Hogwarts Explorers Club-First Meeting! Club

Interacting with| @Finn Valois
OPEN to interactions

River had been silently observing as more and more people seemed to find their way to the club meeting. It was nice to see that she wasn’t the only one who would be late, for various reasons, to different events. Getting lost sure was an easy task for River, or accidentally getting hurt, or breaking something. She was simply very clumsy most of the time.

Since River was not one to easily approach others, she had gotten very good at observing, and listening. Maybe even when she wasn’t supposed to. By staning there and waiting for the tour t begin, she had heard others talking about the giant squid. She had read a lot about it in Hogwarts: A History, and knew that it wasn’t really a threat, so she wasn’t afraid.

River shielded her eyes from the sun as she gazed up in direction of the castle, she could see a girl running towards the group. And to River’s surprise, she did not make it all the way, befor she hit the ground in a great fall. Jeez, seems like the power of gravity was a bit too much for her, River thought to herself. The girl seemed okay after all, she simply brushed it off and continued toward the group, and proceeded to talk to someone she seemed to know.

River almost jumped out of her own skin, as someone suddenly called out, "Finn Valois, present!". River turned quickly around with large eyes, a boy had appeared right behind her out of nowhere. «Dude! You can’t just scare people like that!», she said as she looked him in the face. She took a breath, trying to calm her heartbeat, and let out a slight chuckle.
The boy seemed to have run here, as his breath was heavy.
"Um, did someone say something about a squid...?", the boy asked after a little while. «Oh, yeah they’re just talking about the giant squid living in the lake, it’s been there for quite a long time actually», River answered him. She wasn’t sure if it was her he was asking, but she figured it didn’t really matter, he got his answer.
«I’m River by the way», she quickly added, smiling carefully at the boy.

Interacting with| @Finn Valois
OPEN to Interactions

River looked at the boy as it seemed like he was about to say something, but for one reason or another redirected his mind.
"River's an interesting name. I wonder if there's a possibility of a giant squid living in a river instead of a lake or the ocean. Though, I'm guessing a river would be a bit too small for a giant squid. Maybe a medium-sized squid instead."
River stood there, just looking at Finn. She wasn’t sure how much of that she actually caught, but she could see his face blushing slightly. Seems like he was a nervous rambler too? «Uhm, thank you... I guess? I think I take pride in my slight strange name», she said, and smiled slightly, looking down at her black converse. She giggled slightly as she continued, «And yes. I believe a river would be too small for the giant squid».

Finn’s eyes turned away, to look out at the lake, her eyes followed, and rested on the sun shining over the grand lake. And the surrounding forests and fields looked as grand as always. River let out a deep sigh, «It’s quite beautiful isn’t it? The lake», she said thoughtfully. «I mean, it looks so peaceful and undisturbed from our point of view, but as soon as you look underneath the surface, it’s full of movement and life», she stopped for a little, and thought back to the book she had read about the lake at Hogwarts. «It’s not just the squid that’s interesting either, there are grindylows and merpeople too» .

River had always had a large interest in magical beasts ever since she got to know about the magical world. Before then, she had always found comfort in non-magical animals. And the creatures within the lake were especially interesting in her opinion.

@River Dewlight | @Emile Yorke

"It's okay," he told Emile. They'd figure out how to get to the squid sooner or later.

Following Emile and Elizabeth, Isaac took a seat. Naturally, the moment he sat on the stump, he went to fidgeting again. A rock still lay in his palm, and he turned it around and around in his fingers.

It’s not just the squid that’s interesting either, there are grindylows and merpeople too.

He heard River's soft voice say.

Merpeople are real? he thought in surprise, taking a second glance at the lake. So there was an underwater kingdom down there, just waiting to be discovered. He wondered if the merpeople guarded the squid, or if the squid guarded the merpeople like some giant undersea warrior. He hoped that they didn't look anything like the merpeople out of The Little Mermaid. He had gone to Florida a few summers ago to visit Disneyland, and would never forget his older sister's obsession with Ariel. She even dyed her hair to look like her.

Tapping his feet on the dirt, he went back to waiting for Donnovan to start. But his curiosity was too much to resist. He shifted on the stump to talk to River, firing off questions. "How do the merpeople look? Do they have battles down there? Does the squid help them?"

The next few posts should only be about boarding the boats, and furthermore the tour. I, or Lavender (One of my active coordinators, should also lead the tour. Have fun! Let the tour begin!   

Pick a boat in which you board. Donny's (Large boat) or Lavender (Smaller boat) Specify in your next post!

Interacting with| @Isaac Ambrose
Mentions| @Finn Valois
OPEN to interactions

River watched as people came, and found their groups. Why was it that people this age would always stick to their groups and almost never talk to anyone else?
When are we supposed to begin? River wondered, getting a little tired of waiting. At leas she had someone she’d talked to.
"How do the merpeople look? Do they have battles down there? Does the squid help them?", she heard someone say. «What?»River’s head turned to see who it was. «Oh, hello Isaac, it’s nice to see you», she smiled at him. «And, I find that being bombarded with questions I can’t quite answer, to be pretty disturbing», she chuckled slightly as she talked. «Anyway, Merpeople are quite like in the stories. They have tails, and all that. But really, they’re quite creepy looking», she answered. «And I have no clue if they battle down there, or if they have any contact with the squid», she added quickly, furrowing her eyebrows in wonder.

Finally, Donny had announced the beginning of the tour. They had been waiting for quite a while now. Of course, River understood that it was to wait for other members, but she couldn’t help but get tired of waiting.
She watched closely as they readied the boats, they seemed experienced enough.
She sendt Finn and Isaac an exited and slightly nervous look.
One of the boats were larger than the other, and the anxious girl that River was, decided the larger must be sturdier.

She approached the larger of the two boats and boarded it on wobbly feet. Supporting herself on anything possible. Her hair was getting in her eyes, so she quickly tucked it behind her ear and found a spot to stay. I hope this all ends well...

River boarded Donny’s boat (Large Boat)