Outfit

Bellatrix wandered around the lake, contemplating recent events. The Tetrawizard Tournament Champions had been announced only the day before and she couldn't get over the fact that the terrible Erin Harper had been chosen to represent Slytherin. It was rather disappointing. Then, of course, there was her conversation with her twin sister about starting up a band. Classes were harder this year and some of her favorite professors had left the school. For the first time this year, the darker Dark twin was feeling a little lonely.

Again, this year, she didn't have a soul to talk to except her twin who was caught up in Prefect duties and being a typical Ravenclaw. Then there was Peyton, whom she wanted to talk to, but was also currently unavailable. Until last year, Bellatrix had never given her social circle much thought. Last year's events opened her eyes to the truth: no one really liked her. She couldn't blame them. After all, she had been absolutely horrid to those around her. Something over the summer holiday changed her. This year, she had no desire to jinx someone at random. It seemed so childish. She played with the skirt of her dress, lifting it up a couple of inches so that it wouldn't drag across the muddy earth as she made her way to the edge of the lake.

There, in the murky water, was her reflection staring back at her. What changed about her? Why had she changed? It was difficult for her to say when it had happened as well. She was looking at someone very different from the girl she had been last year. The Bellatrix staring back at her seemed...mature, pensive, probably even weary. Yes. Weary. She was so tired of being mean, not having any friends, fighting with everyone and herself. It had been a constant struggle with her emotions over the past couple of years and she was flat-out exhausted with the internal conflict. The longer she stared at her reflection, the more she decided that she liked the new Bella. A sincere smile appeared on her face. Yes, she honestly liked the new her. The older her. The her that had changed.

Sunday was probably the second best day of the week, right after Saturday. Weekends were the only times Seto could really do whatever he pleased. And they were the best time he had to slip off and take a dip in the lake. Honestly, he wished he could get out here and swim more often. Aside from food, sleeping, girls, boys.... well okay. Aside from a lot of things it was favorite thing to do. He supposed it was unique in that it was the only activity he enjoyed. Aside from quidditch. And arguably certain things done with said girls and boys that were fairly active. Okay hm... Maybe he wasn't as lazy as he thought.

Still, the point was that it was Sunday, which meant it was time for his second dip of the week. So upon waking up late, and after he had stolen some food from the kitchens, Seto made his way out of the castle towards the grounds with his bright pink towel draped around his neck. He figured he would swim for a few hours, go eat lunch, then go back to the common room and fall asleep on the couch. Yes, this seemed like a good plan to him. At least, it was a good plan so long as he didn't fall asleep on the grass after, which he was prone to do. Oh well, he'd deal with it later.

It seemed that he was not the only one out by the lake today, another girl was standing by the water as he made his approach. From the look of things she was simply staring at the water. Weird, but there were a lot of weird folk at Hogwarts, so it probably wasn't too out of the ordinary. Maybe there was actually something interesting to stare at in the murky depths.

"Hey, girlie, whatcha lookin' at?" Seto asked as he came near her. Calmly he pulled the towel from around his neck and dropped it on the grass before stepping up to the waters edge. "Eh, your own reflection?" Not what he had expected. "May wanna watch it, wouldn' wanna be the next Narcisuss."

She ignored the person approaching her, imagining that he would just pass by her as so many others would. That was the opposite of what happened.

"Hey, girlie, whatcha lookin' at? Eh, your own reflection?"

Her blue eyes drifted lazily upward to stare at the boy. He was a Hufflepuff like that annoying Figaro Sellaphix, but not one she had ever bothered to get to know. A cute face, nothing more, nothing less. Regardless, she felt her eyes run over his outfit.

"May wanna watch it, wouldn' wanna be the next Narcisuss."

Bellatrix turned fully to face the teenager. Normally, she would have been defensive and rude at such a remark. That was part of the old Bellatrix. Fortunately, she felt she had changed. She didn't have the energy anymore. Regardless, old habits die hard and the tone she used was indeed a bit cruel.

"Narcissus stared at his reflection because he was in love with himself." She caught her rudeness in time and added a weak smile, dropping eye contact to stare again at the lake's surface. "I was just..." Well, what was she doing? "I was just thinking about how lonely the squid must feel."

How stupid did that sound? It certainly wasn't something that anyone would expect to hear from Bellatrix Dark. She found herself, again out of habit, mentally kicking herself for saying such a stupid thing. She had a reputation to protect, after all! She was--oh, shut up she told that other voice in the back of her mind. Who cared? No one. She was the new Bellatrix Dark and it would be awkward for a while, but maybe people would give her a chance and get used to her being...weird. Rather weird than the awful, jinx-happy person she was last year and the year before that and the year before that.

"You know, there's Grindylows in the lake. You should be careful swimming."

Again, not a predictable statement that should come from her mouth. Since when was Bellatrix concerned with the welfare of her peers? She glanced down at the pink towel and perked a brow. Pink? A masculine guy had a pink towel? Okay, that was...odd. Bella tried to take her eyes off it and look at him, but every once in a while she'd give the towel an uncertain look as though it had said something that baffled her.

"Narcissus stared at his reflection because he was in love with himself."

Yes, that was his point after all. But fine, if she didn't want to take the joke then whatever. At least she was nice enough to back it up with a smile, as opposed to jinx him on the spot. Maybe he just got lucky and she was in a good mood. Still the smile was nice; though the  comment on the giant squid that made the lake its home was... very odd. "I'm sure the kraken does okay." Seto said lightly, kicking off his flipflops. "After all, he's got a lot of creatures to play with in there."

"You know, there's Grindylows in the lake. You should be careful swimming."

Seto merely shrugged, surprised at the girls concern. "They ain't so tough, really. Just gotta break their fingers," he said casually and with a small smile. If one thought about it, it was a little strange how casual he was with breaking the bones of another creature. But it was certainly better than dying. That was probably one of the few useful things Defense had taught him. Perhaps he should have continued with the class. "Thanks for the warning though," Seto added happily.

With that, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it next to his towel which Bellatrix seemed to have quite the interest with. He had noticed this before. A girl is surprised that a well built guy such as himself would carry a towel whos color is associated with all thing feminine. "Yea, it's pink," Seto said, voice still cheerful. He had become so used to it that it didn't bother him when people stared. "It's really soft too."

"They ain't so tough, really. Just gotta break their fingers. Thanks for the warning though."

He smiled at her. What did that mean? It meant he was sincere about his thanks, of course. She nodded, returning the smile a little shyly. Bellatrix rarely smiled at Hogwarts--unless her twin sister made her. It was nice to show someone that she was still human once in a while. Maybe he wouldn't think of her as a monster as so many others did. Her humanity was further proven when he removed his shirt and tossed it on the ground. She felt her cheeks get a little warm. Wow. Seeing a boy take off his shirt so casually in front of her was a bit...new for her. Bellatrix cleared her throat and instead made herself stare at the towel.

"Yea, it's pink. It's really soft too."

"I-I'll take your word for it."

Her most anxious habit came back in full force. She started cracking her knuckles, doing everything she possibly could to keep her eyes off of him. Why was she suddenly bashful? This was something she had not previously discovered about herself. Bella had always known that she was, in truth, a little shy around boys she liked, but never had she been put in to such a situation where a boy so brazenly took his shirt off without even thinking twice about it. Her mouth opened to comment on how lovely the weather was, but she thought better of it and instead went to sit down by a rock there at the edge of the lake. She removed her shoes, lifted the skirt of her dress several inches, and dipped her ankles in to the water.

"What do you think the First Challenge is going to be?"

It was a question that just blurted itself out. She had no idea where it came from yet she was glad it wasn't a lame comment on the weather. It was just casual conversation, after all. Finally, she managed to draw her eyes to the boy while she tenderly moved her feet around in circles in the water.

Seto smirked as the girl seemed taken aback by his comment. It was sort of cute, in its own way. He hadn't meant it to sound so rude, really. But he supposed it wasn't phrased all that well. Oh well, she didn't seem to mind. She seemed much too busy checking him out and blushing. This was also cute, but mostly it was sort of strange. Seto had never really expected Bellatrix Dark the type to blush at a boy.

He watched her as she sat herself upon a rock and dipped her feet into the water. Water that he really, really wanted to jump in. But now he was talking with someone, someone who was known for jinxing random people for no reason. And Seto would really love to not drown due to a jelly-legs jinx while swimming if he could avoid it. No, it was a better idea to stay on her good side. So instead of taking a running leap into the water, Seto sat next to her, laid back upon the grass and placed his hands behind his head.


"What do you think the First Challenge is going to be?"

Well that was a good question. The first task? "Not a clue, really," Seto confessed readily. He hadn't put much, or any thought really into the tournament at all. It wasn't something that interested in him. "Probably something ridiculous and dangerous, if history is to be believed." After all, he heard the first task when the famous Harry Potter went to school was dragons. "Maybe it's some team task?" Seto offered. "They did pick three from each school, after all." It wouldn't surprise him if it was something the three of them had to work together to overcome. It made the possibility of danger slightly higher, after all.

"What do you think?"

Hufflepuff certainly invited the oddest people into Hogwarts. Well, Slytherin took in the real lunatics, but Hufflepuff took the left-overs. What lead her to this reasoning was that he had looked as though he was about to go swimming...but he instead laid down in the grass. Was he going to tan? The blue eyes ran over his body and she had to look away again quickly to prevent certain thoughts from popping up into her mind. He needs a tan, was the most innocent comment she could muster.

"Not a clue, really. Probably something ridiculous and dangerous, if history is to be believed. Maybe it's some team task? They did pick three from each school, after all."

That was an intriguing thought. Slytherin, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw working together. That would be very difficult for her; it would place her in an awkward situation. By any standards, she should be rooting for her own house. How could she when it was that git Erin Harper that had been selected? She wrinkled up her nose in distaste. Then there was Harcroft. Yeah, like Bellatrix would ever support Mr. Hero of Brave Gryffindor. He wasn't too bad as a person, she imagined, but Gryffindors tended to have a hero complex. Harry Potter had been a good example of that. The final champion, Schalgenweit, was the one she pitied. He was the underdog and she had a feeling that her twin sister and Peyton would be cheering him on. Why not her? It might make up for all the times she had jinxed him. Well, not likely, but she could try...

"What do you think?"

Automatically and without thinking, her mouth opened and she answered, "I think Sasha is hosed."

Upon realizing that she had mentioned Sasha aloud, Bellatrix covered her mouth. To think that she would openly show concern for one of her favorite victims was a bit unnerving to her. She looked at the Hufflepuff to see if he had noticed, creating a swift recovery.

"What I mean is that I don't think his team-mates will cover him. He's not exactly one of their best mates." Yeah, like she had any room to talk.

The Slytherin girl, a bit more calm, stared at the water in a fresh state of melancholy. It wasn't boredom, it wasn't depression. It was just that state one fell into where they felt..."bleh". For some time, Bellatrix remained pensive and quiet as the water lapped at her ankles and the rock. She had to find a way to withdraw herself from this mindset. By drawing her attention to him, she gave him a smile that was a little more friendly than any so far.

"Aren't you going swimming?"

"I think Sasha is hosed. What I mean is that I don't think his team-mates will cover him."

Immediately Seto snorted and laughed. He honestly couldn't have put it better himself. Personally he had no issue with the boy. Seemed nice enough, he supposed. But Sasha didn't seem like the type who would do well in the competition. Hell, he seemed like the type that might weigh the others down. Maybe not completely dead weight, but enough that they may start to sink. Sucks to be them. "I think Harcroft will do right by him," Seto commented. "Both are prefects, aye? Probably got some camaraderie 'cause of that."

He shrugged slightly, which looked very odd considering his pose. Truth be told he wasn't completely confident in what he had said. Seto figured that they should have some feeling towards each other after working so closely for the last year. Still, Sasha was kind of difficult to like so maybe not.

"Aren't you going swimming?"

Seto sat up, placing his arms on his knees. "That was the plan," he said, eyes scanning the placid water. "But here I am conversin' with ya. Figured it'd be rude to just go an hop in the water." But hell if she didn't care... Calmly Seto stood, stretching his arms over his head for a moment before taking off at a run towards the lake. Leaping at the last minute he tucked his legs into his chest and landed with a loud "splash" Under the water he twisted around and swam out a few feet before resurfacing and facing the shore.

"Damn that feels good."

A running leap?! That wasn't what she had expected at all! The Slytherin girl couldn't react fast enough. She had barely pulled her feet out of the water when he had jumped in. His splash was big enough that it reached her and put some good-sized wet spots on her hair and dress. The teenager sat there partially wet and examining the material to make sure it wasn't water-damaged.

The boy resurfaced. "Damn that feels good."

She reached up and tucked the wet strands behind her ears, flashing him a tolerant smile.

"I'm sure it does," was all she could say.

There were several brutal comments she wanted to make and many names she thought about calling him. Bella's temper almost got the better of her. Suddenly, she stood up and pulled off the dress to reveal her zebra-striped two-piece bikini bathing suit. Quickly, she took the decorative comb from her hair and shook her head to allow the long, platinum blond and pink strands of hair to fall freely around her shoulders. The comb, her necklace, and her earrings were all tossed on top of her dress by his towel. From the rock itself, she took a short run and did a swan dive in to the lake. Moments later, she resurfaced and started to lazily float on her back.

"You're right, this does feel good."

[I changed the outfit to incorporate her bathing suit, fyi. And her new hair.]

Seto's eyebrows shot up as the girl began pulling her dress off. He had half expected her to be in her underwear when she did so. Not that he cared, he could definitely appreciate the female form in such attire. It was just simply unexpected, although he supposed a girl clad in a bikini was barely different than one in her underwear. With a grin he bit his lower lip and watched as she shook her hair out. There was always something about that gesture that got to him.

Still grinning he watched as she dove into the water with excellent form; when she resurfaced he held up eight fingers. He wasn't sure if she would get the joke or not.

"You're right, this does feel good."

Seto laughed slightly. "Would I lie to you?" He asked playfully before swimming up beside her. "I gotta say though, you surprise me. Didn' think ya had a bathing suit on underneath," Seto confessed with another grin. Truth be told he wasn't entirely sure why he hadn't expected it. It wasn't as if swimming in the lake was uncommon. He supposed it was just the fact that she didn't look like she would be taking a dip when he first arrived. "Looks pretty good on ya, I must say," He said with another smile. Lazily he pushed himself back from her before following suit and finding himself floating upon the waters surface.

"So d'ya come here often?"

"I gotta say though, you surprise me. Didn' think ya had a bathing suit on underneath. Looks pretty good on ya, I must say."

Her blue eyes never left his face as he moved around through the water. He was one of those many students that could be admired and appreciated, like a piece of art. Her ex-boyfriends were like that. Such a thought caused a frown to crease her thin lips. So far, she'd only had two boyfriends throughout her years at Hogwarts and both of them were very handsome. Did that make her vain?

"You're a lucky bloke," she tried to take her mind off her past. "No except my family has seen me in a bathing suit."

The pair of them probably looked a little silly laying belly-up in the water, just floating there like lily pads. She didn't care. It was peaceful and relaxing. So relaxing, in fact, that she tilted her head back in the water until her temples were even with the lake's surface and closed her eyes.

"So d'ya come here often?"

"I've been coming to the lake since my second year, but I never go swimming." Without thinking, again, she blurted it out: "But this year is different. Everything has changed."

"You're a lucky bloke, no except my family has seen me in a bathing suit."

Seto gave another little grin. Was that so? Lucky indeed, then. Part of him, a very large part of him, wanted to mention that he wouldn't mind seeing more of her. She was pretty, after all. But he also figured that he should be counting his lucky stars that he hadn't been hexed yet so far. And since drowning sounded awfully painful. So Seto decided to hold his tongue. No need to ruin a good streak.

"I've been coming to the lake since my second year, but I never go swimming."

Then what's the point? Seto couldn't see a reason to bother going somewhere like the lake and not go swimming. Unless she couldn't swim, but that was clearly not the case. And hell, she came prepared with a bathing suit. Seemed strange that she would come here a lot and never take a dip.

"But this year is different. Everything has changed."

"Oh?" Seto asked, turning his head slightly to look at her. "How d'ya figure?" Truth be told he hadn't though about how different anyone's life must be after this last school year. Plus, he didn't even know the girl all that well. Calmly Seto repositioned himself so he was facing her treading water. "Somethin' happen wit' ya sister?"

"Somethin' happen wit' ya sister?"

"My sister?"

She opened her eyes and stopped floating, also treading water as she gave him a serious look. Did he know Beatrix that well? What if Beatrix was interested in him? Bella didn't want a repeat of last year with the misunderstanding about a blond-haired, gorgeous boy. Damn that Erin Harper!

"It wasn't a fight if that's what you mean. Bea and I have..." There were certain things Bella didn't want to admit to herself and saying that they had started to grow apart aloud was something she couldn't bear. "I've changed, that's all. No more hiding from Tawse and his broom-headed mates, for one! And... Well, you know."

Hiding was a lot easier than carrying on with this conversation. Bellatrix dove under the water and swam around trying to recollect what made her so frightened about telling people she'd changed. Because they'd laugh, was the loudest answer in her mind. When she couldn't hold her breath any longer, the Slytherin resurfaced some distance away from him. She had no clue what to say now; it was an awkward moment.

"My sister?"

Seto nodded, not realizing the impact his words had had on her. He tilted his head slightly as she faced him. After all he knew the other Dark twin a bout as well as he knew this one. Of course, he had heard about their little spat at the start of last year. It was in the middle of the halls after all. Seto wouldn't have been surprised if they never made up after that. Personally, he assumed they had made up to some degree. But of course it wouldn't be surprising if they had another falling out.

"I've changed, that's all. No more hiding from Tawse and his broom-headed mates, for one! And... Well, you know."

He let out a laugh. Yea, he certainly did know. Seto wasn't exactly the biggest fan of the Slytherin boy. That one took purity a little too seriously. "Well is the change-" But Seto was cut off by the fact that Bella dove underwater mid sentence. "Oh. Cool. Thanks..." he muttered, looking around for a trace of her. With a huff he ran a hand through his hair and frowned, seeing her resurface a fair distance away.

"So... what?" Seto called out, holding his hands up slightly. "Was somthin' I said?"

"So... what? Was somthin' I said?"

Uncertainty passed across her face. He had pushed a button, but what kind of button? She didn't feel angry. Conflicted, but not angry. The decision to swim back to him came slowly to Bellatrix. She threaded water where she was for a bit longer before gradually making her way towards Seto. The Slytherin swam around him several times before treading water near him with a timid smile to show that she wasn't angry with him.

"No, it wasn't anything you said, Hufflepuffie. I just..." Something brushed against her toes, causing her to squeal awkwardly and swim to the other side of him. "What was that?"