A Potential Friend Pv C. Babbit Closed

Constantine darted across the grass surrounding the edge of the lake, the end of his robe whipping wildly behind him. One of his friends had fallen victim to a boxing telescope, and had ended up with a sizeable bruise around their right eye. Due to Constantine's seemingly unending fit of laughter at the time, he was labelled the prime suspect. He wasn't, but admittedly, Constantine wished he had been the one behind it. Regardless of the true culprit, he hastily fled the scene, to avoid getting a black eye of his own. His pace slowed to a walk once he had put a fair distance between himself, and where the incident took place. Recalling the memory, Constantine allowed himself to indulge in another peal of laughter, before settling to stroll contentedly along the lakeside.

It reminded him somewhat of home, those warm summer months in which he'd walk the family Crups. Though, this was definitely calmer; said Crups would tug on the leash at the mere scent of a muggle, and Constantine didn't fancy getting dragged along the fields like he used to. Being alone like this allowed him to reflect on his surroundings, as well as his thoughts. For a while, Constantine focused on the water. It was tranquil, save for a few students splashing about on his right. Guess I won't be walking that way, he thought to himself. Turning in the opposite direction, Constantine managed to spot a small dock that overhung the lake.

Upon closer inspection, there seemed to be someone already splayed across it. Not one to be deterred, Constantine inched closer, making himself known by clearing his throat. "It's a nice day out, isn't it? I hope I'm not intruding." He called over, his voice quiet as not to startle them. From the look of her robes, she appeared to be a Ravenclaw. Constantine just hoped she wasn't too studious.

Constantine listened to her talk, first, knowing that it wouldn't be a good first impression if he interrupted. He nodded, agreeing with her initial statement. "It's nice here, though I've never noticed the dock before." He mused - it wasn't surprising, considering he hadn't been at Hogwarts all that long, nor had he really had the chance to look about in detail. Constantine had focused more on making friends, which hadn't been difficult due to the house he had been put in. At first, Hufflepuff wasn't really a favourite of his, due to the stereotyping. But, as he socialised more within the group, he'd realised that they had a lot more in common than he'd expected. "Pleased to meet you, Eri." He smiled, the dimples in his cheeks evident. "I'm Constantine Babbitt." Constantine introduced, scratching the back of his neck, "It's a bit of a mouthful, though, so you can call me Stanley if it gets too tiring." He laughed all too knowingly.

Constantine noticed that she had shuffled to sit, clearing a space. "Do you mind if I sit here? I promise not to be too much of an annoyance." He joked again, although he was serious when it came to asking for permission - it was an old habit of his. Constantine wasn't sure if it was to be polite, or if it was to make sure he was welcome. However, Eri didn't appear to be too irritated by his presence, which was a good sign in itself, though she could've been waiting for someone prior to his arrival.

Constantine walked along the dock, settling besides Eri after a few moments of shuffling. He wasn't particularly tall, either, so it wasn't too crowded. The dock did have a nice view, however he understood how someone could tire of it quickly. Although, there was one thing Constantine was looking out for. He had been told, by a possibly unreliable source, that there was a giant squid in the lake's waters. Personally, he found it difficult to believe. Though, he had also been informed about all the other dangerous creatures that had inhabited Hogwarts in the past, so maybe it wasn't such a far-fetched idea after all. Regardless of the reliability, Constantine was excited by the thought.

After a brief silence whilst thinking, Constantine turned back to look at Eri. "It's quite amazing, isn't it? I'm excited to learn more spells, if I'm honest. Oh, and study magical creatures, too." He beamed eagerly, "I've found that the majority of people here are quite friendly, though maybe it's just my house. " Constantine admitted sheepishly. He wondered what it would be like to be sorted into Ravenclaw. It was home to some of the smartest witches and wizards; Constantine hoped he wasn't boring an intelligent mind with such mundane topics. "What's it like in Ravenclaw, then? Have you settled in yet?" He questioned, curious to know what Eri's experience was.

Constantine listened, not surprised that there was competition for grades. Usually, he enjoyed rivalry, however he only excelled in a select few subjects - the rest were about average. "How do you rank, then? Are you top of the class?" Constantine asked. He wouldn't doubt that she was, considering Eri appeared to have a strong mind. The Hufflepuff was happy to know that she was enjoying her house, after all, it's where she would be staying for the remainder of her time here. Constantine really did feel for the few people who disliked their house.

Constantine swung his legs over the edge of the dock, making sure there was enough space between his shoes and the water. "Wow, an animagus! That's so cool! I'd probably attempt it, only to find out my animagus form is a slug, or something." He laughed, eyes crinkling. An animagus form would be useful for studying magical creatures, he thought, though it would be useless if the form was something like a common garden toad. "I'm interested in the care of magical creatures! My family breeds Crups for a living, so it's only natural for me to want to become a magizoologist of some kind." Constantine explained happily. After a short pause, he continued. "I want to be good at Defence Against the Dark Arts too, to impress my brother." He added with a grin.