It was the Christmas Holidays. It was a time to relax, free from the stress of trying to keep up with NEWT work. Josh was reading a book, although for once, not a textbook. He was, however, keeping an eye on a group of younger Gryffindors. The number of pranksters amongst the lower years could get surprising, sometimes. Then again, they were kids. No need to spoil there fun.

Holidays, always a good time of year. Cassie was looking around for something to do. She decided to take a peek out into the courtyard for a face she might know. She saw more people than she had expected. Cassie wondered whether she was prepared for the briskness of outside, not really but she would deal. Cassie was walking by when she saw a familiar face. Josh, probably being all prefect like. "Being busy keeping an eye on people," she asked quietly as she hovered around him for a moment. She wasn't wishing to disturb him from whatever she was doing but she just wanted to say hello. "And Happy Christmas by the way." It was just around the corner. It smelled of Christmas really.

Josh looked up at the sound of a familiar voice. "Hi Cassie" Josh said, smiling. " Not really; I keep an eye on the younger kids more for self-preservation than my prefect duties. There have been more pranksters than usual the last couple of years; I'm occasionally a target." Josh said, clearly not too bothered. "Happy Christmas to you too." Josh said. "Feel free to sit down if you want. I'm not studying." Josh added, noticing Cassie was hovering.

Cassie had a simple smile on her face, but then didn't she always when talking to someone. Though Josh was definitely one of the preferred students at Hogwats, he wasn't all trouble and attitude. Though he did scream a sense of duty. Cassie wondered what his father was like. "Ah, yes, those rascals of the younger years prone to pranks and antics." To Cassie smirked, "I think we notice it more being out of our own pranking age. It is the newness of magic, I think we have lost the awe factor." Cassie shrugged her shoulders before slipping down to sit next to him. "Thanks." She rubbed her hands together, glad she had decided on the gloves. "So other than self-preservation and books, what are you up too?" Time to catch up with a fellow classmate. Outside of Sophie, she did not see much of the other house members on a regular basis. Well outside of class that is.

"That might also explain why muggle-borns tend to be the pranksters. Half- and pure-bloods are usually brought up around magic, so to us, there's less of an awe factor. Doesn't explain Fig, but he's always lacked in common sense." Josh said, not having forgiven Fig as yet for engineering a confrontation with Shade O'Connor. "I'm not up to much. It's too cold for flying, I've got all my Christmas shopping done, and I got all my holiday h9omework done the first day. You?" Josh asked. He talked less to Cassie than he really should, considering they were friends.

"Oh you know, I had never thought about it that far." She smiled at Josh, "but I think you are right." As he mention Fig she could not help but laugh. "He is a creature all his own." But of course she meant that in the kindest and sweetest way possible. Though of course Cassie did think him a bit odd, and how Sophie was back with him was somewhat beyond her. But if Sophie was happy she would zip her lips and smile. "Oh nothing really," she said as he asked. "A bit of the same as you really." Nothing on her agenda. "Well I was going check on my plant." That had been where she had headed before she spotted Josh.

"I doubt many do think of it that far. The don't usually need to, after all." Josh commented. "Fig's a creature all his own, all right. It's not always a good thing. Coyple of weeks ago, I was in the boathouse with him and Sky, when he left, he went straight to Shade and implied there was something going on. All I know is Shade thought I was a threat to Sky." Josh grumbled, still cross about the situation. "Your plant?" Josh asked, clearly curious.

Cassie sighed and shook her head as she heard the story of Fig. "I am sure Fig either saw it as some funny joke, or thought he was doing something with best intentions. Either way it was unfortunate that Shade thought you were a threat." How anyone could think Josh was a threat to anyone was beyond her. Now, Deus, maybe. There were other more troublesome students at Hogwarts, who could pose some form of threat. But in any case, Cassie didn't even see a troublemaker like Deus as any sort of threat. "I guess Shade is just protective?" Perhaps she would be if she had twin.

"Yes, my plant." Cassie smiled. "I have been doing a bit of an extra credit project, well really my own side project. I will have to pot it to get it home to look after it over the summer though." Cassie grinned, "It is just a little plant I am looking after nothing super spectacular."

"He thought it was a joke. I think he found it less funny when me, Shade and Sky all tore into him for it. He nearly caused me and Shade to fight, and being in the Boathouse, one or both of us could have ended up in the lake. With school robes..." Josh said. "Yeah, Shade's a decent bloke, just overprotective of Sky. He can't see Sky is more than capable of protecting herself. I can understand being protective, I'm protective of my little brother, Charles, but Shade goes a bit too far." Josh replied, sighing. "I see, for herbology then?" Josh asked.

Cassie listened and nodded her head. "Lucky we are magical then," she said as he mentioned something about the school robes. "But I can safely say a visit to the squid is not high on my list." Cassie said with a weak laugh. Cassie did not understand on bit the appeal of the lake, and more importantly why someone would venture into it willingly, which she had heard some had done int he past. "But at least you didn't end up in the lake."

"Maybe things are a bit different when it comes to twins though?" Cassie offered, not sure why she was defending Shade, or any one really. She had not actually been involved. "How is Charles?" Cassie did not see the smallest Harcroft often. "And yes herbology, I enjoy the subject."

"Magic can do a lot. It cannot keep your head above water long in full Hogwarts Uniform. Though the Squid's not actually that bad. It's primary function is to keep people from drowning in the lake. It's quite fun to go swimming in the lake when it's warm." Josh said, he had enjoyed swimming in the lake himself in the past, though always in actual swimming trunks, not in normal robes.

"The fact Sky resents his protectiveness pretty much says that isn't it, unfortunately. If it was a twin thing, Sky would be just as protective of Shade." Josh replied, he had considered that possibility himself. "Charles is fine, I see him a little less than I'd like, but he seems to be doing well." Josh replied.

"Really, fun. I wouldn't call it fun really." Cassie shook her head, "I'll believe you but thousands wouldn't on that Squid not being bad." A little laugh escaped her lips. She wasn't being exactly serious. Cassie was not the one needing to go in for a swim. She would avoid that if she could. Though she did decide to skip over the whole Sky and Shade thing, she didn't really understand it. Cassie thought focused on topic of Charles. "I am glad to hear he is doing well, too bad about not seeing him more. But we all face that I think."

"I suppose if you don't like swimming, it wouldn't be. besides, it's too cold to go swimming anytime soon." Josh replied, he didn't agree with Cassie, but knew it was a matter of opinion. "Yeah, it's true. Still, it's good for him to get his own friends. I think if he had to hang around with mine, we'd all get sick of him before long." Josh replied, thoughtful. "I can't imagine it's any easier for you, Cassie, seeing as your cousins are in Gryffindor with me and you're in Hufflepuff. At least I;m in the same House as Charles."Josh said.

Cassie was definitely not partial to swimming, and if she did a pool was just the sort for her. But anyway, it would be something that she and Josh would agree to disagree on. She shook her head and pushed all thoughts aside. "Ah such is the trouble of younger siblings. You like them but you would get sick of them if they were friends with your friends." She understood that, Carver was like that. "And it is hard sometimes, but I don't mind it really. We make time."

"True. Same apples to all relatives in a way; I've different friends from my cousins, even if I'm just as close to them as I am to Charles." Josh commented, smiling. Sure, he rarely saw his older cousins; it didn't mean they didn't care about each other. "Yeah, it's the same with me and Charles. I keep an eye out, talk to him when we can, and hope for the best. " Josh said. "I'm glad ti's the holidays, though- NEWTs are clearly named for a reason." Josh added.