| Details for Playing Over Break |
| Summary: | A break between classes where students go out to enjoy the lovely weather. |
| Date: | March 4, 1939 |
| Location: | Campus Grounds, Hogwarts |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Classes have let out on a break. It’s a relatively nice day out, sunny with a few white clouds and not too chilly. Most of the students wandering out on the grounds wear their outer cloaks, but there are others who have shed their cloaks - mainly those who have been moving around. There are a couple of students sitting underneath a tree with a blanket pulled over their laps, reading books and occasionally lowering them to converse. A few older students are walking the grounds simply, a couple stopping to observe a group of younger students gathered around and tossing around a quaffle.
Angelus catches the quaffle when it’s thrown to him and flashing a grin. “Mhm,” he ponders for a moment as he holds onto the orb. “Locomotor Wibbly - turns your legs to jelly.” And he lifts his head towards a boy. “Simon,” Gel calls and tosses it out. The next boy who catches it takes but a minute before he states a spell, what it does, and then passes it on, and so forth.
While Angelus and his cohorts are studying - in a nearby tree, a certain first year is lurking. Madeline's leaning back against the trunk, balanced on a branch, with a book in her hands. She turns the pages periodically, looking perfectly content and comfortable in her tree-top perch - for any that looks up a notice her.
Elric walks past holding a quaffle of his own, and spots Angelus doing his teaching and training, and he grows an impish smile, heading slowly closer to Angelus, aiming the quaffle at the back of Angelus head, throwing it, and then calling out, "Catch!" Just in time for Angelus to get hit in the forehead if he turns as Elric expects. The Hufflepuff just smiles as he waits for the result of this little action.
“It’s a fascinating read. I’m completely intrigued to find out more about Billy Abbot.” History. The fifth year Hufflepuff has lowered her book, talking across to the students sitting with her, smiling at them. There’s barely a response before she’s lifting her book up again, but before she returns to the text she’s looking up into the tree. A hand lifts to over her mouth as she lets out a giggle, lowering the book to her lap and keep her finger inside. “Is that…” Artemis hesitates for a second as she tilts her head, “…Madeline up there? Enjoying the outdoors too?”
Meanwhile, the quaffle has left many hands as it’s tossed around in a somewhat subdued sport. It has currently stopped in the hands of a young boy who’s chewing on his lip nervously, stuttering as he thinks. “Um- Um- Multi- No, that’s been said. Um-“ An older boy beside him pipes up, “Alohamora - spell that unlocks doors.” “Oh, Alohamora,” says the younger boy before he tucks the quaffle under his arm and begins to run with the other student pursuing to try and ‘tag’ him.
“Mhm?” Angelus turns as Elric calls out. Letting out a surprised ‘ack!’ as his hands reflexively lift, it’s all he can do to protect his face. But it still hits his wrist in a painful way so that he’s letting out a hiss. “Oi, Selwyn,” Angelus calls out on a chuckle, which sounds a bit forced as he shakes his hand. “A bit of warning next time, hey, mate? Did you want to join?” Shaking his hand, he whispers, “Ow.”
Hearing a fuss down below, Madeline peers through the branches to see what's going on. Did someone get hit by the quaffle?
It looks like maybe /someone/ did - maybe Eibon? The girl frowns faintly. He looks alright, though, and he has his friends to help him out and it's not like he's /her/ problem, anyways.
The first year's attention returns to her book.
Elric's smile falters a little as Angelus seems somewhat hurt by the quaffle. "Sorry man, I thought it'd just bounce off your thick forehead harmlessly." He glances at the game they're playing, and trying to figure out what's going on. "Maybe for a bit, it sounds a bit much like class though. I didn't come here to recall spells." He's smiling again, clearly not too concerned about Angelus, "You alright, right, Eibon?"
Artemis offers a smile up into the tree before she, too, looks over to the game being played. “Hmm,” escapes her as she looks, for a moment, concerned but sighs softly as she smiles and settles back. Everything looks fine. So she lifts up her book and starts reading on in history.
A smirk slips across Angelus’ lips, lifting a single hand in a casual gesture. “Yea, no worries,” he answers, rolling his shoulders simply. “It’ll take more than that to take out the mighty lion. Rawr!” A cocky little grin slants across his lips after ‘roaring’ as if he were a lion, pumping his fist into the air above his head. A playful twinkle flashes his eyes as he laughs, gesturing around him as he looks over the gathering. “How about we switch it up? A little keep away? Might not be /as/ fun without brooms, but it’s exercise.” He turns to Elric, squinting one eye closed as he looks thoughtful, lifting a finger up in front of him. “First, which one are you, mate?” Gel smirks and rolls his shoulders. “Elric?”
Seeming to belatedly realize her name was spoken, Madeline peers down at Artemis, smiling brightly and waving with one hand. "It's such a /great/ day - how can I not?" she asks. She'd bounce in place - but she long ago learned that's a bad idea when up in trees. "I was getting a bit tired of the snow - weren't you?"
Elric shakes his head, "Nah. I'm Theodoric. Elric, Leoric and I are triples, you know?" He smiles as he says it, and grabs the quaffle again, "Keep away could work, but it'd be more fun if we added in something to spice it up." He thinks about it, and then says, "Maybe we should make it so that if you catch the ball when you're it, you don't immediately become a thrower. You get a go as beater first, and we'll use some other ball they get to throw at the throwers to make them stop. If you get hit by the fake bludger you have to stop moving until you've counted till ten, and if you have the ball, drop it right away."
“Beautiful day,” Artemis agrees with a beaming smile. The book is lowered enough so that she can peek over the top, looking up into the tree again. “It is nice to get a bright, almost warm day after all the snow,” she decides, nodding her head. “We can’t be trapped inside all day with weather like this.” She lets out a ‘hmm,’ tilting her head. “Make sure you’re careful up there though. I would hate for you to fall,” she says, her face wincing at the thought.
Angelus smirks and quirks a brow as he studies Elric. “Nice try, but the great and powerful wizard knows all at the school.” A wide grin flashes across Angelus’ face as he turns, swinging out an arm in a showy gesture, letting out a laugh. He waves two fingers at Elric as he smirks. He tips his head a little to the side as he thinks, listening to Elric’s suggestion and humming thoughtfully. One of the younger boy’s, however, looks a little worried as he shifts uncomfortably over the ground. “Um, maybe I, um, should sit out for a while.” “Nah, don’t go, Gibbon,” says Angelus with a reassuring smile before looking to Elric. “We make the balls cushiony and as long as everyone else is in, I’m game.” He shrugs lightly.
"Oh, I almost /never/ fall out!" Madeline answers brightly. "I'm a really great climber!" She beams with confidence, seemingly perfectly comfortable right where she is. "Why don't you come up?" she invites Artemis. "Do you climb?"
Elric smirks back at Angelus's joking, "Does he now? Then why don't we ask the great and powerful wizard, who certainly must have graduated already, what he thinks?" Elric brings out a cushiony ball, not too dissimilar from the kind of balls muggles use for dodgeball, just a lot smaller… not that Elric knows anything about dodgeball. "This one isn't too bad to get hit by, bounces right off." He promises, and throws it at Angelus again, aiming for the Gryffindor's chest. "Let's game."
“Well,” Artemis considers as she tilts her head, studying the tree as she purses her lips. “I’m not a terribly great climber. Never have been, really,” she adds in. She lets out a ‘hmm,’ closing her book after marking her place and setting it down beside her bag. “You know what I like?” Artemis pulls herself to her feet and lifts a hand, reaching up to the lowest branch, yanking once or twice on it. “I love swinging,” she announces, looking up to the girl with a bright smile.
Angelus grins as his royal blue eyes gleam, chuckling as he jabs his finger at his chest. “Right here,” he says as he cocks his head. “I’m the one who’s going to surpass Merlin someday.” He winks at Elric before his hands lift to catch the ball, flashing a grin as he whirls around and gesturing around. “Let’s play!”
The other students, who either roll their eyes or laugh at Angelus’ boasting playfulness, all spread out, ready to play the game.
"Swinging is good, too," Madeline agrees brightly. "We have a sturdy ol' pear tree in the front of the house, and my da' put a swing on it for me. Sometimes I'd swing, sometimes I'd climb - sometimes I'd climb the swing!"
Artemis smiles brightly as she nods her head. “I always loved swinging,” she says enthusiastically. “Hmm. It would be lovely if we could make one here,” Artemis muses, pinching her pursed lips between her fingers. “I might be able to conjure some rope and a plank. I’ve gotten a little better since Alphard gave me some tips on casting.” She hops energetically on the ground, turning her head to look down at her bag. “What do you think, Madeline?”
Madeline's features take on a look as if she's tasted something sour at the mention of Alphard - but it doesn't linger. "I think that'd be great! Can you really do that? Conjure up ropes and stuff out of nothing? I can't do aaaaaanything like that yet! I can't wait to learn!"
Artemis tilts her head, looking up at Madeline with a curious little look and a sparkle in her eyes. A hand lifts to cover her mouth as she lets out a giggle. “I guess you know him. He’s really not that bad, however he might seem.” She smiles softly, brushing a few blonde curls back. “It’s just really hard for everyone right now.” A sigh escapes her before she shakes her head sadly, holding up a hand. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be worrying you.” She forces her smile back. “Well, I /might/ be able to,” she says matter-of-factly. “I’ve been practicing. I’m so, so much better at keeping information than casting spells, but there are some really wonderful tutors around.” She crouches to her bag, taking up her book to tuck it away, partially tugging out her wand before she lets out a ‘hmm’ and slides it back in. “Actually, perhaps I should follow the rules and find a staff member or a prefect to help out.” Looking up into the tree, she smiles up at the younger girl.
Madeline does not look confused - she can still picture the look on his face when he was coming at Elric. She doesn't comment on it, though.
"Well, I guess. I mean - they might get mad if they found us altering the tre-" and then the bell starts to chime. Madeline looks surprised, and then a bit anxious. "Uh-oh. I was supposed to meet Adam!" The book is tucked away into a pocket before the girl shimmies down from the tree. "I'm sorry - I've got to hurry! BYE!"