. “Going to join the others on the rink?”

Not her but the others.

I can skate." Kitt confirmed with an enthusiastic nod. The boy often went skating with his siblings back when they'd lived at the lake house. Once it froze over, the fun began. "But I can still drag us down if you were really looking forward to it." A people pleaser, that's what he was and what he didn't mind being. If that helped his friend have some fun then why not?

The Gryffindor moved over awkwardly with the skates and solid ground then stuck his hand out in offer to her. "Need any help getting up?" Everything was always wobblier until you got on the ice and even if Isla was looking forward to falling, he suspected it wasn't while she was yet to get on the ice.

"D'you know any neat tricks?" He could show her a few but also wouldn't mind learning some himself.

Okay, then. Isla hadn't been expecting that. Kitt saying he could skate, that is. For some reason, she had him pegged as the 'get out on the ice, stumble, and then crash' kind of type. She laughed and shook her head when he offered to drag them down anyway. "Nah, I'm good. Besides, I can skate, too, so maybe we can show each other some cool tricks," she said.

She looked at the hand he'd offered her. They were both a little transparent. How exactly would that work? Regardless, she gave it a try. She reached out and took his hand, and surprisingly, she latched on to it. Come to think of it, she guess she should have suspected as much. They were still able to do their schoolwork, brush their hair, and all that other stuff that came along with just being alive.

In answer to his question about getting up, she stood to her full height and grinned at him. "Nope. Come on, let's go!" she said. She gave his hand a gentle tug and led him on to the ice. "Let's start out simple. Can you turn around backwards?" she asked. She pointed her toes outward and did a little spin around.

Heath was still debating whether or not to join the skaters when an unexpected voice called his name. He turned in the direction of the sound and saw… the girl Ravenclaw prefect. What was her name? He was pretty sure it was Misty or Nissa… or something like that. Well, this was embarrassing! She knew his name, but he couldn’t for the life of him recall hers. He blinked, unsure what to make of the invitation. “I don’t know if I should,” he replied, nervously looking around the rink. “I’m not a good skater.”

He’d only tried it once, and it was several years ago when his sister had a Frozen-themed birthday party. Suffice it to say, it ended with him falling on his face in front of a room full of giggling girls. Not an experience he ever wanted to repeat! Maybe he should just go…

Heath started to turn away, but there was another girl speaking to him, one whose name he did remember. Claudine… “Hi,” he replied, removing one hand from his pocket to give her a small wave. Why was it that he remembered her name when he barely remembered anyone else’s? And why was it that he somehow felt more at ease around her? In an instant, all his better judgement went out the window, and the next thing he knew, he was putting on a pair of skates.

For one fleeting moment, Heath thought Claudine was going to ask him to join her, but she mentioned the others instead. That stung a little - okay, a lot more than he wanted to admit. He looked down, pretending to re-tie one of his skate laces lest his eyes betray how much he wanted to join her. “Probably not,” he said, once again looking out at the rink. “It looks like everyone’s already paired off. I doubt they’d want me intruding.” He shrugged, running a hand through his long dark hair. “I guess I’m on my own…”

SPOILER!!: Heath <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy

SPOILER!!: Missa & Claudine

Heath was still debating whether or not to join the skaters when an unexpected voice called his name. He turned in the direction of the sound and saw… the girl Ravenclaw prefect. What was her name? He was pretty sure it was Misty or Nissa… or something like that. Well, this was embarrassing! She knew his name, but he couldn’t for the life of him recall hers. He blinked, unsure what to make of the invitation. “I don’t know if I should,” he replied, nervously looking around the rink. “I’m not a good skater.”

He’d only tried it once, and it was several years ago when his sister had a Frozen-themed birthday party. Suffice it to say, it ended with him falling on his face in front of a room full of giggling girls. Not an experience he ever wanted to repeat! Maybe he should just go…

Heath started to turn away, but there was another girl speaking to him, one whose name he did remember. Claudine… “Hi,” he replied, removing one hand from his pocket to give her a small wave. Why was it that he remembered her name when he barely remembered anyone else’s? And why was it that he somehow felt more at ease around her? In an instant, all his better judgement went out the window, and the next thing he knew, he was putting on a pair of skates.

For one fleeting moment, Heath thought Claudine was going to ask him to join her, but she mentioned the others instead. That stung a little - okay, a lot more than he wanted to admit. He looked down, pretending to re-tie one of his skate laces lest his eyes betray how much he wanted to join her. “Probably not,” he said, once again looking out at the rink. “It looks like everyone’s already paired off. I doubt they’d want me intruding.” He shrugged, running a hand through his long dark hair. “I guess I’m on my own…”

Heath!

Yes, that was his name. Funny how things just seem to be on the tip of her tongue these days but they mostly evaded her. At least he was putting on his skates so that answered her question. Claudine made sure to secure her own skates to her feet very carefully. No repeat of what had happened to her years would occur today and any other day: when she was about nine years old, while skating, one of her skates had become loose and she lost her balance. It resulted in a fall that bruised her knees a bit.

The thirteen year old had failed to realise that her words had hurt Heath, even though that was not the intention. Yet she needn’t explain herself around him for they were alike in many ways. She stretched her feet out so that the skates were actually on the rink. Her butt was getting cold and she wanted to get off of it asap. Wobbling slightly, she boosted herself onto her feet. Standing on the rink, Claudine held her arms out on either side of her to keep her balance.

“Come on, Heath. Let’s go.’’

He didn’t honestly think that she’d leave him alone, did he? #NoIntrovertLeftBehind