The Barefooted Slytherin Run
Reducio
Brutus inhaled deeply, breathing in the crisp, morning Scottish air. A bit too Scottish for his liking, but it was better than ruddy English air.
After a bit of warm up stretches, Brutus set off running from the Castle. Bare feet pounding the dirt and dewy grass as he ran. He wasn't sprinting yet; he planned to be out for a good while. One must never neglect leg day. And a morning run was perfect for it.
As he kept running, something slowly began to come into view. He couldn't make it out at first, but as he drew closer, he recognized the shapes as two boys. And as he drew a bit closer still, he immediately recognized Colin McCoire. Though it was pretty easy to do so; White hair, kilt, bare feet. Easily recognizable. Brutus had wondered why his bed in the dorm was empty.
Brutus felt that he had found a kindred spirit in Colin. He wasn't sure if that was felt both ways, though. Dan had said that Colin was fun and honorable, but also a dirty Scottish bellend. Brutus found that he was fun, honorable, only sometimes dirty, and VERY Scottish. But not a bellend.
There was someone else with him that Brutus did not recognize right away however. Someone who looked startlingly like Colin. Brutus ran up to them, intending to be friendly.
"Mornin' Colin! And eh... Not Colin! What'r ye doin' up s' errly?
@Colin McCoire
The Barefooted Slytherin Run
UFF! --- GRRRR! --- UNGHGH!! --- GERROFFME!!!
Liam gouged Colin in the stomach with his hurling stick! Colin drove his knee into Liam's chest! Liam swiped Colin off his feet and made a dive for the hovering ball!
"Ow! LIAM!!" Colin roared, but twas too late! Liam had the ball in his hand and, stepping on Colin's arm, launched himself away from the scuffle! Colin couldn't let this bit of fraternal chicanery go unchallenged! He was up in a twinkle and charging after his twin before the other boy could reach the goal! With a deft flick, Liam sent the ball forward, the slightly lopsided bit of thick stitched leather bounced through the air about three feet off the ground.
Colin slammed into Liam's right side, sending him toppling, but also sending Colin ricocheting towards the goal he had to defend! Liam sprang up, chased after the ball and took a swing at it! It came spiralling towards Colin's position! He wasn't sure if he could make it in time! He put on a final burst of speed, Liam cheering him on! At the very last moment, Colin swung Lúthmhar, his own hurling stick, around in a wide arc, its tip smacking the ball and sending it off in another direction, where, eventually, it came to rest before the magic wore off and the ball fell to the grass and rolled to a stop.
"OWOOO! A TIE!" shouted Colin.
"This isn't over, Cail!" shouted Liam as they ran towards where the ball had come to rest in the trimmed lawn. Picking it up, Liam must have noticed someone nearby. "Oi!" he called.
Colin followed his brother's gaze. A red haired kid came running up to them. Colin recognised him. A dorm mate. "Mornin' Colin! And eh... Not Colin! What'r ye doin' up s' errly?" the kid called out. Liam bounced the ball on his hurling stick as they drew near. Colin noticed the raised eyebrow. Liam was as used to being mistaken for Colin as Colin was used to being mistaken for Liam. "Not Colin" was a new one though!
Colin gave the younger Snake a nod. "Morning yerself lad! Me and Liam've been up, makin shaire Hogwarts is safe from aa dark wizards an evil creatures an enjoying a bit o wizardin hurling." He turned towards Liam. "This is Brutus. One o oor ickle firsties! And a might ask thee, what ye're doin oot here sae early? Up to no good are ye? Goin fer a swim maybe?"
Honestly, Colin wouldn't mind a dip in the lake himself to cool off after a rough bit of stick play.
"He's got an odd manner aboot him, Cail," Liam said.
Colin laughed merrily. "Ach, that's no odd manner, Liam! He's Oirish, that's aa! A'll say this, though. He can tuck in to his dinner like no other! And he's the look o a runner about him and aa!"
"As A said. Odd manner!" Liam retorted.
"Dinna mind him lad! Shair it's a compliment!" Colin said with a smirk.
@Brutus Palmer
Keep your mind in hell; and don't despair.
Cursa McCoire
Rigel McCoire
The Barefooted Slytherin Run
As Brutus had already known, Colin was Scottish. And Not Colin, who was apparently named Liam, was also Scottish. Their speech was completely unintelligible to most people, but luckily Brutus was well versed in most accents.
Brutus' eyes widened. Colin and Liam kept the school safe from dark wizards and evil creatures?!
" Ye guys protect Hogwarts?! D-Do ye need er want help?! I'm plenny strong! Can wrestle a Grapharn, I can!
This, most likely, was completely untrue. But Brutus had never tried to wrestle a Graphorn before; His parents wouldn't let him! So he didn't know for sure.
Colin then asked what he was doing out so early. Well that was an easy question.
"It's Leg Day, so I decided t'at a run about the grounds would be t'e best way to do it! But if the two of ye 'ave somethin' better, like fightin' dark wizzerds 'n monsters, that'd be MUCH better exercise!
Brutus hopped from foot to foot, clearly excited at the prospect of fighting and getting a workout in with friends. Well, he assumed that he and Colin were friends, but maybe that wasn't true yet. He wasn't entirely sure how that worked.
At any rate, it looked like Colin and Liam were having fun. And he was certainly interested in joining!
@Colin McCoire
Brutus' eyes widened. Colin and Liam kept the school safe from dark wizards and evil creatures?!
" Ye guys protect Hogwarts?! D-Do ye need er want help?! I'm plenny strong! Can wrestle a Grapharn, I can!
This, most likely, was completely untrue. But Brutus had never tried to wrestle a Graphorn before; His parents wouldn't let him! So he didn't know for sure.
Colin then asked what he was doing out so early. Well that was an easy question.
"It's Leg Day, so I decided t'at a run about the grounds would be t'e best way to do it! But if the two of ye 'ave somethin' better, like fightin' dark wizzerds 'n monsters, that'd be MUCH better exercise!
Brutus hopped from foot to foot, clearly excited at the prospect of fighting and getting a workout in with friends. Well, he assumed that he and Colin were friends, but maybe that wasn't true yet. He wasn't entirely sure how that worked.
At any rate, it looked like Colin and Liam were having fun. And he was certainly interested in joining!
@Colin McCoire
The Barefooted Slytherin Run
The boys smiled. First years were always so cute and innocent. Colin thought back to his own introduction to Hogwarts. A blissful train ride with Liam. Expectations of riding high in Ravenclaw. The wonders of the school they'd heard about from their older sisters and brothers. The admiration of the little ones. All of that dashed because of a rogue werewolf and a stupid Sorting Hat that had the nerve to separate the twins.
Ah well!
Colin reckoned it had turned out alright in the end. He smiled as Brutus talked. "Ach aye! We protect Hoggys lad! We have to, right? Never know when some wicked creature will show up oot here in the wilds!" Colin gave Liam a quick side glance. He knew his twin would pick up on the subtle signal. He gave Brutus an appraising look. "Strong eh? We shall see!"
And just like that, in half a twinkle of the eye, Colin and Liam leapt forward! Their long legs carried them in swift, ground eating strides! "Cmon laddie! Dinna fall behind now!"
The older boys led the first year on a merry chase, higher and higher into the hilly country above the castle where the gorse and heather grew thick. Colin knew just the spot! "Oi! There it is lads!" Colin called out! "Off to the right!" cried Liam! The twins darted towards the right as if they were one and the same being! Colin shouted over his shoulder: "Best have yer wand oot, laddie! Dinna wanna die in yer first year!" Liam laughed. "Either that or ye'd best be really strong! We're catching up Cail! Faster lads!"
Colin and Liam weaved among the dense thickets of gorse, the yellow flowers nowhere near as abundant as they'd be in the spring time. They drew their wands!, Colin's in his left hand, Liam's in his right. Colin checked to make sure Brutus was nearby, as they stealthily surrounded one shrub in particular. "Ye'd best be quick lad! We'll stun it a bit. Ye jump on it and beat the crap oot of it!"
"Ready?" shouted Liam!
"Steady!" shouted Colin!
"Gie it a thump Brutus!" shouted Liam!
"It's a wackernaegel! Get it before it gets you laddie!"
"Verdimillious! Periculum! Caerulimillious! Violaceous!" the boys cried out as a veritable fireworks show of brilliantly coloured sparks and streams of light shot into the heart of the unsuspecting shrub!
@Brutus Palmer
Keep your mind in hell; and don't despair.
Cursa McCoire
Rigel McCoire
The Barefooted Slytherin Run
Brutus was beside himself with excitement. Colin and Liam actually kept Hogwarts safe from threats! Dan never told him that!
But outta nowhere, the two took off running! They didnt even give him a warning!
Brutus hurriedly ran after them, bare feet kicking up grass in his wake.
It was hardly fair; they had longer legs, AND they weren't held back by shoes, so Brutus' barefooted advantage was null. But Brutus managed to keep up somewhat, regardless.
His wand? He'd come out for a run, and wasnt the most... practiced with magic yet, But, his strength would be enough, surely. During his studies about Muggle history with his parents, Brutus had learned that strength and force can solve most of the same violent problems that magic can. Not always, of course. He was pretty sure that if he tried to punch a Dementor, for instance, it would not end very well.
All of a sudden, the two veered off, and Brutus followed. Then they attacked a bush, but said there was a wackernaegel inside. They instructed Brutus to beat the shit out of it when they stunned it.
They shot off showers of sparks, and Brutus leapt into the bush, his fist swinging as hard as he could on anything he could wrap his hands around! His legs stuck out of the bush, his toes digging into the ground to keep him steady. He had no idea what a Wackernaegel was, but it wasn't about to escape him. Brutus' grip was like iron, and his punches were like a swinging mace! Whatever was in the bush, he would make sure it didn't get any closer to Hogwarts, or the students inside!
"C'mere, ye wretched little gowl! Oi'll teach ye ta t'reaten Hogwarts, ya bollocks ya!"
@Colin McCoire
But outta nowhere, the two took off running! They didnt even give him a warning!
Brutus hurriedly ran after them, bare feet kicking up grass in his wake.
It was hardly fair; they had longer legs, AND they weren't held back by shoes, so Brutus' barefooted advantage was null. But Brutus managed to keep up somewhat, regardless.
His wand? He'd come out for a run, and wasnt the most... practiced with magic yet, But, his strength would be enough, surely. During his studies about Muggle history with his parents, Brutus had learned that strength and force can solve most of the same violent problems that magic can. Not always, of course. He was pretty sure that if he tried to punch a Dementor, for instance, it would not end very well.
All of a sudden, the two veered off, and Brutus followed. Then they attacked a bush, but said there was a wackernaegel inside. They instructed Brutus to beat the shit out of it when they stunned it.
They shot off showers of sparks, and Brutus leapt into the bush, his fist swinging as hard as he could on anything he could wrap his hands around! His legs stuck out of the bush, his toes digging into the ground to keep him steady. He had no idea what a Wackernaegel was, but it wasn't about to escape him. Brutus' grip was like iron, and his punches were like a swinging mace! Whatever was in the bush, he would make sure it didn't get any closer to Hogwarts, or the students inside!
"C'mere, ye wretched little gowl! Oi'll teach ye ta t'reaten Hogwarts, ya bollocks ya!"
@Colin McCoire
Last edited by Brutus Palmer on 22 May 2026, 18:43, edited 1 time in total.
The Barefooted Slytherin Run
Colin and Liam smiled and watched with interest as Brutus beat the wackernaegel out of the bush. They cheered him on: "Brilliant!" said one; and "Mythical!" said the other. "Awesomé!" they said in unison as the bush clearly showed no sign a wackernaegel was ever in inhabiting its branches and hiding within its leaves.
"Right!" said Colin; "that wis a braw---"
"Oi!" interrupted Liam as he took off at full speed. "Look! Horklumps!" Liam pointed as he ran, indicating the dark furred pink mushroom looking things at the verge of a stand of trees above the lake.
"Whoa!" exlaimed Colin. "Horklumps! Ye ken whit that means, laddie?" He didn't even look back to see if the younger Slytherin boy were following. He was sure he would be, though. The boys crouch low, behind a rock sticking out of the earth some distance away from the tree and the suspicious fungi imposters. "Houd yer whisht, yer Irish wirrockie!" Colin whispered as he pointed towards the tree. "A can hear em. Gernumblies!"
"Aye! That's Gernumbli gardensi, yer average gnome, laddie. Pesky little bastards, too. Look lads!"
Colin peered ahead from their observation spot. "Nasty little bugger, yer average gernumble. We're always having the degnome one garden or another! At home we've got trained jarveys. They're even foul mouthed than the gnomes, but they get the job done."
"Brutal they are, Brutus! Rip em to shreds and gobble em down!" said Liam. "I say, why don't we teach ickle Brutus how to degnome a garden proper!"
Colin smirked. "Right!" He looked over towards Liam, only find him smirking as well. Colin reached up into his right sleeve and slipped his wand out from its sheath. "Right. Let's see yer wand then! This is Naur-an-Edraith. Ten inches of hawthorn wood and unicorn hair." Colin stroked the polished wood lovingly. "Set me on fire a few times, but that's nothing an extinguishing charm can't fix, right?"
He eyed the gnome, watching as it ripped hunks out of the horklump's rounded cap. His nostrils flared slightly, the faint scent of fresh blood reaching them. He glanced at Liam. His twin nodded.
"Ye ready Brutus?" Liam asked the first year.
"Just do what I do and say what I say, just how I say it!" He twirlled his wand between his deft fingers before landing it securely in his hand. "See that bit of dead gorse? I'll aim for that to show ye." With a quick motion, he jabbed his wand forward and perfect enunciation: "Jaculor!"
A brilliant flash of orange light exploded at Colin's wand tip! Visible for only the smallest fraction of a second, a small roundish stone about the size of a small gobstone began to rotate. As it spun faster and faster, one could almost hear the whine of the wind and if you blinked, you'd miss it! It shot from the end of Colin's wand with a faint ththththpppp! About three yards away, the stone hit the gorse stem dead on with a snap of wood and an explosion of needles and dead dry flowers!
Colin smiled at Brutus. "Yer turn! Just aim at that gnome over yonder and say very clearly, JACK-u-LORE!"
"And make sure ye put a good thump into the JACK and the LORE!" Liam emphasised with a fist punched into his other hand. "Ye got this no doubt!"
@Brutus Palmer
MOD NOTES for Colin:
Reducio
Colin vs the Gorse
t!choose bounce|hit|snap|break
colinmccoire, I pick snap
t!choose whole|split|explode
MOD NOTES for Brutus:
Reducio
Brutus vs the Gorse
t!choose glanceoff|weakhit|stronghit
t!choose head|shoulders|torso
t!choose front|back
Brutus's aim is a bit wonky! The stone glances off the gnome's shoulder, spinning him around a couple times before he falls flat on his face!
Keep your mind in hell; and don't despair.
Cursa McCoire
Rigel McCoire
The Barefooted Slytherin Run
They loved it! Clearly they were impressed by Brutus' strength. Who wouldn't be?
In the midst of praise, Liam seemed to spot horklumps. Brutus had seen Horklumps before, of course. And knew they weren't monsters.
As he ran behind them, they suddenly stopped and hid. Why were they hiding?
He took Colin's advice, even though there were very few things he thought they should hide from.
Colin then pointed out the gnome.
Wretched little things, gnomes. Whenever he was at Palmer Manor, the de-gnoming of the garden was done by the house elf.
Now, there was one right in front of him.
Liam wanted Brutus to beat it to death and... eat it?! Eww!!
But Colin had a better plan. He told Brutus to bring out his wand.
Thankfully, Brutus had picked it up from where he left it back at the Bush before diving in.
Brutus did as Colin instructed, yelling out "JACKuLORE!!"
Something started rapidly spinning at the tip of his wand, shot out, and spun the little shit like a top.
Brutus quickly ran over and pinned it facedown with his foot.
"Gotchyeh, ye tiny little blighter ye!"
He looked up at Colin with admiration. He just taught him a sure-kill attack for gnomes! And probably a lot of other stuff too!
Then, a memory came to mind...
"Oi, Colin... This reminded me, Dan told me about a Lotta the adventures the two 'o ye had."
His eyes lit up.
"Like about the time the two 'o ye went to the marshiest, most rotten part o' the Ferbidden Farrest! Not a shoe, ner sock between ya, muck and mud as thick as a Guinness up past yer knees, trekkin' t'rough tah find some Crimson Horklumps befare they wen' extinct!
Said ye found em, deliv'rd em to the Herbollogy Professor, but yer Head 'a House, Hjordis made ye soak yer feet in soapy wather fer two hours befare she'd let ye inta the common room!
What was that like? Do ye have anymarr details?!"
Clearly, Dan and Colin had a wild time at Hogwarts together.
@Colin McCoire
In the midst of praise, Liam seemed to spot horklumps. Brutus had seen Horklumps before, of course. And knew they weren't monsters.
As he ran behind them, they suddenly stopped and hid. Why were they hiding?
He took Colin's advice, even though there were very few things he thought they should hide from.
Colin then pointed out the gnome.
Wretched little things, gnomes. Whenever he was at Palmer Manor, the de-gnoming of the garden was done by the house elf.
Now, there was one right in front of him.
Liam wanted Brutus to beat it to death and... eat it?! Eww!!
But Colin had a better plan. He told Brutus to bring out his wand.
Thankfully, Brutus had picked it up from where he left it back at the Bush before diving in.
Brutus did as Colin instructed, yelling out "JACKuLORE!!"
Something started rapidly spinning at the tip of his wand, shot out, and spun the little shit like a top.
Brutus quickly ran over and pinned it facedown with his foot.
"Gotchyeh, ye tiny little blighter ye!"
He looked up at Colin with admiration. He just taught him a sure-kill attack for gnomes! And probably a lot of other stuff too!
Then, a memory came to mind...
"Oi, Colin... This reminded me, Dan told me about a Lotta the adventures the two 'o ye had."
His eyes lit up.
"Like about the time the two 'o ye went to the marshiest, most rotten part o' the Ferbidden Farrest! Not a shoe, ner sock between ya, muck and mud as thick as a Guinness up past yer knees, trekkin' t'rough tah find some Crimson Horklumps befare they wen' extinct!
Said ye found em, deliv'rd em to the Herbollogy Professor, but yer Head 'a House, Hjordis made ye soak yer feet in soapy wather fer two hours befare she'd let ye inta the common room!
What was that like? Do ye have anymarr details?!"
Clearly, Dan and Colin had a wild time at Hogwarts together.
@Colin McCoire