Details for Creature Camp: Agriculture and De-Gnoming |
Summary: | Todays activities are learning some basics in agriculture, mostly focusing on the things creatures on the farm and rehabilitation centre eat. It wouldn't be a Agriculture lesson without some Bale Tossing and De-Gnoming fun! |
Date: | August 25th, 1941 |
Location: | Hogsmeade - Fawley Farm |
Related: | Day 1: ((Off Screen)) Check in and Tour Day 2: Pet Fair & Petting Zoo Day 3: Owls & Bonfire Day 4: Centaur Meet & Greet Day 5: Winged Horse Race Day 6: Merfolk Meet and Greet Day 7: This Event. Agriculture & De-Gnoming. Day 8: Dragon Day |
Characters |
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Gardening is often hot, sticky work. In August, even in Scotland, it's still hot, sticky work. And they've been at it for a while now, weeding. What the weeds are varies, though most of it is non-magical; still, every now and again there is something that creeps more than it strictly should, or thorns that bite when it strictly shouldn't. Lissie finally straightens; her straw hat blew away some time ago, and by now her cheeks and arms are starting to sunburn. She runs her arm across her eyes and her forehead, flopping back onto a bale of hay.
Aiden has been making his best attempt at weeding and gardening. After all his family is predominantly Aurors and or into Defensive magic in some way. His face is flushed and he seems more than a tad irritated and more sunburnt than he normally gets. He sighs as he stands up tossing the weeds where they are meant to go and sits down folding his hands across his chest clearly upset with his lack of skill in Gardening.
Wiping the sweat for his brow, William looked back at the row of late summer squash his has prepared. Neatly marked with little ribbons, he waking along the row poking holes in the groung with his ivy carved wand, humming.
"One seed for the winds that harshly blow. One to satistify the morning crow. And one for the farmer that hopes to grow." As he poked each divit, he carefully counted one-two-three before tapping the dirt back to cover the shallow pit.
Then he continues his slow, tedious march, his soft tenor repeating the chant as made new marks in the ground.
Though he was sweating and redden with the day's sun, he continued steadfast in his mission.
Lissie turns her head, hearing the humming of the boy William. She watches him, then stares, then blinks. "Oy, Merrythought," she murmurs, Not quite loud enough for William to make out. "Look at Will, please. Tell me he's nae plantin' seeds in August… an' doin' it with his wand? Should I warn him he's liable tae blow us all up?" She turns her head back to watch, her expression incredulous. "Daft. Got tae be daft in the sun.
Aiden looks up and chuckles. "Aye I believe yer righ' ther now aren' ye'? Tha' Boyo ith plantin them theeds ith a wee bi' la'e inna theathon innit?" He asks her in his own mumble scooting closer and smiling at her. "Aye Im thinkin maybe ya mightin be tellinem yea?" Aiden says smiling at her brightly. "Though I don' know abou' thith plantin an' gardenin' thin'"
William pretends not to hear the Northerner's doubts over his planting strategy. "Never you ind them my lovelies. All they know is cabbages and potatoes, sheeps and seals on the cold pretty islands of theirs. This is good English sil your nestled in. Rich and loamy. You'll do fine. I come and check on you from time to time. maybe find a kindly Hufflepuff or a keenwitted Ravenclaw to help bespell your soil abit. We'll even sort you out a nice trestle if you like."
William gathered a watering bucket and careful trudge back along the row care to not over water as he hummed a quite song, "Hey buds below, up is where to grow, down with with what below can't compare with. Hurry. It's lovely, up here."
"Oy. Atherton. Dinnae what you're about theer, but ye dinnae use a wand for tae be pokin' holes in th' ground. Plus, happen we're way up north, see, an' it isnae plantin' time here. It's near about harvest." Then, listening to the boy, Lissie shakes her head. "It's *Scottish* soil, laddie m'dear. We're o'er the border, and in the United Kingdom ye may be, but t'werena ne'er English soil and ne'er will be, an good fer that. An' in *Scotland*, laddie-m'dear, nither ain nor none plant squash come August. An' wands doan' take tae bein' used for tha' an' y'ain't s'posed tae be usin' tha' until y'be in Hogwarts. You're underage, an' y'could get us all in trouble. So put it awa. Put tha wand awa richt noo." Her burr intensifies irately, and she rises and stomps her foot, her hair and skin all aflame.
Aiden stands up with her and if she lets him he will place a hand on her shoulder. "Rela'th thar Litthie, ya don' nee' ta pop yer cork do ya? An' fer yer informathion boyo we know more'n spuds an' cabbage in Eire. Bu' she be roigh' Lad yer not thuppothed ter be uthin yer wan' outthide O' Hogwartth so iffin ye' don' min' laddie pleathe be puttin tha' away." He says his tongue flicking a few time honestly the only tell of his slight frustration. "Anyway howth abou' we talk about thumthin' maybe?" Aiden asks looking around.
William looks askance at the pair and around the garden. He looks at at his wand's muddied tip and takes his soiled hankie to polish the tip clean. "Yes. Your quite right of course. How impolitic of me. Even though we weren't doing any magic. Not that I've every Learn how mind…and ignoring the fact that I have a practical, outdoors wand that rather fancies plants. SOmeone, " he raises a haughty eyebrow at the Skye lass, "MIGHT get the wrong idea. So common courtesy demands, I shall indeed put my lovely friend away. Deserves a rest after all that lovely toil any way. "
Once cleaned, Willian inspected it with a kindly eye and trundles off to the side to tuck in a leather tube with an attached carrying strap. He then hangs the tube over his back like a thin quiver nearly a third the length of his small frame. He looked to the pair and nodded politely, "My apologies, Miss Keir, Master Merrythought."
Arkie said no would mind." He snorts. Looking around, he nods curiously, "above Hadrian's wall are we? Huh. Thought were further south. My first time to the Mainland.:
"My name's Lissie. Or y'can call me Kier. But doan ye be calling me 'Miss' like you're grown up or some highborn laird. You're a boy, jus' a boy, an' it's… well, it's creepy. An if y'keep it up, I'll just ignore ye until y' talk tae me normal-like." Lissie shakes her head. "An' how would you know what it fancies? Y'havena been *using* it, have ye?" Lissie just stares. "If your wand be practical, I can hardly believe it ain't killed ye for usin' it like a common troowel. An if your Arkie told ye 'twould be a'reet tae use the wand so, an' outside school, y'know tha he's tryin' tae get ye in trouble, noo?"
She looks over her shoulder then at Aiden, smiles slightly and relaxes a little.
Aiden takes her hand is his for a moment again if shell let him. He doesnt want to freak her out or make her uncomfortable. "Aye Litthie calm down a mite won' ye' Pleathe. Ath much ath his Mathter Merrythought an' Mith Kier ith thrange ta me ath well. Maybe thath juth the way he wath raithed an' taught ya." Then in the tiniest of whispers so only she can hear him. "Happy Birthday Litthie." He says giving her hand a squeeze and if she lets him hell place a gentlemanly peck on the back of her hand. Forked tongue flicks. "Im tho thorry." He says his face getting red. "I know I don' got much an' it ith on'y wordth but I wanted ye' ta know yer friend thinkth itth a great day ta celebrate."
"Very well, Keir. If civility offends I shall sacrifice it on your account." He pipes in a civil tenor.
William looks at the girl with dissapointment. "I count you brave Mi-…Kier. And kind-hearted as well. But I do not count you observant. Not once have I worn anything regal or austenstasious. I don;t own anything that hasn't be haded down, patched and handed down again. I may have one pair of socks without a hole in them and when Arkie finds out they will no doubt mysteriously go missing."
He looks at the pair of Northerners and sighs sadly. "As it is your birthday, I shall give you the best gift I can think of. I shall spare you my company."
With that the boy shrugged and went to got put his gardening tools humming softly, "Climbe up Geranium. It cant be fun subterranium. Hurry it's lovely up here…."
Lissie grins when Aiden takes her hand, and she blinks. And when he dips his head, she blinks harder. And then she snatches her hand away, and she gives a little shriek, but there is laughter in the sound. "Did you just LICK ME? Aiden Merrythought, you just…. licked me. Ewwwwww! Snakey-licks! EWWWWW!" she shrieks again, then flings herself backwards onto the hay, giggling. "That…. was so… sweet and… so… ewwww!" She winks at the boy. "Thanks, Merrythought. You're all right by me." Then she turns to William and sighs. "Laddie, it's just that ain't none of the students there as talks tha' way. The teachers, aye, but e'eryone else as might do it is puttin' on airs or being stuck-up. An' I get you're not tryin' tae, I guess, but laddie, you're in for a shock. Ain't no aine calls any "Hoggies" or "Warts". An' the professors'll near skin ye if ye dae things like tha with yer wand a' school. An' maybe y'doan like tae hear't an' more'n likely I could hae said it nicer, but… Look. Ye come off half times like yer playin' at bein' a laird. An' there's some from pureblood families tha'll take tha ni so weel. Ach, they may ni flay ye for't. An' th'other half, weel, I almost went tae get Miss Camilla, because I thought the sun had made ye daft from the heat. Because…. ye come off kind o'… weel…. daft, laddie. An' ye seem…. nice enough. But…. I *am* kindhearted. There's a lot o' students tha…. weel. Aren't nice a'tall."
Aiden gets redder at Lissies reaction and though he hears her laughter he smiles a bit. "Me apologieth Litthie I can'nae control the flickin O' the tongue thin' I try though. Ta be thure tha's righ'." When he hears her explanation to William he smiles sadly as he is of Pureblood stock he knows all to well the hatred and bigotry that can accompany that. "Aye boyo Litthie ith righ' thadly there are many O' Purebloodth tha' would take great Offenth ta ye' thoundin like yer a laird ta be thure. An' Thadly they may ac' firtht an' think la'er. No' ter thay tha'th what yer intendin' bu' thadly ith no' alwayth how we thpeak bu' more the way we thpeak ya know." He says his tongue flicking repeatedly here as he turns back to Lissie. "Ya really thin' it wath thweet I really do feel terrible abou' lickin ye'" Aiden says with a chuckle and a bow.
William blinks blankly at the girl. "Ah. Miss… yes… " He doen't bother finishing his address unclear what to call the iritated girl.
He shook his head wryly, "I was rather woried that I might be sorted into Hufflepuff. It happens, you know? Families being sorted otherwise. Arkie being Ravenclaw, is no guareentee, really. But if yours opinion of my manner and character is… typical…then…" William didn't see any need to go further. He simply shook his head confused.
"And their not AIRES they're MANNERS. Cerainly they have those up North!" He turns back to putting away his tools muttering, "…my mother's muggle for goodness sakes… and my wand likes the soil… i'd always heard hufflepuff were nicer… prolly is tryin to be kind, in their fashion… manners maketh man…"
William stops for a moment, ears reddening glances about and shuts his mouth tight. He finishes put up the tools silent with mutter, mumble or soft singing to the surrounding soil.
"And both o' my parents are Muggles. What has parentage t'dae with anything?" Lissie shakes her head. "Sorry y' doan like tae hear it, but jus' tryin' tae save you a world o' trouble. Och, weel." She shakes her head, an' then sits up. "I think it was adorable, Marrythought. But my hand's dirty…. an…." She pauses, then brings up her hand to lick where he inadvertently did. "Oy, I taste terrible." She shakes her head. "Right. I think we have the weeding done. Planting isnae on the list o' thinks tae do. So there's something about hay…. or de-gnoming the garden. So…. ah…. I think throwin' things would be nice for the noo."
A light clinging of metal on metal comes from the distance. Eoin is focused on a blacksmithing puzzle, the horseshoes connected by a chain with a ring around the middle, looking impossible to slip the ring off. His hands become motionless suddenly, stopping as he blinks, hearing the voices up ahead. His green eyes lift, flicking around as he takes in the surroundings, noticing who's about. A smile spreads across his face as he lifts his head a little higher, dropping the puzzle to his side as he brings a hand up to wave. The brawny boy starts his approach, nodding to Lissie and Aiden. "Hello," Eoin offers out. And to William, who gets a little more of a studying gaze as he tilts his curly haired head, he dips his head in a greeting. "Hi," he says, friendly. He seems oblivious if there are any troubles.
Aiden nods his head in agreement with a smile at Lissies face when she licks herself. "I Don' know Litthie my tathte ith all bloody queer thince the tranthfermathion. An' Itth no' like I inten'ed te lick ye'" He says smiling now flicking his tongue on purpose. "Though I coul' thith time on purpoth iffin ye' want." Aiden says playfully and teasing lissie. But to Billy's words he turns and now hes had it. "Lithen mate ya mighten be wan'in to treat a Lath wi' respec' boyo. It don'nae ma'er what line ye' come from. Im a Pureblood an' me family don' thpeak li'e tha'. Tha'th more of the higher thtandin purebloods tha' be thpeakin li'e tha'. They migh'in be le'in me ge' away wi' i' bu' tha'th merely becauthe ath much ath I hate ta thay it me name. Litthie wath on'y tryin tae help ye' boyo an' yer gettin yer knickers in a twitht. Lad le' us be helpin ye' tho thin's might be eathier fer ye' la'er." He says jumping immediately to Lissies defence on it. "I Unnerthand it be how ye' were raithed bu' thin'th her be differ'nt than that in the muggle worl'." Aiden says shaking his head and turning back to Lissie. "Aye I do belie' yer right though degnomin thoundth ta be a blatht."
"I ne'er done it before, but learnt about it right enough in Herbology. But they keep it fair weel de-gnomed. An' we learnt about it some t'day, y'know, how tae hold 'em an' fling 'em an' such. Soo… we could hae a contest or somethin'. An…. oooh. I know. I have a broom, an' brought it wi' me, an I could give the winner a ride. An' if the winner's me, weel. I'll gi' me a ride then, noo?" She laughs. "I doan mind bein' licked, Aiden. It was… weird, but the dogs do it. And so do lambs, but lamb an' dog licks be all…. spitty." Lissie waves at Eoin. "Abernathy! Want tae help us de-gnome the garden? We're goin' tae make a contest of it." She looks over to William. "Ye can compete too, Atherton. Bygones an' all."
Willaim nods politely to the new lad while casting a curious eye at his puzzle. At the mention of disrepecting the Scottish lass, his eyes widen at the Northern boy. He starts to protest and then stops himself. Instead he turns to reorganize the tool area.
Aiden nods his head and when he sees Eoin he smiles. "'Ello mate how ya doin thith gran' evenin?" He asks happily as he stays near Lissie. Before turning back to her. "Aye ya got a broom do ye' Im a fair flier methelf litthie so would i' be you' flyin an' the winner onna back er would it be the winner flyin?" He asks with a smile at her. "Aye William come on Lad honethtly ith all ath Litthie thaid bygonth righ'"
Eoin glances down to the puzzle now down by his side, bringing it back up to hold in both hands again. He only studies it for a second, because his eyes flick towards Lissie with an eager look. "De-gnoming?" Both eyebrows shoot upward as a grin flashes across his face. "That sounds grand," he says slowly, his tone sounding thrilled. Again, his gaze flicks down to the puzzle, giving it some thought before he tucks it away into a pocket. He looks around distractedly, and blinks as he glances to Aiden, letting out a small, "Mmm. Oh," he says. "It's a grand day-" He blinks, shifts his gaze onto Lissie. "A broom? What kind of broom do you have?" he asks in his slow, unhurried way. Then, as if it's suddenly occurred to him, Eoin turns back to William and tips his head downward sheepishly. "Sorry," he lets out. "I'm Eoin," he offers out friendlily.
William stops his reorganizing and glances over at the taller boy. It takes only a second to remember a his manners and he offers his hand with a warm grin. "William. Willaim Alderton. Well met, Eoin."
He glances at the boy's puzzlery. "Lovely bit of twistage may I have a look?"
"Right." Lissie grins as they get to where the garden is overrun by gnomes. "So… we grab one, swing and…. fling. And the one as goes farthest that time about wins. And… oh, shall we play to ten? Meanin' tha' the person who wins ten first wi… noo. Let's just keep count an' when we're too tired or bored, tha person wins." Then she grins at Eoin. "I have one made by Brody. It's wonderful. You playing?" She puts on gardening…. and de-gnoming…. gloves.
Aiden nods to her putting on a pair himself. "Aye Im in Litthie." He says getting close to her and standing there. "Bettha I win thisun. I haven' won a game ye' bu' Im thure I got thisun." He says smiling looking around.
Eoin turns his gaze to look around the field, inclining his head curiously as his brows lower. Did he catch something moving over… there? Hmmm. "Huh?" Eoin blinks as he swings his attention back onto William, looking to his hand as with a perplexed flicker of his eyebrows. It takes only a second for him to return his mind on the introduction, letting out a small, "Oh," as he nods his head once, bringing his own, thick fingered hand out to grasp William's. A strong handshake, rough fingers with all the work he does with his hands. "What?" It takes a second before he realises that William is asking about the blacksmithing puzzle, remembering it and reaching to his pocket to pull it out, nodding as he offers it out for him to take a look. "I think that I might have figured out how it works," he explains slowly before he looks towards Lissie. "Oh, yes, count me in, please."
William rubs his sore hand from the taller boy's eager grip and glances toward the Northerners prepare for their sport, wistfully. He glances back at the taller boy, with a soft grin when offers the puzzle, "Thanks kindly, Eoin. Do you mind if I look at this while you have toss then?"
Lissie grins at Aiden and Eoin, though she frowns slightly at William, then shrugs. "I tried," she murmurs, then nods at the other two boys. "I see a— ha." She spots another gnome and grabs him by the ankles. Around and around she spins it, then sends the gnome arcing through the air. She doesn't mean to fling him near William, but the gnome's struggling gives her little other choice when to let go.
Aiden looks around and spots a gnome himself. He picks it up spins it round and round he flings it and it goes a decent distance but lands short of Lissies. "Bloody Hell I guess this roun' may be yourth Litthie." He says playfully snapping.
Eoin looks over towards the garden with interest, head tilted as he stares intently. He gives a start to William's question, blinking as he returns his gaze to him. "Oh, okay, sure," he says, dipping his head to the younger boy. He flicks out a smile to William before he turns his head as Lissie starts it off, eyes widening as she catches a gnome and flings it. "Brilliant," he compliments before his eyes flick towards Aiden's grab. He manages a, "Nice one," before he gives a jerk, glancing around the area. He sees something move, takes a step in the direction, and lunges! Only to end up with a face full of dirt, flopping and sliding over the earth with outstretched arms, coming up with nothing but air and a whole lot of dirt on his clothes. "Bother," he whispers out.
Wiiliam raises a suspicious eyebrow in the trio's direction. He tried to determine if it was purpose aim at him or an accident. He huffs. "Respect, indeed."
Looking down at the dazed "I wouldn't return were I you? They'll just give you another toss you know." The toothless critter sqeuk and gurbled and scamper dazedily back the garden. "Gnomes", he mutter wryly and returned to the blacksmiths puzzle at hand.
Lissie grins. "Well. That was unexpected…." she says. "Sorry, Atherton!" she calls over to the boy, then laughs. "Thanks, Aiden, but yours went almost as far. Eoin, oy, one by your feet!" She lunges for another one, but her grip is not as good. She twists and flings the gnome….. SPLAT! right into Aiden. She stares for a moment, then doubles over, laughing.
OOC: That's all I got before disconnecting.