By the Lake<<Anyone>>

[Williard Thoth R4]

After sending a message to his parents telling about the sorting ceremony, the feast, and his first night at Hogwarts using an owl from the Owlery, Williard went back to Ravenclaw Tower, got his sketchbook and pecils from deep in his trunk, and proceded down to the grounds to sit under a huge oak tree by the black Lake. As he flipped to a fresh page in his sketch book, he felt something graze his back. He turned to see his cat Jeremy sitting with his back to him, as if he were guarding him from possible unexpected attacks.

Williard slightly smiled, but kept it hidden. He didn't know why the gesture from his pet made him feel like he did. He never really had anyone from his parents be so protective of him. Honestly, Jeremy was the only friend he had at Hogwarts really.
None of Williards fellow Ravenclaw first years really talked to him last night. Maybe it was because they too were excited too much to worry about getting to no other people. But still, Jeremy wished he had someone other than Jeremy to talk to. Just then, he felt something. Something as if someone was standing over him watching. He had heard from other students that sometimes older students liked to pick on younger ones.

Williard quickly put his pencil down, and reached in his pocket and grasped his wand.

[phantomlynx]

Skyler walked along the corridors of the castle, the huge castle. Skyler sometimes felt as though the silence was an animate idea. Well, here in the huge hallways, silence was a force that would shallow you whole! Skyler had to find his way out of the castle. He needed to hear the sounds of outside. He needed to breathe fresh air, be bitten by a mosquito, be annoyed by a grasshopper. Unfortunately for Skyler that was easier said than done. Skyler sighed. He must have been the only wizard that had no sense of direction. It was a sore subject that he tried to hide from the other first years. They seemed to be adjusting just fine. He recalled seeing the entrance doors near the Grand Hall so that is where he headed. Now, thought Skyler, should I take a right or a left? He decided right and hoped that that was the right decision.

Luckily it was. He soon found himself in front of the entrance to the castle. Skyler checked himself before he went outside. He wanted to make sure that he was properly covered. Not for modesty sake. He couldn't care less about that. He knew that if he got cold outside there was no way he would be able to get warm in the drafty castle until he went back to the common room. On account of his sense of direction, that could be hours from now. He pushed open the door and was welcomed by the fresh air. Skyler really had no agenda. He just wanted to get outside. There were some students out enjoying the evening air but Skyler went past them. He was really trying to be more social but he didn't recognize any of them and therefore didn't want to put forth the effort.

Walking along the shore of the Black Lake, Skyler came across a boy his year and in Ravenclaw named Williard Thoth. Williard's cat was sitting against Williard's back. Skyler didn't like cats and wasn't too happy to find that his roommate had one. But he didn't let that deter him. Skyler at least knew Williard's face. Skyler approached Williard and looked at his sketch book. Just then Williard reached into his pocket as if to grab his wand. "Easy there," Skyler said to him. "I'm not here to fight. I wouldn't know how to fight with wands. You're name is Williard, right? Was that you snoring last night? My name's Skyler by the way."

[Williard Thoth R4]

Williard didn't know what to do. He hastily withdrew his hand from his pocket and picked up his pencil and started drawing again. He knew he should probably say something back, but he didn't know what. So, Williard gently placed his pencil in the grass beside him, and turned around to see a short boy with brown hair and gray eyes that seemed oddly unfocused. He could tell that he must be a first year, and to his surprise, he also had on Ravenclaw robes.

Setting his sketch book in the grass beside his pencil, Williard got to his feet and extended his hand to the boy. This was how his father greeted evryone he met so he guessed it was the right thing to do.

[phantomlynx]

Skyler was so surprised when Williard didn't say anything but instead put down his pencil, stood up, and extended his right hand. Williard still had not said anything, but Skyler thought it was improper to leave his hand unattended, so he shook it. "My, how formal. Nice to meet you. Properly I suppose." Skyler was always told that three pumps on a handshake was one too many so he withdrew his hand after two pumps. "Good handshake, really, um, good hold." Skyler felt a little awkward. This was why he usually didn't approach others. He feared that they would just be flabbergasted at the sight of him and wouldn't speak to him. Just then, Skyler heard the cat meow. "I take it that this is your cat? Seeing as how he was leaning against you as I walked up. He must be very protective of you. Umm..." Skyler glanced down at Williard's sketch book. "What were you drawing?"

[Williard Thoth R4]

"Oh, um, I was drawing my interpretation of what the Giant Squid possibly looks like. And, yes, this is my cat. His names Jeremy." Williard felt stupid. He didn't know exactly how he was making himself look to Skyler. After all, he's never really had friends and wasn't sure what the proper way to socialize with others was. He had only seen his parents socialize with other people, and tried to learn from them and the way they usually greeted people, but when he held out his hand to Skyler, he looked a bit taken aback.

This was silly. He was being over analitical as always. All Williard needed to do was just be friendly and smile, and it would be alright. "So, how has everything been for you so far? No problems I hope. You look a bit lost actually."

[phantomlynx]

"The Giant Squid? You really think there's a Giant Squid in the lake?" Why not? Skyler had seen some strange things since he discovered the wizarding world, why shouldn't there be a Giant Squid in the lake? "Weird. Well, I don't think I'll go swimming for a while." Williard then told Skyler that his cat was named Jeremy. "You know, to tell you the truth, I'm not so keen on cats. Pets in general really. I don't know why." Skyler noticed that Williard seemed to be uncomfortable. Granted, to Skyler this was no picnic, but seeing that Williard was also uncomfortable somehow put Skyler at ease. It was nice to know that he wasn't the only one who was scared to meet new people. He hoped that Williard and he could become friends and eventually get over their nervousness.

"Everything's fine so far. I think I mentioned, someone was snoring last night. I'm not used to sleeping with other people in the room. It's nice to have a four-poster bed though. That way I can still hear the others, but I don't have to look at them and I know they can't look at me." When Williard told Skyler that he looked a little lost, Skyler blushed a little. "Actually, I was lost. I don't know why, but I'm having such a difficult time getting around this castle. I used to be so good with directions. But here I am talking my head off. How about you Williard? Can I call you Williard? How are things going for you?"

[Williard Thoth R4]

"Um, you can call me Will." For some strange reason, Williard found himself smiling, and loosening up a bit. He thought it was foolish to think that he was the only one in his year to feel awkward about meeting other people. But even more unusual, he didn't think that anyone but him felt a bit uncomfortable sleeping around other people in the dormitories. Williard much prefered to have his own room, but he too agreed that at least they had four posters. Skyler then asked Williard how everything was going for him. He didn't know exactly what to say so he decided to give an honest answer.

"Well, up until now, things have been a little dank. I mean, the castle's great," Williard didn't want to sound like a complete loser. "I mean theres loads of stuff always happening. But, Ive been having a look around the library mostly. I like to read."

Williard felt his grin broaden. The conversation seemed to be getting better by the minute. In an attempt to keep the atmosphere friendly he then asked Skyler about the things he liked to do, and if he's met any decent people.

[Elizabeth Peasegood H1]

“Gala!” Elizabeth yelled, distressed, as she stumbled through the door to the grounds. “Get back here now!” She was out of breath, her cheeks a splotchy red. Elizabeth wasn’t the type to exercise much and now it showed—she jogged so slowly that even Galadriel, her usually lazy and unenergetic cat, was bounding ahead of her, leaving little clumps of hair trailing behind him. Elizabeth sighed and gave up, slowing to a walk.

Gala could be so contrary—she had tried to make the fat lump get some exercise two days ago and he had refused to move from her lap, clinging with his claws even when she stood up and attempted to pry him off. And today, when she wanted to cuddle up with Gala after that awful first Potions class with Professor Snape sneering at her and making mean remarks, Gala just had to go bounding off. She looked up, trying to spot the stupid thing before he threw himself into the lake or the Whomping Willow and got himself killed.

The impossibly stupid creature was bounding right up to two boys and a cat who were standing near the lake. Elizabeth cursed mentally—she never did it out loud because Mum would get angry if she found out that Elizabeth knew those words and it was too easy to let them slip out—and made herself run again after Gala.

She caught up with him just as he was bracing to jump on the other cat, tackling him before he could spring. He struggled a bit—those stupid claws again, honestly, she was just going to rip them out one day if he kept scratching her up like that—before relaxing in her arms and purring as though he’d been behaving saintly all day. Elizabeth wasn’t fooled. “Gala, you idiot!” She panted, trying not to look at either of the boys—both Ravenclaws, she saw by their ties.

Elizabeth knew how stupid she probably looked—bright red and so out of breath she could hardly even form words, still sitting on the ground with Gala acting perfectly docile in her hands—but she was too embarrassed to even stand up. If she hadn’t had such an awful complexion she could probably get up and brush herself off and leave, acting as cool as she pleased, but one look at her cherry-colored face would completely ruin any attempts at salvaging her reputation. “Sorry about him,” she muttered instead, trying to hide her face in Gala’s fur.

[Williard Thoth R4]

Williard didn't know what to think. He was worried at first at the sight of the stray cat, but Jeremy was poised as if he wasn't even disturbed. Looking up, Williard saw a girl who must have been a first year, and judging by the crest on her robes, she was a Hufflepuff. After tediously subduing her cat, she looked up and apologized for her cat apparently getting away from her. Feeling slightly taken by the new appearance, Williard decided to go ahead and speak to her.

"Its all right. He didn't do any damage really." The girl slightly looked up fom behind her cat, and Williard noticed the girl had brown eyes under rather bushy eyebrows. He didn't really care much how she looked. She seemed nice enough. "My name is Williard by the way. And this is my cat, Jeremy. Your cats name is Gala is it?"

[Elizabeth Peasegood H1]

She relaxed a little bit. Williard was being...pretty nice, really. Nothing like that awful Gryffindor boy she'd met earlier. She straightened up self-consciously. Gala tried to use this opportunity to escape, but Elizabeth was used to Gala's little attempts at cunning and just held him tighter. "Er, yes," she replied. "Gala is short for Galadriel. He's a good boy." It was always good to put the "boy" part in. Michael hadn't told her that Galadriel was a girl's name until a week after Gala had been named, and by then it was too late to change it.

"Hello, Jeremy," she said. Jeremy was a pretty cat, and so tame, too. He hadn't even moved when Gala had nearly pounced on him. "It's nice to meet you, Williard. I'm Elizabeth. Don't bother trying to shorten that into anything, nothing really works," she blurted out hurriedly and then looked down at her feet. She wasn't very good at small talk--had she said too much? Was she supposed to say something else? She turned to the other boy. "And you are...?"

[phantomlynx]

Skyler felt comforted by the growing smile on Will's face. Skyler was worried that Will wouldn't open up but he seemed to be warming up to Skyler. This made him glad. He in fact had met many interesting people at Hogwarts, but none of them had been his age. That fact that Will was in the same year was awesome with an added bonus of being in Ravenclaw. "I'm not very familiar with wizarding activities as I'm new to the magical world. But back in the non-magical world I liked to play football." Just then Skyler looked over and saw a young girl chasing a cat. "Yeah, I've met... people.... Is that cat coming straight at us?" His question was soon answered as the strange cat came upon Jeremy ready to strike but before he could the strange girl tackled him. She struggled with him but she finally won. She looked up and apologized for her cat's behavior.

Skyler listened as Will told her that no harm had been done. This is one of the reasons Skyler didn't like animals. They were always fighting. Will introduced himself and his cat to the girl who in turn introduced herself as Elizabeth. She then turned towards Skyler and asked "And you are...?"

"Skyler," Skyler answered. "You could shorten it to Sky, but I wouldn't like that very much. I had just randomly met Will out here when you came running up. Why were you chasing your cat?"

[Williard Thoth R4]

Williard couldn't believe it. He had never been in a situation before now where he was able to talk to one kid his age, let alone two. Obviously, making friends was a lot easier just being calm, and being yourself. Sure he had just met them, but both Skyler and Elizabeth seemed like nice people, and he could already see the three of them hanging out together. Sure, Elizabeth was in Hufflepuff, but what did that matter, right? He had seen kids from other Houses hanging out and they appeared to be really good friends. So why couldn't the three of them.

[Elizabeth Peasegood H1]

Elizabeth nodded. "Hello, Skyler," she said politely. She understood what Skyler meant about shortening names--her father called her Lizzie, a name she detested. She told him repeatedly that she didn't like it, but he always seemed to forget afterwards. He could be so absent-minded...

Skyler's comment about Gala made her remember the cat. She looked down; Gala had slid out of her grip and was now laying heavily on her feet. She tried to move them, but Gala wouldn't budge. She sighed. "I was chasing him because the dumb lump has absolutely no survival instinct," she replied. "Knowing him, he would have jumped straight after the Giant Squid, or ran right into the Forbidden Forest. He's constantly trying to find things that can get him killed. He'd probably find a way to get himself eaten even out in the middle of nowhere."

She grimaced. "Especially since I've heard that the Care of Magical Creatures teacher lets the most dangerous beasts run rampant... have you two had him yet? I've only had Potions so far. Ghastly subject, that is. I've never been good at it or anything like that, but somehow doing it with Professor Snape in the room is a thousand times worse."

[Williard Thoth R4]

"Um, no, not yet. We have only had potions too." Williard wondered why he said "we" instead of "I", and at that moment he had a memory of Skyler pop up in his mind. He remembered Skyler sitting in his row, kind of struggling with his potion, but didn't really pay to much attention to him. Elizabeth must have had a hard time too based off of her little confession. But, it was different for Williard. Aside from Snape, he rather enjoyed Potions. Maybe, the three of them could sit together next Potions class? He didn't dare say this thought out loud because he didn't want to seem weird or desperate.

Williard felt Jeremy rest a paw on his leg. he didn't know what it meant, so he bent down and picked the cat up for the first time. This must be what he wanted because the cat softly rubbed his nose against Williards chin. "That reminds me, have any of you finished the essay Professor Snape assigned for homework on the Shrinking Solution?"

[phantomlynx]

When Will said something about them having Potions Skyler shivered. The memory of his first Potions class was not exactly pleasant. It was freezing down in the dungeons! Not to mention Snape gave them a most unpleasant sneer the entire time. Honestly, Skyler hadn't meant to make his potion turn orange. But for crying out loud, how much was a dash! That class frustrated Skyler because it was just another reminder of how he was having trouble fitting into the wizarding world.

"Well, I almost got started on the essay," Skyler said in response to Will's question. "But I met Kody and Ezzie there and forgot all about it," he admitted. That was one thing he didn't like about making friends. They were time consuming. But it was time well spent.

[Williard Thoth R4]

"Um, Im sorry, Kody and Ezzie?" Williard had no idea who these people were, but if Skyler was alright with them, then he guessed they were nice people. "What about you Elizabeth? Have you got through your essay?"

[Elizabeth Peasegood H1]

Elizabeth saw Skyler shiver and she smiled softly in sympathy. She'd be having a ghastly time in potions for the next few years too, if her first class was any indication; her potion had been lint-colored and vaguely fuzzy. Definitely not what the intended results were.

Gala sniffed Jeremy and squinted at him suspiciously. Elizabeth nudged Gala with her toes. "If you can't play nice, I'm dragging you back inside," Elizabeth warned. Gala made a few sounds that were almost like mutters, but he played nice after that. "I finished my essay just before this idiot came tearing through Hogwarts," she said happily. "I'm terrible at making almost anything--I'll have to tell you the exploding cake story about a year from now, when I'm not so embarrassed about it--but I can write pretty well."

She gave the two of them a penetrating look. "Is it true that the Ravenclaws have their own private library? I couldn't tell if the older students were pulling my leg or not." If they did, Elizabeth would find a way to check it out, even if she had to do it under an Invisibility spell (was there an Invisibility spell? She didn't know). The Hogwarts library was woefully lacking in fiction, her favorite genre.

[Williard Thoth R4]

"Private library? Skyler, have you heard of anything like that?" Williard felt himself frown. He had never heard, nor seen anything of this so called, "Private Library." Williard loved to read, and if there was a library in the common room, he would've been in there as oppose to outside sketching by the lake. Obviously someone was teasing her, and thought it a huge laugh.

"Well," he said straightening his face, "If there is one, I haven't seen it, but if there is, I wouldn't mind getting you books from it. Unless there's a spell or incantation on the books where only Ravenclaws can read them, but of course this is if it even exists. Now that I think about it, I hope it does. The school library is terribly limited. I go in there alot to see if they have any interesting reads, but so far I haven't really found anything. I bet theres loads to read in the restricted section, but unfortunately, its restricted."

[Elizabeth Peasegood H1]

"I know!" Elizabeth agreed, discarding her disappointment at a lack of a private library--Hufflepuff certainly didn't have a private anything--in favor of being excited over finding someone who was voicing her own opinions. "I'll have to owl Michael--oh. Well, I'll owl my dad, at any rate, to send some of my favorite books over. I've probably read my copy of Blood Brothers a thousand times over." She'd read Dark Lord of Derkholm even more--Michael had used Reparo on it twice already--but that was a Muggle book, and if she brought it up either Williard or Skyler would probably ask about it. Then she'd have to explain it was fiction (and honestly, wizards had no right to think anything untrue wasn't worth the parchment it was written on) and then they'd think her odd--a few of her dormmates had given her weird looks just because she had a ballpoint pen and a lined notebook. If she'd told any of them how she'd flown on a plane, they'd probably have heart attacks.

She shrugged at the casual mention of the Restricted Section. Her dad had told her some horror stories of the times during the war with You-Know-Who, about the days where he had to run around Obliviating entire Muggle towns to think that half their population was dead because of disease or wild animals instead of Death Eaters. "I guess the Restricted Section could be fun," she said cautiously, "but it's restricted for a reason, I think. Some stuff there is probably pretty nasty. Not the sort of stuff anyone should be paging through." Her dad had speculated out loud often enough about how You-Know-Who, who had almost certainly been a Hogwarts student, probably started going Dark while in school, probably because of all the foul texts he had read there. Her dad was firmly in the books-about-Dark-magic-count-as-Dark-so-give-them-to-the-Ministry-NOW camp.

[Williard Thoth R4]

"Your probably right." Williard sighed. "The Restricted Sections probably full of stuff that really shouldn't be made available to just anyone." But, Williard thought, not everything in the restricted section could be bad. But, he agreed with Elizabeth and dropped it.

"So," he said remembering her talking about sending for some of her books from home. "Blood Brothers? That sounds interesting." Just then he had a thought. Why couldn't he send for some books from his home to share with Elizabeth and Skyler? It would be a great bonding experience showing eachother books of which they enjoyed. But, wait, was that going to far? Elizabeth and Skyler seemed great, but what if they got weirded out by the idea? Well, if they felt the way he did about books (which they seemed to), they would like it. So he decided to go ahead and make the suggestion.

"Maybe I'll do the same thing. Im pretty sure I have books at home you'd like a lot. Maybe you too Skyler, if you want." Williard felt the heat rise in his face and neck. He didn't know why he was nervous again but he was. To try and hide it, he quickly devoted his gaze to his cat, and started scratching Jeremy gently behind his ears.