The Icy Lake Activity Closed

Okay, octopuses, Mars could handle. They were cool creatures, with their color-shifting skin and newfangled ability to squeeze into any space. They'd handled tentacles a decent amount of times in the kitchen, all of which were probably mistakes because the results were typically a rubbery, uneatable mess, but it was experience nonetheless.

Cold lake water, that was a no. Halfway to the lake, when they'd realized they'd actually have to go into the water, they'd debated turning around and hightailing it back to the warm, safe, dry, Ravenclaw Common Room. But they'd committed to helping muggles with COVID-19, so help with COVID-19 they would.

Shuddering a little, they gazed out over the water. They noticed a small campfire by the lakeshore, a couple of shivering wixes wrapped up in towels warming their hands around the blaze. That was a small comfort, at least.

Mars surveyed the people around the lake. Many of them had dived into the water in search of the eight-legged invertebrates. Mars winced. They really did not want to swim. They hated swimming in warm water, let alone swimming in ice-cold water. The fact that there would probably be other creatures in there didn't bother them much; it was just the prospect of getting wet.

How did one even swim in robes? They lifted an arm, watching the fabric bat-wing out underneath their frame. Those would not be of much help. Giving a long-suffering sigh, they marched over to the campfire. Daring anyone to say anything with a glare, they stripped off their robe, gratefully they had chosen to wear a long-sleeve shirt underneath to combat the chill. They pulled their gloves out of their pocket and threw those and the earmuffs on top of the robe. Absentmindley, they checked their wrists and their ears, finding nothing. Well, better safe than sorry, they supposed. They toed off their heels, leaving their stuff by the campfire, and tiptoed over to the lake's edge.

Looking into the water, it was clear enough at the shore to see the same pebbles underneath. Going farther out, the water grew murkier, hiding the prize they were searching for.

How was a wizard meant to catch an octopus anyway? It would have been so much easier if they had just learned a summoning spell (though Mars doubted that was how it worked, or they wouldn't have been Third Years floundering around in the lake). They doubted it would be particularly easy with their bare hands, but they also figured their wand wouldn't like the water damage and so, had left it in the pile of their stuff where it would be of no help.

Contemplating the water again, they decided they were doing nothing by just standing here other than trying to psych themselves out. They stepped into the water. God, it was cold. It ran over their bare toes with a brutal chill, their feet going numb almost immediately. Why were they doing this again?

Taking another step in, they shudder and gritted their teeth. They would have much preferred to just jump into the lake, but there was nowhere deep enough by the shore to do that without stubbing a toe and they'd always been hopeless at diving. Wading in deeper, they convinced themselves to just suck it up. A single deep breath later and they were underwater, scalps screaming its protests as the cold water flooded through their hair follicles. Damn, they should have brought gillyweed or something to protect their eyes. At least there was no chlorine in the lake.

Cracking open an eye, they gazed out underwater. It was difficult to see more than five feet in front of them, even with the relatively clear water. There was just too much dirt swirling up, upset by the dozen wixes swimming in the lake. Mars grumbled a bit. They were all idiots, swimming in an early spring chill.

Finally feeling their lungs start to burn, they broke the water's surface, gasping for breath. They coughed a bit and shivered again, forcing themselves to go deeper out into the middle of the lake. They figured there'd be a higher chance of finding octopi in deeper water.

In all honesty, they'd never been good at swimming. They were athletic, sure, always had been, which lent itself quite nicely to the action, but they'd never been interested in lessons or anything of the sort, so they survived off of pure athleticism alone. With a bit of difficulty, they got to the center of the lake.

Great. Now, how to find and catch an octopus. Musing, they treaded, bobbing up and down in the middle of the lake. It wasn't ideal for thinking, in all honesty.

They were still pondering when suddenly, a slimy thing wrapped itself around Mars' thigh. Gasping, they tried to pull their leg out of its grasp. The thing, instead of giving or pulling, just moved with the Ravenclaw. By that, Mars figured they hadn't been grab by something with murderous intent. Hopefully.

Ducking under, they opened their eyes, trying to catch a clear glimpse of whatever it was. After a few seconds, their eyes adjusted. It was—an octopus. Just sitting there lazily, clutching to Mars' leg like they were its mother. Underwater, Mars smiled. Well, wasn't that easy?

Slowly, they made their way back to shore. Stepping out of the water was torture; they must have adjusted to the chill and now the air was trying to kill them. The octopus still clung to their leg. Mars didn't have the energy to tear it off.

They walked—or more like waddled—awkwardly up to the blanket where a couple of prefects were sorting through octopi. Ignoring their stares, Mars got two hands on the one wrapped around their leg and pulled. The suction cups held fast. Grumbling, they tugged again, a little harder. It popped off far too easily, sending Mars reeling back, just barely getting their feet back under them.

They were about to throw the octopus down out of sheer exhaustion, but they couldn't. They set it down gently, tapping the stupid thing on the head. Then, they turned, trudging back to the campfire and their stuff with slumped shoulders. Giggles sounded off from behind them. Mars was too exhausted to do anything, but internally, they smiled to themselves.

WC:1052/400
Errand Completed, Thread Left

With the mandrakes harvested, it seemed the next stage of ingredient procurement involved a quick jaunt down to ye olde lake for a chilly Spring dip. Something that Evelynn surely was not looking forward to. At this latitude, at this elevation, and at this time of the year, the waters would no doubt still be frigid. Even back home, she had a tendency to turn down any beach visits before the summer had come. Her mother could often twist her arm into taking advantage of the April blusters to fly a kite or two, but a swim in the ocean? Not a chance.

It came, then, as a bit distasteful to find out what would be required of them for this particular little task. However, she supposed wading in the waters for what would be a temporary discomfort was a small price to pay for doing her part to aide those such as her mother in their efforts to stem the ever enveloping thread that COVID-19 had become.

"Are there really octopi in the lake..." Evelynn muttered to herself, brows furrowed as she looked on at the inky depths with no small amount of skepticism.

Back home they had octopi. She'd never seen one in the wild, but the local aquarium housed one that was rather infamous for its escapes. She'd always thought them to be salt-water loving creatures, though. Even still, she wasn't expecting any answer to her query. Surely, they wouldn't be having students seeking them out if there were none to be found. Especially not for something so important as this.

Lifting up her robes to tie off around her waist and pulling off her boots so as not to fill them with water, she watched on at the other students already gathered. There were a few familiar faces. Dralt, who had likewise assisted with the Mandrakes, was off chatting with the two Gryffindor prefects. Elsewhere, Seilun looked ready to dive right into the icy waters. Evelynn shook her head at that notion, not sure how she could possibly appear so calm about the notion. There were a couple of unfamiliar faces as well..

And then a voice drifted out to her, the words taking root midway through the monologue. Evelynn turned, brow raised, to spy Morgan as the brunette spouted off quite a bit of knowledge on the subject of octopi and the best ways to catch them. Admittedly, the red head was... impressed. The initial fumble of a first impression back in December was quickly becoming over-shadowed with the girl's consistent demonstration of utility and knowledge. A funny flutter beat under the Gryffindor's ribs, as though she simultaneously wished to edge in closer and continue to listen, while at the same time also shut off her ears so as not to have to listen to someone who seemed to know more than herself.

"Hrm.." Evelynn peeled her attention back once the girl's thoughts had come to an end and nearly tip-toed to the edge of the waters.

A rim of silver lapped at the shoreline just shy of where she stood. Steely eyes scrutinized the shallow depths. She inched forward. The next subtle shift in the water brushed against the flat of her foot. A jolt of frigid electricity coursed through her, muscles tightening in a swift cascade as a result. And just then, Greer broke the surface nearby. Already fighting a grimace at the idea of actually going into the lake, Evelynn could only stare with a slate-blank expression. She had... dove...? Into the water...? Could then not... just... wade?

Oh, heck no. That was simply insanity. The obstinate self-preserving side of Evelynn's mind took that opportunity of hesitation conduct its coup, taking a firm hold of the young girl's conscious action. Or inaction, rather, as it would become. She was not diving into what already felt like (although no doubt she was exaggerating the sensation due to relativity) sub-zero temperatures only to risk drowning from seized muscles. Nope. No. Not happening.

"Moral support, then," she decided, murmuring to herself as she made a hasty retreat from the lakeside. "And tending to the aftercare..."

Afterall... someone had to ensure the fires were stoked, the warm drinks handed out, and the octopi didn't escape from their containers... right?

Word Count: 711 / 400 | Errand Progress: Complete

Harvesting the mandrakes had been the most unpleasant ordeal. For someone who liked silence so much, it was like stepping straight into a bad dream, and Ivy, for one, never wanted to see a potted plant ever again. Even with the earmuffs clapped over her ears, the mandrakes' screams had still been very audible - too audible for Ivy's liking. To be fair, though, she thought had handled the situation alright. She hadn't panicked and fled the greenhouses, despite contemplating the thought multiple times.

Collecting octopi honestly did not sound any better, but she had started this activity, and she was determined to finish it. Damn you, perseverance! Well, at least there would be no screaming, baby-like plants, just octopus tentacles and ice-cold waters. Ivy shook her head, blanching slightly at the thought. She had never seen an octopus before, but she had read about them in her family's library as a child. They were weird, squiggly creatures with eight tentacles and a pointy head. It wasn't like Ivy was scared of them, but more so the fact that they were just creepy, man.

Ivy nodded to the rest of the people already gathered at the Lake in greeting, recognizing a few faces but not stopping to acknowledge them personally. The sooner she got in, the sooner she got out. Ivy was a terrible swimmer, but it wasn't like this was a race or anything. She didn't have to swim quickly. This task only required her to glide through the water, hold her breath and look for octopi. (Ivy would bet two sickles that it sounded a lot easier than it really was, but moving on...)

She would take her shoes and socks off, reasoning that it would be easier to swim without all that extra fabric dragging her down. The Gryffindor took a step into the lake apprehensively and grimaced. Ok, so it was a lot colder than she had originally thought. She took a few more steps into the icy water. Once she was knee-deep in the Lake, she took a deep breath and dove in.

Way. Too. Cold.

Ivy made a decision that she would find one octopus and then leave. Technically she would have helped out by doing so, and she would be able to get out quickly. For a while, she just swam, keeping her eyes open for anything that resembled an octopus and occasionally coming up for air. The more she swam, the less cold the Lake seemed, but it was rather hard to swim in the clothes she was wearing. Even in leggings and a shirt she had borrowed from one of her roommates, it was difficult to move through the water. (In reality, it was her terrible, slow swimming that was holding her back, not the clothes...)

She spotted something moving a little way off, and swam towards it, praying that it was what she was looking for. Victory! Ivy grabbed the tiny octopus with one hand, and noted with a shudder that it was really, really slimy. The Gryffindor began to swim back to shore, keeping a tight grip on the octopus, which was trying to get away. She almost felt bad for the poor creature, but then remembered that if she was to let it go, she would have to keep swimming in the icy cold water. And that was something she did not want to do.

Ivy tossed the octopus into the bucket as she hurried towards the campfire, grabbing a towel as she went along. She shivered as she took a mug, plopping down in a chair. Well, she was never going to do that again - in her opinion, swimming in large bodies of water was supposed to be done in the warmer months of summer.

WC: 629/400
Errand complete!

When Calanthe was informed of the second task allotted to first years, she expected to arrive at the Great Lake and see small boats and clay pots floating on its glimmering surface. She had never caught octopuses before, but growing up on the coastal city of Brighton did clue her in to the various methods used in fishing. The Chois were never a fishing type of family – they preferred walks on the pier or getting a little too crazy with bottomless afternoon tea – but one could not escape the bustling marina and exploding seafood business of their hometown. The octopus-catching technique was common knowledge, at least to the people around during Calanthe’s childhood.

It was to her dismay that no boats could be spotted as she approached the massive loch. Instead, two prefects milled around a campfire with various tools scattered about their feet. There was nothing that could be used to assist in getting the students out to the deeper parts of the lake, nor proper tools for apprehending – much less killing – the animals in question. No clay pots, no spear rods… though I can’t blame them for that one. We’re supposed to dive, then? If Calanthe was not here to support her parents’ jobs in the muggle world, she would have turned back, chocolate frog rewards be damned.

Unfortunately for her, this task was important. Swallowing her discomfort, she trotted to the lake’s edge, stopping just shy of its lapping tide and began to strip off her robe. Calanthe assumed that the small boats used during the first-year arrival sail across the lake would be used, so she did not bother to come prepared in a wetsuit – she did not even have a wetsuit. Getting wet was not in her plans for today, but her tights and the chiffon top she wore under her sweater would do just fine in the water.

Tossing the black blanket of clothing in the direction of the campfire and peeling off her heavy sweater, Calanthe surveyed the others’ activity. Most had gone straight into the lake with one girl even – is she? She’s diving. Wow. Feeling insecure for not representing Brighton by being prepared, she turned back to the pile of tools and took a closer look at her prospects. It was a while before she could decide. Some had already made their way out of the lake and sat around the campfire while she was making up her mind. Deciding that none of these tools would work better than her bare hands, Calanthe took off her shoes and made her way back to the water’s edge, this time not stopping in front of it.

The base of her foot hitting the water sent a sharp shock up her body, but she was used to this feeling. As the lake’s water brushed against her figure, nostalgia overcame her in a similar manner. Memories of being dared to run into the winter ocean by friends who she could barely remember. Memories of being fished out of the dark green abyss by her father while she claimed she was fine. Memories of thinking the beach had warmed enough into the spring and running in, only to be met with a paralyzing freeze.

Stop.

Angered from the sudden resurgence of utter emotion, Calanthe began treading to remove her feet from the rocky bed of the lake. Expertly swimming further out, she could not help but think that the organizers of this task were complete idiots.

How hard could it be to requisition some of those stupid boats and set up clay pots around the lake? Why. The. Feck. Are we diving?

Gritting her teeth, she plunged downwards into the murky depths and opened her eyes. The water infiltrating her vision burned less than Brighton’s blasted salty attractions, but it still caused a pain that curled her toes. Gods, I’m out of practice. Taking a moment to readjust to the unnatural feeling of aqua pushing against her cornea, she swam deeper, using her arms and legs for propulsion. She resurfaced countless times, inhaling frigid air that assaulted her lungs.

After an eternity of patrolling the bottom of the lake, looking for the slimy creatures known to hide within the crevices of boulder piles, Calanthe caught sight of her prey. It took her a second to discern the ashy tentacle from the matching rocks it was curled around, but her body sprang into action once she did. Years of swimming kicked in, aiding her in grabbing the ugly thing before it could slip away. Her trek back to the shore was slower due to the exhaustion storming her muscles and the absence of her arms which were being used to hold the octopus firmly. When her shoulders broke the surface of the water, the chill that racked her body was almost enough to release her fingers, but she held strong and pelted the octopus with the rest collected by other students.

Breathing loudly, Calanthe could not help but feel terrible. The unforgiving wind did not ease up on the skin beneath her top. The fabric did not cling to her body which made the feeling a million times worse. While her tights offered her some protection from the wind, its burdening material caused every step to feel like she was climbing a hill with weights strapped to her legs. Teeth chattering, Calanthe collected her sweater, shoes and robe. She took one look at the peaceful faces around the campfire, undoubtedly feeling better than they did before. Gross.

She did not bother to wrap her robe around her body. Instead, she bundled up the sweater and robe under her left arm and held her shoes with two fingers on her right hand. Barefooted and unamused with droplets of hell leaking from her knotty hair, Calanthe made her way back to the castle.

The next morning, she would wake up with a pounding headache and a tender throat. The following days would be spent begging the hospital wing staff for an overdose of Pepperup Potion.

Leaving the thread unless stopped!
Word Count: 1012/400

The following students have reached the word count requirement and will be given 15 unopened chocolate frogs:

@Dealla Prince
@Opeila Seilun
@Mars T'ien
@Evelynn Decipio
@Ivy Bellamy
@Calanthe Choi

The next step in aiding with the Grand Pepperup Potion-making process was to collect octopus tentacles from the Great Lake. Jack was not very much looking forward to this, but was glad that he could at least swim - unlike another student he knew. He wondered idly what the giant squid of the lake might have thought of students collecting its cousins' tentacles for potion-making, but then decided it probably didn't care. The creature seemed gentle enough to only act agitated when directly affected.

Wishing he'd had a diving suit or something as opposed to just some thick clothing, the Slytherin jumped into the water with a set of long-sleeved pajamas and pants so as to stay as warm as possible in the frigid lake. He tried desperately not to think of the large beast lurking in the depths or other beings such as the Merfolk who resided there, but it was exceedingly difficult. Between his fear and the cold, he was surprised he hadn't frozen himself stiff.

His fear served to encourage him, however, and his adrenaline kicked in, flooding his body and keeping him warm enough to commit to his task. Obviously there weren't just octopus tentacles just floating around or growing like plants, but it kind of made Jack feel bad to have to go capture some live ones just so some humans could be saved.

The boy's pity for them quickly wore thin when he realized just how tricky the slippery little things were to catch. Had the teachers really expected them to wrangle up octopi with their bare hands? Well, he supposed a little magic could also go a long way, but it again made him feel it was unfair to use spells on non-magical animals simply trying to survive. Thus, it took him a good deal longer to catch enough of the cephalopods from the lake and by the end, he was wondering if it wouldn't have been more time-saving to have simply taken one large tentacle from the giant squid. Perhaps there was something about octopi tentacles in particular that made them special.

As he brought up the octopi onto land, Jack placed them in a bucket and quickly removed his clothes behind some bushes so he could dry off and change. Once that had been taken care of, he brought the bucket, his clothes, and his towel to the bonfire where he and the other first years had been encouraged to warm themselves. Jack had half a mind to just go back inside and sleep, especially because he didn't want to think about the octopi tentacles and the castle had plenty of other fireplaces to warm oneself up beside. Deciding to spend at least a few minutes by the bonfire, however, he was reminded of takoyaki and wondered how many other students were familiar with the Japanese food containing the very ingredient they had come to the Great Lake for.

Word Count: 488/400

This errand is now closed to new entries, however those of you who have already posted are welcomed to stay and RP, if you would like.



The following students have reached the word count requirement before May 25th, and have been given 15 unopened chocolate frogs:

@Jack Burnett