8 Jun 2018, 17:28
Skimming Stones
Constantine stood in the shallow water, which rippled at his ankles. A flat stone rested snugly in the palm of his left hand. His shoes and socks had been discarded on the lake's edge, and were sprawled rather carelessly on the bank. The Hufflepuff had ventured down to the Great Lake, to clear his thoughts, and perhaps brush up his stone skimming game. The water was clearest around the edges, so there wasn't much difficulty finding an abundance of flat rocks and pebbles. Finding the best rock, however, would be entirely different. Constantine had been taught to skim stones by his brother, who had been taught by their father. Whilst admittedly he wasn't the best at it, Constantine surpassed those who simply threw their stones at the water head on.
He crouched low, knees bent. Constantine was concentrating fairly deeply now, pulling his wrist back before flicking the stone towards the water. It managed to skim the water four times, before sinking into the unknown waters of the Great Lake. It hadn't been his best throw, however it was slightly impressive and a good starting point. After that, Constantine fell into a routine. Find a rock, duck down, and throw. He'd narrowly managed to get to six, however his record to beat was nine. After wading through the water some more, Constantine was careful to avoid walking too deep. He'd heard of what lay beneath the water, and whilst fascinating, the Hufflepuff had decided he didn't want to become it's dinner just yet.
He crouched low, knees bent. Constantine was concentrating fairly deeply now, pulling his wrist back before flicking the stone towards the water. It managed to skim the water four times, before sinking into the unknown waters of the Great Lake. It hadn't been his best throw, however it was slightly impressive and a good starting point. After that, Constantine fell into a routine. Find a rock, duck down, and throw. He'd narrowly managed to get to six, however his record to beat was nine. After wading through the water some more, Constantine was careful to avoid walking too deep. He'd heard of what lay beneath the water, and whilst fascinating, the Hufflepuff had decided he didn't want to become it's dinner just yet.
11 Jun 2018, 15:13
Skimming Stones
Elizabeth had been spending the majority of her time indoors, writing to her siblings, reading, or studying. She hadn't explored the grounds yet, mostly because of the awful weather as of late, but also because she hadn't had anyone to explore it with. On this particular day, Elizabeth found herself staring wistfully outside. Though the weather was not ideal, it was nice enough outside to dip your toes in the water, or take a walk along the lake, which was what Elizabeth intended to do. She hurriedly placed her book under her bed, then walked down the stairs, out of the common room, then finally down to the grounds.
As soon as she stepped outside and breathed in the fresh air, she felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, and she let out a small laugh. She looked around, noticing that not many people were taking advantage of the nice day, until she noticed a boy standing in the lake, skipping rocks. Liz watched carefully, slowly getting closer, as he kept attempting to get more and more skips in the water. She counted as the rocks slid gracefully across the water, and took notice that his apparent record was six. She smiled to herself before carefully taking off her shoes and socks, then sitting at the edge of the lake, her toes carefully dipping into the brisk water. She piked up a smooth rock she found net to her on the ground, then whipped it with all her might.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven... Eight!
She cheered herself on silently as she skipped the rock eight times, then waited for the boy to react.
Do not assume that because I am small that I am weak; I have the heart and strength of a lion.
11 Jun 2018, 16:21
Skimming Stones
As intent on beating his record as he was, Constantine barely noticed the girl that had perched at the edge of the lake, simply continuing his method of finding smoother rocks. Taking another from the bed of the lake, he examined it. Carefully washing the dirt and residue off of the particularly flat pebble, he checked it over once more, only to drop it in surprise after a stone shot past him. The Hufflepuff counted each time it left the surface, half in awe, and half unbelieving as it smashed his current record to smithereens. Constantine turned, looking for the person behind the impressive throw. His gaze landed on a girl, brown haired and seemingly pleased with herself. "Did you throw that? " He asked, stopping his search in favour of speaking to the student.
He wondered how long she'd been there - hopefully his attempts hadn't been too underwhelming. After all, he hadn't realised he had an audience. Constantine's attention briefly returned to the water in search of the stone he had dropped. A few minutes later, he plunged his hand into the lake, only to come out with the stone he had lost. Again, he crouched low, using the same technique as he always did. Constantine watched hopefully, only to let out a small cry of displeasure as it sank on the fifth skim. "Bother." Constantine huffed, shuffling slightly deeper into the water. It was a bit murky, though he could still manage to make out the shapes underneath. He picked up a rock, brought it to eye level, before chucking it over his shoulder. He remained like this for a few seconds, in a loop of catch and release, before he was satisfied.
This rock was small, and flat. It was disk-shaped, albeit slightly uncomfortable to hold. Yet again lowering himself to the ground, he threw it. This time, it matched the girl's record, however he'd thrown it far too powerfully to enable it to skip across the water any further. That was partially his problem - Constantine had always been rather rough with everything he did, opting to be rugged instead of gentle. "See? We're even now." He beamed, looking over his shoulder triumphantly.
He wondered how long she'd been there - hopefully his attempts hadn't been too underwhelming. After all, he hadn't realised he had an audience. Constantine's attention briefly returned to the water in search of the stone he had dropped. A few minutes later, he plunged his hand into the lake, only to come out with the stone he had lost. Again, he crouched low, using the same technique as he always did. Constantine watched hopefully, only to let out a small cry of displeasure as it sank on the fifth skim. "Bother." Constantine huffed, shuffling slightly deeper into the water. It was a bit murky, though he could still manage to make out the shapes underneath. He picked up a rock, brought it to eye level, before chucking it over his shoulder. He remained like this for a few seconds, in a loop of catch and release, before he was satisfied.
This rock was small, and flat. It was disk-shaped, albeit slightly uncomfortable to hold. Yet again lowering himself to the ground, he threw it. This time, it matched the girl's record, however he'd thrown it far too powerfully to enable it to skip across the water any further. That was partially his problem - Constantine had always been rather rough with everything he did, opting to be rugged instead of gentle. "See? We're even now." He beamed, looking over his shoulder triumphantly.
11 Jun 2018, 19:46
Skimming Stones
"Did you throw that?"
Elizabeth watched as the boy looked at her in seeming shock, and she smiled sheepishly at the boy, nodding her head. She moved her feet around slightly in the water, and pondered for a moment whether she should hop into the water or not, but inevitably decided to remain seated on the shoreline, with less of a chance of getting her skirt wet. She instead watched with amusement as the boy, whom she'd noticed had a Hufflepuff tie loosely tied around his neck, searched for another stone to toss. After a few moments, he dove his hand into the water and grabbed the stone he had dropped earlier. He knelt down in preparation and threw it, only for the stone to sink after five skips. Elizabeth giggled slightly as he huffed to himself.
The boy set out again to look for another rock, and meanwhile, Elizabeth did the same. She stared down at the water near her feet, her grey eyes analyzing each stone, searching for the perfect one. Liz looked up as she heard splashing, and managed to see the boy throw the stone and have it skip as many times as hers had. He looked over his shoulder and grinned toothily, to which Elizabeth responded with a small smile of her own. "See? We're even now." He said with triumphantly.
Elizabeth looked down again, and this time spotted a stone perfect for throwing. She chewed her lip slightly, debating whether to hop n, once again, and ultimately slowly sliding into the water. "Bloody hell, this water's pure baltic." She hissed out as the cold water made contact with her ankles and lower legs. She was once again angry at how short she was, since the water was already a wee bit below her knees whereas the boy still had plenty of leg left. She quickly knelt down to grab the stone she had seen earlier, and prepared herself to throw it. She aimed carefully, took a deep breath, and whipped the stone with all her might. The stone skipped one, two, three... nine times! She smiled happily and looked back over at the Hufflepuff. "I'm Elizabeth, by the way. Elizabeth Summers."
Elizabeth watched as the boy looked at her in seeming shock, and she smiled sheepishly at the boy, nodding her head. She moved her feet around slightly in the water, and pondered for a moment whether she should hop into the water or not, but inevitably decided to remain seated on the shoreline, with less of a chance of getting her skirt wet. She instead watched with amusement as the boy, whom she'd noticed had a Hufflepuff tie loosely tied around his neck, searched for another stone to toss. After a few moments, he dove his hand into the water and grabbed the stone he had dropped earlier. He knelt down in preparation and threw it, only for the stone to sink after five skips. Elizabeth giggled slightly as he huffed to himself.
The boy set out again to look for another rock, and meanwhile, Elizabeth did the same. She stared down at the water near her feet, her grey eyes analyzing each stone, searching for the perfect one. Liz looked up as she heard splashing, and managed to see the boy throw the stone and have it skip as many times as hers had. He looked over his shoulder and grinned toothily, to which Elizabeth responded with a small smile of her own. "See? We're even now." He said with triumphantly.
Elizabeth looked down again, and this time spotted a stone perfect for throwing. She chewed her lip slightly, debating whether to hop n, once again, and ultimately slowly sliding into the water. "Bloody hell, this water's pure baltic." She hissed out as the cold water made contact with her ankles and lower legs. She was once again angry at how short she was, since the water was already a wee bit below her knees whereas the boy still had plenty of leg left. She quickly knelt down to grab the stone she had seen earlier, and prepared herself to throw it. She aimed carefully, took a deep breath, and whipped the stone with all her might. The stone skipped one, two, three... nine times! She smiled happily and looked back over at the Hufflepuff. "I'm Elizabeth, by the way. Elizabeth Summers."
Do not assume that because I am small that I am weak; I have the heart and strength of a lion.
13 Jun 2018, 18:29
Skimming Stones
Constantine hadn't really been bothered by the cold, or at least, now he wasn't. At first, the water had been close to freezing compared to the temperature of Hogwarts, however he had quickly warmed up. So, he wasn't exactly surprised when she had voiced her complaint. Constantine watched again, as the girl, who'd introduced herself as Elizabeth, broke the tie he'd only just created. He sighed - the girl seemingly had a lot more practice than he did, or her luck was just vastly superior. "Nice to meet you. The name's Constantine Babbitt." The Hufflepuff introduced, with a small bow, before returning to wade through the water. Constantine had become slightly impatient, now, due to not being able to skim the stone far enough. His throws had become admittedly sloppier, his composure lost.
The Hufflepuff began his search for a good stone, now not satisfied with throwing just any random stone he picked up. "Where'd you learn how to skim rocks like that?" Constantine asked, this time not turning to look at the Gryffindor. He had resorted to using both hands now, in a frenzy to find a decent rock. Constantine let out a small snort, venturing deeper into the lake. He'd found many flat rocks, none of which that could beat Elizabeth's record.
The Hufflepuff began his search for a good stone, now not satisfied with throwing just any random stone he picked up. "Where'd you learn how to skim rocks like that?" Constantine asked, this time not turning to look at the Gryffindor. He had resorted to using both hands now, in a frenzy to find a decent rock. Constantine let out a small snort, venturing deeper into the lake. He'd found many flat rocks, none of which that could beat Elizabeth's record.
Reducio
Sorry for the late reply! I've been a bit busy!