Dive in with Both Feet open lake Closed

Interactions: @Jake Morris

Annie had wandered down to the lake from the cabin area. She wondered if she wanted to go swimming one more time before she was busy during school or before it got too cold. As she got closer to the lake she still saw a few people around. Annie had her swimsuit on but wasn't sure is she was just going to lie around or swim. She set down her towel in a semi-shady area and started to apply sunscreen since her skin got burnt easily. Her eyes drifted around the area tell they landed on a smaller boy near the shore.

Annie made her way down to the edge of the water and tapped the boy on the shoulder. "Hey there! My name's Annie Morgan, I didn't want to startle you by approaching you but you seem kind of nervous or shy, are you by chance a first year?" She tilted her head a bit when asking the question. The boy had dipped his toe in the water and nearly jumped out of his skin, it was either cold or he was nervous she assumed. Annie put her feet into the water and wriggled her toes in the soft sand beneath her feet. She sighed, she loved the lake whenever she had free time and felt like being social rather then anti-social in the library or her dorm room. Annie studied the boy's expression and body, he definitely looked younger and she had never met him but she hadn't met a lot of students since the school was so big.

Interacting with @Jake Morris and @Annie Morgan

Alyssa had made her way cautiously down to the lake on a dangerous quest to make new friends. She was wearing her brand new yellow swimsuit under a pair of jean shorts, beach towel slung over her shoulder, prepared for anything. However, the moment she'd arrived, all bravado immediately melted away and she found herself retreating to a spot just close enough to the commotion to feel a part of it, but not enough to be noticed. After sitting for a few moments under the shade of a tree, she regretted her decision not to bring her latest read with her. You don't need a book she'd convinced herself earlier, you'll make friends. A few minutes more and Alyssa had shifted to lie flat on the ground, studying the cloud formations.

After having spent enough time to be satisfied that she'd 'tried,' Alyssa started to get to her feet when she noticed some movement out of the corner of her eye. There, not too far from where she was sitting, but definitely away from the main mob, a boy stood at the edge of the lake. He looked a bit nervous, which made Alyssa more relieved. Two nervous people would make one confident person! Er ... something like that.

As Alyssa grabbed her towel and decided to head over, she noticed another girl approach the boy and speak to him. She was still far away, so Alyssa couldn't make out the words. The girl looked a bit older, but then again, most people looked older than Alyssa. She felt another twinge of nerves at the idea of interacting with another person, but trudged on anyway, her determination coming back slowly.

"Hi!" Alyssa called out when she was in range, her voice sounding loud inside her head. "I'm Alyssa. Are you thinking of going swimming?" Alyssa noticed the girl had put her feet into the water. She asked curiously, recalling remnants of her previous eavesdroppings, "I've heard the lake is full of monsters. Is that ... do you think it's true?"

Interacting with @Annie Morgan and @Alyssa Baker

Jake was so focused on the lake that he didn't even hear the approaching footsteps, or notice anything until he felt a sudden tap on his shoulder. With a startled yelp, the ten-year-old spun around. But what was standing behind him was just a girl. He blushed a little at how much he had jumped, and tried to regain his composure. She was asking him a question, and that meant he had to answer. "Um n-no..." he answered, with a sheepish shake of his head. "Um I mean...n-not yet..." he murmured. "I'm gonna be. In the fall."

He looked up. Had he said enough...? Before he found out, another girl approached, and Jake went quiet once more. Great...now there were TWO people...and talking to one was hard enough. Jake looked from one to the other and then felt his gaze shifting downward, shyly trying to find words to say. Something the new girl said caught his ears however, and then Jake did look up.

"M-monsters...?" he asked, holding his head up, and looking at the new girl and the girl who looked older. "I...I heard about a giant squid...but...but not monsters. Are there really...?"

Jake took a further step back away from the lake, looking at it with newfound dread.

Interactions: @Jake Morris & @Alyssa Baker

Annie heard the boy's response and her eyes lit up. She was excited to meet new incoming student because when she was a first year here she looked up to the older students. Before she could say something another girl boldly approached and introduced herself as Alyssa. She heard her questions and began to reply. "Nice to meet you Alyssa, my name's Annie and I'll be a second year this coming fall at Hogwarts." Annie paused and took a breath before continuing. "Where else would I be going dressed like this?" She motioned to her body before giving a light laugh.

Alyssa then said that she had heard about monster's in the lake and the boy who still hadn't introduced himself jumped in. As far as I'm aware there are probably monsters in here, but I've never encountered any while swimming since they probably live at the bottom which is really deep." And yes, you are correct there is a giant squid that lives in the lake but he is pretty friendly and can create waves or his tentacles to make a slide if you ask nicely. He also likes getting scratches but not tickled."

Annie grinned at when she tickled the squid and he went to the bottom of the lake and pouted. She shrugged. "Anything else you guys wanna know or do you want to go swim? I promise it's not scary and on such a beautiful day I ain't just gonna stand here and get sunburnt." A small goofy smile appeared on her face as she waded in a little further tell her legs were now covered by the water.

Interactions @Jake Morris and @Annie Morgan

The poor boy had apparently also heard the rumors, as he now backed away from the edge of the lake at Alyssa’s comment. She felt a twinge of guilt, she hadn’t meant to make him more nervous. The girl, Annie, confirmed that she was older, a second year, even! Now Alyssa had a living source for Hogwarts information, but she held her tongue for the moment.

Annie said there were monsters in the lake, and described in great detail a particular giant squid that apparently lived in the lake. Alyssa was fascinated. How deep, exactly, was this lake that held so many wonders which never came near the surface, and even a squid so large it could create a slide out of its tentacles? Alyssa made a mental note to research this information as soon as possible.

Alyssa has been lost in thought so long, when she returned to reality, Annie was already thigh deep, beckoning them into the water. She took only a few moments to consider the possibility of death, before deciding that if Annie had survived a year at Hogwarts, then she would too. “Alright, I’m coming in!” She called, shoving off her jean shorts and shoes, and tossing her towel to the ground.

“Well come on then,” she said to the boy next to her as she stepped into the water, “if a second year says it’s safe, I say go for it!” The sand was fine, it felt nice and soothing as the water engulfed her ankles. “I’ll be a first year too, by the way. I didn’t catch your name earlier.”

So there WERE monsters in there...Jake looked at the lake with a new dread, and all of the children that were bravely swimming in it. Sure, the older girl had said that the monsters lived deep, but Jake didn't know how deep DEEP was, and anyway...what if one of them came up to visit the top?

The girl motioned them forward...Jake took teeny steps.

"I...I'm not so sure about this...." the boy mumbled, as he stepped a little deeper, the water rising and falling around his ankles. He wiggled his toes in the sand, freezing in place, not able to work up the courage to take the next steps.

That was when the other girl approached him, asking his name.

"Um...Jake...my name's Jake," the boy said shyly. He looked at the other girl his age, and the older one, and then again at the water. Everybody else seemed to be having a lot of fun...and maybe it had SOUNDED fun before he had actually got here - but now he thought maybe swimming wasn't for him. His hands clasped together nervously. It would only take a few more steps to get in the water...but Jake didn't know if he could do it.