Flight of the Flobberworms PV Errand

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

It was the first Monday of February and word was that the Groundskeeper was rewarding all those who did a task for him. Ruby wasn't quite sure what this task was, as she had just heard snippets of conversation about it, but she had some time to burn and could use a distraction so she figured she would at least investigate what was going on. Curious, vaguely wary blue eyes tracked the movements around her as she made her way outside to the cabin where she might find information on the task. She saw students heading the other way, chatting among themselves and carrying bundles of… something. She tried to peer at what it was from a distance but still couldn't make out what the contents of these bundles were. She would be at the cabin soon and could ask about it then, anyway, so she stopped craning her neck and walked a bit faster, motivated by her desire to learn what was in the little blankets.

A questioning glance was directed at the adult as he handed her a bundle, but she accepted it and walked away. It was rather squishy, she realised with a frown, and pulled back a layer to reveal the odd, lumpy worm. She didn't know what she had expected, but she wasn't particularly disappointed by the sight of the flobberworm. What was she supposed to do with it, again? Just look after it for a little while? That couldn't be too hard, right? She had an additional friend for a few hours and there was no way that she could emotionally wound it or vice versa, so it was safe. So what activities should she do with it? She carried it with her as she wandered through the castle, trying to think of something to do.

It was in one of the corridors that she came across something very interesting, something that would solve her problem of finding an activity for the flobberworm. The open hallway was currently occupied by some kind of path, books and quills marking a section off from the rest of the corridor where people were walking and staring. This alone was interesting enough to hold the Slytherin's gaze and attention for a moment, but she could swear that the figure beside the path was familiar—and not just in the way that she was familiar with many of the faces of students around the school on a surface level because of her job as a prefect, no, this was different. This figure was that of a friend. She drew nearer, wanting a better look at both the track and the girl, footsteps quiet but still audible as they met with the hard floor. “Xailah?” she asked hopefully, right as the girl spun around and invited Ruby to participate in a flobberworm race.

“That sounds delightful, I could hardly refuse,” the Slytherin responded with a broad, warm grin. “This was a brilliant idea, I'm sure the little things will provide a valiant effort for us.” Her blue eyes were soft and lit up with life, a mild amusement at the situation brightening them as she met the Gryffindor's gold gaze. As an afterthought, she added, “It's good to see you, Xailah.” Perhaps it was an unnecessary comment, but there was no harm in reminding her friend that her presence was valued. She truly meant it, as well. It was becoming increasingly rare that the young Slytherin enjoyed being around someone just for the sake of it rather than preferring to be alone or enjoying being with someone purely because of a particular activity. Xailah was an exception. Ruby was certain that they could be doing something deadly dull and she would still enjoy it simply because she was with the Gryffindor. But something as creative as a flobberworm race? Whether the worms cooperated or not, it was bound to be a blast.

“Alright, so… where do we start? Over here?” she questioned, making her way to one end of the track and shifting her flobberworm bundle to her other hand, unfolding the blanket slightly to peer at its contents. She glanced over at Xailah, waiting for some kind of signal and crouching down to examine what she assumed was the starting point. She lifted the flobberworm out of its blanket and placed it on the floor, although it could easily be moved if Xailah told her that the starting point was actually on the other side. “D'you really think they'll go in a straight line and make it all the way to the end?” She frowned slightly as she idly considered the possibilities of the worms' actions. Oh well, no matter. They would work something else out if it went poorly, and they had time. Hogwarts' first ever flobberworm race, she thought with a fond smile, mentally repeating Xailah's initial words. This would be interesting, to say the least.

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

@Ruby Cazares and @Xailah Alptraum

Margo smiled as she accepted her flobberworm from the Professor. She shot him a hasty grin and skipped off down the corridor, blond hair and blue bandana flying out behind her. Her allocated flobberworm was safely cradled in her embrace, its small from wriggling slightly in the blanket. The corridor’s shiny floors were void of any other shoes and Margo frowned in thought. She hadn’t thought she’d been that late out of bed. Oh well. At least she had good ol’ Flobby here for company.

Now, if someone had asked her, Margo wouldn’t be able to explain why, exactly this errand was so important to her. It just was. Was she perhaps having maternal instincts? Ew, definitely not. Was she interested in formless, non-threatening magical creatures? Well, to put it simply, not much. Was she just a kind empathetic person? That remained to be seen. But couldn’t she look after this lumpy creature without asking herself a ton of pointless questions.

Apparently not.

And Margo could live with that. But now it was time for some real adventure. She took off the specially picked shawl that was wrapped around her neck and tied Flobby into it as a sort of makeshift sling. There. Now she could use both her hands and still keep her little fellow safe.

To be frank, Margo wasn’t sure how to correctly identify the sex of a Flobberwom, or whether they actually had sexes at all. And she wouldn’t want to offend the poor thing. So for now, Flobby was stuck with their boring, unisex name until she had time to think of a better one. But that was okay, because they’d still have lots of fun together. Margo was chatty enough for two.

Speaking of, ”Hey, Flobs, what d’ya say we go up to that corner there and-“

Unfortunately, however, Flobby never got to hear the rest of Margo’s ingenious idea, because he chose that moment to let out a giant glob of gloopy green slime. It slipped through a gap in Margo’s shawl (which thankfully, was very old and already stained in several places) and fell with a huge SPLAT onto the floor. Margo groaned.

All of this, in a normal situation, would have been fine, apart from the fact that Margo was speed walking in her excitement and had rather small feet. And both of these seemingly unrelated facts caused quite an unfortunate display. Margo slipped on her back - the flobberworm safely in its shawl on her stomach and likely having the ride of its life - and slid with a rather loud “Aaaaaahhh“ to the end of the corridor.

She checked on Flobby and pushed herself up with a large huff. The worm was completely find and had a wrinkle that closely resembled a smug grin on what Margo presumed was their face. She glared at them and walked forward stiffly, completely unaware of the large glob of green slime in her hair.

”-go in a straight line to the end.” Margo perked up as she heard a familiar voice up ahead. Had Ruby chosen to do the errand too? And was that Xailah as well? Margo’s smile broadened into a grin.

”Hiya Rubes, Xailah.” Margo scrutinised the makeshift path in front of her. ”Is that... a racetrack?” She lifted the shawl from round her neck with a glint of mischief in her eye. ”Why Flobby here would love to compete, I’m sure.”

Ruby, Margo would bet her life (actually, on second thoughts, maybe only a bar of chocolate), was thinking about logistics. It wasn’t that Margo didn’t have faith in Flobby and their two friends, she just... doubted that Ruby didn’t doubt their ability to go in straight lines.

Did that make sense? Margo wasn’t sure. She loved the other Slytherin more than almost anyone, but in her mind, the only way to find something out was to give it a try. Besides, what could go wrong? As long as the witches kept their eyes peeled, the flobberworms could come to no harm, she was sure of it.

Xailah, Margo thought seemed to have the right idea. Books were much, much more useful in a racetrack than for actual studying, and much more fun too. She wondered idly if Ruby would agree. And, well, hadn’t she just said that the best way to prove a theory was to test it? Best not to start a streak of hypocrisy now.

”I’ve never come across such a useful way to stack books.“ Margo grinned devilishly. ”Wouldn’t you gals agree?“

Without further ado, Margo carefully untangled Flobby and set them on the floor. With a few muttered whispers about how he wasn’t to slime everywhere, and how they’d win this race no matter what, Margo stood up again.

She rubbed her hands in glee.

”Ready to lose, my friends?”“