25 May 2019, 02:54
Watching for a Monster
"A Giant Squid."
Settling down on a patch of flat grass, Isaiah stared out to the lake before him. It was a murky colour, a mix of brown and green and blue. Beautiful in it's own special way. The sun glittered as it hit the water's surface, and Isaiah could see the aquatic plants below moving slowly to the flow of the water. It was bordered by grass at this spot, but further along stones and rocks created a rocky beach, and even further along it was bordered by nothing but hills.
It wasn't for the beauty of the Great Lake that Isaiah had made the trip down from his dorm to the shore. He had come down for his particular interest in a creature that lay inside the waters.
There were Grindylows and Selkies, but none of them scared him, although he had seen images of the small, spiteful-looking Grindylow in a school book once. No. It was the monster, the beast of the Great Lake. The Giant Squid.
It was said to be huge. Bright red in colouring, with enormous tentacles. Many had assured him that the Giant Squid wasn't scary at all, in fact, the Squid was probably the very least creature you need to worry about. Just leave it alone, they had told him. The Giant Squid isn't going to hurt you, so you shouldn't bother him.
But that hadn't stopped Isaiah from being scared by the huge thing. As he had sailed across the waters at the start of the year, he knew that one way or another, he would have to meet the beast. In person. Otherwise, for the rest of his life, he'd be scared of the creature.
Clutching his wand tightly, Isaiah continued to watch the Lake. He had chosen a flat, grassy spot, with a clear view of most of the Lake. When the Giant Squid came up, Isaiah would be able to see it, clear as ever. He still wasn't exactly sure what he would do afterwards, but Isaiah was never really the one for thinking about the future. He lived in the moment.
And so, he waited.
Last edited by Isaiah Lewis on 5 Jun 2019, 22:13, edited 1 time in total.
"Expect the unexpected. And whenever possible, be the unexpected.”
Stamina: 8丨Evasion: 4丨Strength: 9丨Wisdom: 4丨Arcane Power: 5丨Accuracy: 5
31 May 2019, 14:12
Watching for a Monster
Over the last two years at Hogwarts, Hengist had two favorite places. First was, obviously, the library. Secondly was the lake. It wasn't the same as being by the ocean, but being by water seemed to calm him down. It reminded him of good times in the past. He's made it a habit to take a long stroll around the lake at least once or twice a month. It seemed the only way to break the stress of the crowded castle for him. Being from a small sea-side town, not to mention quite introverted, made his time at Hogwarts quite the ordeal.
On this particular day, he decided to do his weekly Quidditch drills in the afternoon and have his stroll by the lake in the morning after he ate. So, he did just that. After enjoying a breakfast of eggs and sausages (Hogwarts may be overwhelming to him at times, but one of the many benefits is that the food is always great), he made his way down to the lake. A path he knew nearly by heart by this point. The lake was usually sparsely populated by students on the weekend. Usually just the odd person wanting the same thing as himself; solitude and peace and quiet. Today wasn't any different. Hengist did notice a Gryffindor boy, likely a first year, acting slightly peculiar. While he'd seen people staring out to the lake, this was different. They usually looked either deep in thought or taking in the view. This boy didn't seem to be doing either one of these. He seemed to be looking for something specific. Hengist decided to pay it no mind for now and started on his round.
After his brisk walk, he came back around to where he started and the Gryffindor boy was STILL there. He must have been there for over half an hour, and that was since Hengist had seen him. Who knows how long he was there before he arrived. The boy looking just as determined as before, if not more so. At this point, the curiosity overcame him. He had to know what the boy was doing. It dawned on him that the boy might be trying to see one of the creatures in the lake, many of which could be quite dangerous. That thought broke even Hengist's shyness. He approached the Gryffindor boy and asked, as polite as he could, "I don't mean to interrupt, but I couldn't help but notice that you're looking at the lake quite intently. Is there something you're looking for? I don't want to frighten you, but there are some dangerous creatures that live in the lake and it's not terribly safe to stay too long next to it."
On this particular day, he decided to do his weekly Quidditch drills in the afternoon and have his stroll by the lake in the morning after he ate. So, he did just that. After enjoying a breakfast of eggs and sausages (Hogwarts may be overwhelming to him at times, but one of the many benefits is that the food is always great), he made his way down to the lake. A path he knew nearly by heart by this point. The lake was usually sparsely populated by students on the weekend. Usually just the odd person wanting the same thing as himself; solitude and peace and quiet. Today wasn't any different. Hengist did notice a Gryffindor boy, likely a first year, acting slightly peculiar. While he'd seen people staring out to the lake, this was different. They usually looked either deep in thought or taking in the view. This boy didn't seem to be doing either one of these. He seemed to be looking for something specific. Hengist decided to pay it no mind for now and started on his round.
After his brisk walk, he came back around to where he started and the Gryffindor boy was STILL there. He must have been there for over half an hour, and that was since Hengist had seen him. Who knows how long he was there before he arrived. The boy looking just as determined as before, if not more so. At this point, the curiosity overcame him. He had to know what the boy was doing. It dawned on him that the boy might be trying to see one of the creatures in the lake, many of which could be quite dangerous. That thought broke even Hengist's shyness. He approached the Gryffindor boy and asked, as polite as he could, "I don't mean to interrupt, but I couldn't help but notice that you're looking at the lake quite intently. Is there something you're looking for? I don't want to frighten you, but there are some dangerous creatures that live in the lake and it's not terribly safe to stay too long next to it."
31 May 2019, 16:33
Watching for a Monster
[quote]"I don't mean to interrupt, but I couldn't help but notice that you're looking at the lake quite intently. Is there something you're looking for? I don't want to frighten you, but there are some dangerous creatures that live in the lake and it's not terribly safe to stay too long next to it."
Isaiah looked up to find a Ravenclaw boy, with a slender build, pale and messy, dark hair. His eyes were bright, and stood out on his pale skin, and he looked older, perhaps a Second Year. He was polite when he spoke, and his speech was precise, and well worded.
Unlike the boy, Isaiah’s speech was rough. Unusually husky for a boy his age, and he often spoke so fast that his words tumbled up, jumbled and mis-said. Some laughed at the mess-up of words, others jeered. Isaiah tried to improve his speech, slowing down the torrent of words, but it was so sluggish, and Isaiah wasn’t a boy to wait.
Thinking about it now, Isaiah realised it was probably his impatient-ness that led to the not-so-proper speech. If he tried really had, perhaps he could do it. Unlike this dark-haired boy, who clearly didn’t need focus on his speech.
A shot of annoyance ran though him. The anger was misplaced, yes, but Isaiah didn’t know that at the time. Why did this boy, who he new nothing about, speak so clearly, when he was left with stumbling every word he spoke?
Isaiah stood up, hurriedly dusting off the grass and dirt that had clung themselves to his clock. Standing up, he was still shorter than the boy, and not just by a little bit. But Isaiah had a larger build and tried not to be intimidated by the Ravenclaw’s height.
“I… I’m looking for the Giant Squid. Every says not to worry about it, but I reckon they’re wrong. I reckon it’s… it’s just waiting down there. Ready to come up and…” he made a snapping motion with his hand, trying to intimidate what he imagined the Giant Squid to do when it strikes.
“Eat someone up. That’s what I reckon.”
His annoyance grew after speaking, self-conscious of his language. What was this boy thinking? Coming up to Isaiah, and telling him that it wasn’t safe to be down by the lake?
“You shouldn’t worry about me here. I’m fine by myself, I’m strong. I’ll do something to that Squid when it comes up, I’ll…” Isaiah grabbed out his wand, and motioned it in a random way, trying to impress the boy, “Tie it up, I will. In ropes. Strong ropes.”
Isaiah looked up to find a Ravenclaw boy, with a slender build, pale and messy, dark hair. His eyes were bright, and stood out on his pale skin, and he looked older, perhaps a Second Year. He was polite when he spoke, and his speech was precise, and well worded.
Unlike the boy, Isaiah’s speech was rough. Unusually husky for a boy his age, and he often spoke so fast that his words tumbled up, jumbled and mis-said. Some laughed at the mess-up of words, others jeered. Isaiah tried to improve his speech, slowing down the torrent of words, but it was so sluggish, and Isaiah wasn’t a boy to wait.
Thinking about it now, Isaiah realised it was probably his impatient-ness that led to the not-so-proper speech. If he tried really had, perhaps he could do it. Unlike this dark-haired boy, who clearly didn’t need focus on his speech.
A shot of annoyance ran though him. The anger was misplaced, yes, but Isaiah didn’t know that at the time. Why did this boy, who he new nothing about, speak so clearly, when he was left with stumbling every word he spoke?
Isaiah stood up, hurriedly dusting off the grass and dirt that had clung themselves to his clock. Standing up, he was still shorter than the boy, and not just by a little bit. But Isaiah had a larger build and tried not to be intimidated by the Ravenclaw’s height.
“I… I’m looking for the Giant Squid. Every says not to worry about it, but I reckon they’re wrong. I reckon it’s… it’s just waiting down there. Ready to come up and…” he made a snapping motion with his hand, trying to intimidate what he imagined the Giant Squid to do when it strikes.
“Eat someone up. That’s what I reckon.”
His annoyance grew after speaking, self-conscious of his language. What was this boy thinking? Coming up to Isaiah, and telling him that it wasn’t safe to be down by the lake?
“You shouldn’t worry about me here. I’m fine by myself, I’m strong. I’ll do something to that Squid when it comes up, I’ll…” Isaiah grabbed out his wand, and motioned it in a random way, trying to impress the boy, “Tie it up, I will. In ropes. Strong ropes.”
Last edited by Isaiah Lewis on 1 Jun 2019, 11:50, edited 1 time in total.
"Expect the unexpected. And whenever possible, be the unexpected.”
Stamina: 8丨Evasion: 4丨Strength: 9丨Wisdom: 4丨Arcane Power: 5丨Accuracy: 5
1 Jun 2019, 05:41
Watching for a Monster
Hengist was slightly taken aback by the Gryffindor boy's sudden energy. He also could hear a slight annoyance in the boy's voice, even through his quick speaking style. Hengist chalked it up to the boy being distracted from his search.“I… I’m looking for the Giant Squid. Every says not to worry about it, but I reckon they’re wrong. I reckon it’s… it’s just waiting down there. Ready to come up and… Eat someone up. That’s what I reckon.”
The boy pulled out wand as he said this, which was quite surprising and off putting. Hengist stepped back a step or two as the boy waved his wand in the direction of the lake. "Looking for the giant squid? I've read quite a bit about it and many sources claim that it's actually quite docile and even friendly. I read one claim that said it actually helped a student that fell into the lake." Hengist realized that he had never even introduced himself to the other boy before going into his rant.“You shouldn’t worry about me here. I’m fine by myself, I’m strong. I’ll do something to that Squid when it comes up, I’ll…Tie it up, I will. In ropes. Strong ropes”
"Oh, I apologize, I never introduced myself. My name is Hengist. I didn't mean to insinuate that you aren't strong. However, as docile as the squid may be, I doubt it would take to getting attacked very well. Besides, I'm not sure how you would manage to tie it up without rope." Hengist thought about this statement he just made, racking his brain for a possible solution. The only thing he came up with was the Incarcerous spell, which there was no way the other boy knew. That spell was N.E.W.T. level magic that even Hengist hadn't learned much about yet, and he was reading far ahead of his current year.
He decided he should clarify what he meant by the dangerous creatures he meant. "The squid may be large and imposing, but it's not what I was talking about. What I really meant by dangerous creatures are the merfolk and grindylows. I've read a lot about both. The merfolk, from what I've read, are very touchy ones and don't take kindly to trespassers. Those grindylows, on the other hand, are just plain mean. If they can attack you, they will. Even if you had rope, it would do no good against them. They're small and fast, by all accounts." Hengist didn't realize how much he was talking. Learning is something he likes, so it rarely occurs to him that other's wouldn't share his enthusiasm for it. In this vein, if given the chance, he enjoys sharing his knowledge with others (regardless of if they've asked for it or not).
He figured that would be enough info for the boy to make his own decisions and concluded, "Anyway, I'm no prefect and I'm not telling you what to do. I just thought you should know. The professors can be so vague when they say that something is dangerous. As you like, though, I'll leave you to your 'hunt'." He didn't mean for that last word to sound sarcastic, but it would sure sound that way to others...
Last edited by Hengist Warbeck on 1 Jun 2019, 12:48, edited 1 time in total.
1 Jun 2019, 12:11
Watching for a Monster
[quote]
"Looking for the giant squid?” Said the Second Year “I've read quite a bit about it and many sources claim that it's actually quite docile and even friendly. I read one claim that said it actually helped a student that fell into the lake."
"Oh, I apologize, I never introduced myself. My name is Hengist. I didn't mean to insinuate that you aren't strong. However, as docile as the squid may be, I doubt it would take to getting attacked very well. Besides, I'm not sure how you would manage to tie it up without rope.”
Isaiah took a step back, surprised by the torrent of words, but they didn’t seem to stop.
"The squid may be large and imposing, but it's not what I was talking about. What I really meant by dangerous creatures are the merfolk and grindylows. I've read a lot about both..."
The words came out fast and quick, a stream of knowledge, but Isaiah couldn't keep up with Hengist, although Isaiah was secretly impressed. His memory was as slow as a snail and worked as well as an elder with Alzheimer’s.
"Anyway, I'm no prefect and I'm not telling you what to do. I just thought you should know. The professors can be so vague when they say that something is dangerous. As you like, though, I'll leave you to your 'hunt'."
Isaiah frowned. ‘Hunt’? The boy, Hengist, had said the word as if he was somehow superior to Isaiah. Why would he do that? Was Hengist teasing him, perhaps?
“Well, even if the Giant Squid isn’t dangerous, and even if ropes wouldn’t be strong enough, I’ll still catch something.”
He shoved his wand back into his pocket, feeling foolish. Hengist clearly knew a lot more about the lake than Isaiah ever would. In fact, it seemed to Isaiah that he knew about anything and everything. And in front of this intelligent, well-spoken boy, Isaiah had made a complete fool of himself.
“And… and what type of name is Hengist anyway? I’ve never heard about it spoken never. I reckon it’s weird.”
As soon as the words were out, Isaiah felt his stomach churn with guilt. He shouldn’t say things like that. Not only did it sound incredibly childish, but Isaiah was bullying the boy, over a name. But he wasn’t one to think things through.
“I will catch that squid, or whatever’s in that water” he spat angrily, crossing his arms with defiance. “With or without those stupid ropes. And you can’t do anything about it.”
Reducio
Just realised I wrote sword instead of wand in the previous post - sorry! Hope it doesn't affect the topic too much.
"Looking for the giant squid?” Said the Second Year “I've read quite a bit about it and many sources claim that it's actually quite docile and even friendly. I read one claim that said it actually helped a student that fell into the lake."
"Oh, I apologize, I never introduced myself. My name is Hengist. I didn't mean to insinuate that you aren't strong. However, as docile as the squid may be, I doubt it would take to getting attacked very well. Besides, I'm not sure how you would manage to tie it up without rope.”
Isaiah took a step back, surprised by the torrent of words, but they didn’t seem to stop.
"The squid may be large and imposing, but it's not what I was talking about. What I really meant by dangerous creatures are the merfolk and grindylows. I've read a lot about both..."
The words came out fast and quick, a stream of knowledge, but Isaiah couldn't keep up with Hengist, although Isaiah was secretly impressed. His memory was as slow as a snail and worked as well as an elder with Alzheimer’s.
"Anyway, I'm no prefect and I'm not telling you what to do. I just thought you should know. The professors can be so vague when they say that something is dangerous. As you like, though, I'll leave you to your 'hunt'."
Isaiah frowned. ‘Hunt’? The boy, Hengist, had said the word as if he was somehow superior to Isaiah. Why would he do that? Was Hengist teasing him, perhaps?
“Well, even if the Giant Squid isn’t dangerous, and even if ropes wouldn’t be strong enough, I’ll still catch something.”
He shoved his wand back into his pocket, feeling foolish. Hengist clearly knew a lot more about the lake than Isaiah ever would. In fact, it seemed to Isaiah that he knew about anything and everything. And in front of this intelligent, well-spoken boy, Isaiah had made a complete fool of himself.
“And… and what type of name is Hengist anyway? I’ve never heard about it spoken never. I reckon it’s weird.”
As soon as the words were out, Isaiah felt his stomach churn with guilt. He shouldn’t say things like that. Not only did it sound incredibly childish, but Isaiah was bullying the boy, over a name. But he wasn’t one to think things through.
“I will catch that squid, or whatever’s in that water” he spat angrily, crossing his arms with defiance. “With or without those stupid ropes. And you can’t do anything about it.”
"Expect the unexpected. And whenever possible, be the unexpected.”
Stamina: 8丨Evasion: 4丨Strength: 9丨Wisdom: 4丨Arcane Power: 5丨Accuracy: 5
3 Jun 2019, 03:56
Watching for a Monster
After Hengist had finished his lecture, for lack of a better word, he could see a noticeable change in the other boy's demeanor. He'd definitely said too much and likely insulted the boy. He should've just kept his mouth shut, like he usually does. As he was thinking about this, the other boy responded,
Hengist had said that, or something incredibly similar, so many times that it came out almost automatically now. Almost like a robot. He wasn't even sure if he believed that last bit, but it didn't really matter to him anymore anyway. He has the name he has and can't change that. So he quickly changed the subject. "I never said I wanted to stop you, I just wanted you to be aware that there are reasons why the headmaster warns everyone about it." Hengist felt bad if he'd insulted the boy, so he attempted to make amends. "If you think I was making fun of you, it wasn't my intent, so I apologize if that's the case. Besides, I've given you my name, as ridiculous as it is. Could I possibly have yours?" Hengist offered his hand to shake as he asked the boy his name.
He put his wand away as he said this. Hengist was a bit surprised at this response. It's not at all remotely what he was expecting. This boy sure was determined. 'Typical Gryffindor' Hengist thought. It was at this point that the other boy spoke again, this time with more anger.“Well, even if the Giant Squid isn’t dangerous, and even if ropes wouldn’t be strong enough, I’ll still catch something.”
The sting about his name, however, was completely unsurprising. Growing up with a name like 'Hengist', you hear more than your fair share of insults. Luckily, he had learned about the origins of his name when he was younger as a response to all the bullying back then. Because of this knowledge, he had a standard response to this insult, "Yeah, it is an odd name, I agree. My parents have a thing for unusual names. If you really want to know what type of name it is, it's actually the name of an ancient Anglo-Saxon king from the 5th century. It's even a name that comes up in the epic Beowulf. Having a name with such history behind it feels like a lot to live up to, but I don't let that bother me. I actually quite fancy the name, to be honest."“And… and what type of name is Hengist anyway? I’ve never heard about it spoken never. I reckon it’s weird. I will catch that squid, or whatever’s in that water. With or without those stupid ropes. And you can’t do anything about it.”
Hengist had said that, or something incredibly similar, so many times that it came out almost automatically now. Almost like a robot. He wasn't even sure if he believed that last bit, but it didn't really matter to him anymore anyway. He has the name he has and can't change that. So he quickly changed the subject. "I never said I wanted to stop you, I just wanted you to be aware that there are reasons why the headmaster warns everyone about it." Hengist felt bad if he'd insulted the boy, so he attempted to make amends. "If you think I was making fun of you, it wasn't my intent, so I apologize if that's the case. Besides, I've given you my name, as ridiculous as it is. Could I possibly have yours?" Hengist offered his hand to shake as he asked the boy his name.
5 Jun 2019, 08:36
Watching for a Monster
The Second Year, Hengist, didn’t seem to react at all to the comment on his name. In fact, if the boy didn’t reply to the criticism, Isaiah would’ve repeated it, thinking that Hengist hadn’t heard it at all.
"Yeah, it is an odd name, I agree. My parents have a thing for unusual names. If you really want to know what type of name it is, it's actually the name of an ancient Anglo-Saxon king from the 5th century. It's even a name that comes up in the epic Beowulf. Having a name with such history behind it feels like a lot to live up to, but I don't let that bother me. I actually quite fancy the name, to be honest."
The next load of information, like the first, numbed Isaiah’s brain. History was one of his worst subjects. All you did was read and read and read and try to remember everything. Reading and remembering. Two of the things Isaiah was horribly bad at. And although Isaiah had felt slightly bad when he had teased the boy and his name, he was slightly weirded out by the boy’s knowledge.
"I never said I wanted to stop you, I just wanted you to be aware that there are reasons why the headmaster warns everyone about it. If you think I was making fun of you, it wasn't my intent, so I apologize if that's the case. Besides, I've given you my name, as ridiculous as it is. Could I possibly have yours?"
Hengist then offered Isaiah his hand, stretching it out.
Isaiah took a step back, confused. This boy was confusing. First, he told Isaiah off. Then he told Isaiah that he was sorry, at that telling him off wasn’t his intention. Then, when Isaiah had offended him, and his family, by teasing his name, he had told him the history of the name.
“I…” Isaiah trailed off, not sure what to say. Should he shake Hengist’s hand, or say something else? Maybe both? Teasing him again would do nothing, Hengist wouldn’t probably react. And the boy had done nothing wrong. He creased his eyebrows together and bit the inside of his lips.
The silence grew, and Isaiah still didn’t know what to do. Apologise? He looked up into the green eyes of the Second Year, which seemed truly sorry.
“I… have to do some homework. Um… sorry. Shouldn’t of said those things. I hope… I see you around?”
And, quick as he could, without running, Isaiah walked away, the mission of the Great Lake long forgotten.
ReducioIsaiah exits the thread
"Expect the unexpected. And whenever possible, be the unexpected.”
Stamina: 8丨Evasion: 4丨Strength: 9丨Wisdom: 4丨Arcane Power: 5丨Accuracy: 5
5 Jun 2019, 21:51
Watching for a Monster
As Hengist offered his hand in friendship, the other boy looked quite confused. He even stepped back a bit. He didn't know how to react from here. This boy was hard to read. He decided to wait for the boy to do something.
Finally, he dropped his hand to his side and began walking back up to the castle, slowly so he could think. He must have done something wrong to cause this boy to react the way he did. Sure, he bothered the boy by interrupting his search for the squid. Perhaps he'd talked down to the boy a bit when he warned him about the other dangers of the lake. He also talked a bit too much about his name's history. But he'd apologized for all that, yet the other boy still seemed mad at him, even after he offered his hand. There was obviously something he was missing. Well, one thing was sure; he would have a very long letter for his sister this month...
the boy said, then walked away, awkwardly as if in a hurry. Not only did he not shake Hengist's hand, but he didn't even give his name. Hengist stood there, hand still out, facial expression unchanged. He couldn't quite process what had just transpired. Even the resident Ravenclaw dhampir, Kaegen, was more readable."I...I…have to do some homework. Um… sorry. Shouldn’t of said those things. I hope… I see you around?"
Finally, he dropped his hand to his side and began walking back up to the castle, slowly so he could think. He must have done something wrong to cause this boy to react the way he did. Sure, he bothered the boy by interrupting his search for the squid. Perhaps he'd talked down to the boy a bit when he warned him about the other dangers of the lake. He also talked a bit too much about his name's history. But he'd apologized for all that, yet the other boy still seemed mad at him, even after he offered his hand. There was obviously something he was missing. Well, one thing was sure; he would have a very long letter for his sister this month...
Hengist leaves the post. RP complete.