"Finally!"

This was all Jack was thinking after he left his last class of the day. Recent events left him swamped with school work and just too busy to do anything fun. But now, he could finally relax and enjoy himself. Dropping everything at his dorm and scurrying through the school, Jack was sprinting to avoid anymore distractions.

When he finally arrived at he lake the first thing Jack did was run towards a patch of trees nearby that he always loved to climb. However, before he could even reach the fist limb one of his feet caught on a root and caused Jack to tumble. Of course this was normal for Jack, always running into something or tripping over one thing or another. He was able to pick himself back up generally quickly but, of course, stepped both feet in mud.

"Great!" he said to himself.

Slowly maneuvering his feet out of the brown, swampy muck, Jack was able to detach both feet form the viscus liquid. With his show basically brown and a cold lake nearby, he decided to let them soak fora bit. He threw his shoes into the lake, letting them land just a few feet into the water so he could retrieve them later. Then, he ran back to the trees and started to climb.

It was a rather cold day for Roland today. In fact, he really didn't feel like coming out to the lake after classes were concluded, but he honestly wanted to have a bit of time alone before he'd had to spend time amongst people. And so, after he'd bundled up in a warm cloak and jumper to keep the cold air from making him too uncomfortable, Rou found himself sitting at his favorite spot by the lake this afternoon. He was carving a monkey this time, as he always liked to whittle out carvings of animals whenever he had time alone, as working with his hands always provided a bit of solace, especially when he was using his father's old dagger.

Everything was going as per usual for his quiet, solitary time alone, when two shoes sailed right over his head and into the shallows of the Black Lake. It caught Rou's eye just as he was finishing his sculpture and putting away his dagger, and try as he might, Roland couldn't help but feel curious as to where those came from. Sighing, as he would have rather gone back to the castle, Rou turned and saw something that almost made him burst out laughing.

John Windell, one of Rou's dormmates(even though Rou generally didn't take part in the dormroom antics of his fellow Hufflepuffs), was busy scrambling up one of the trees in the Forbidden Forest's outer edge. As Rou began to approach his fellow Hufflepuff, he noticed that Windell's bare feet had been caked in mud from something. Either way, it definitely wasn't safe to be scaling a rough tree without shoes, especially on a rather cold March day like this. He definitely preferred Wales or the States, where the weather would be rather pleasant by about this time.

"Jack," Roland called, using his housemate's common nickname, "Just what're you bloody doing?"

After jumping a few times to finally grasp the first branch, Jack was zooming up the tall Alder tree.  Since the bottom branches were usually sturdy and very thick, Jack had no trouble scaling the dormant Alder. He was very cautious when he was about a third of the way up, seeing that this is where dead branches begin to appear. After a few cracks and a vigorous climb, Jack was about halfway up the tree. He looked across the lake, seeing the foliage reflect almost as if the lake was a mirror.

"Jack." Just what're you bloody doing?" Some voice down below interrupted Jack's train of thought. He looked though the cluster of branches and saw Roland walking towards him. With a slight gust from the South the branches shook very subtly[1]  sending a quick chill in Jack's feet. Deciding to get back on solid ground, Jack slowly descended to where Roland was standing. Since they were sharing the same house, and dorm, Jack felt comfortable around Rou.

"So... what brings you to the woodsy side of the lake?" Jack said jokingly," I don't usually see us younger years hanging around here."

1.	I believe that is how you say it subtle just in adverb form

"You didn't answer my question," Rou said, raising an eyebrow as his barefooted colleague joined him on solid earth, "As for why I'm here, I figured it was obvious." Rou never really liked being around other people. It wasn't that he didn't like other people or even get some enjoyment out of interaction, quite contrary. It's just that he never got to have much, if any, time on his own at home in Swansea, what with his grandfather's near-constant demanding regimen, and he wanted all the time he could get by himself before going back home to face the same backbreaking drills and training.

"I like my time to myself, I thought most people knew that by now," Rou said quietly as he began to further work on his monkey carving, now at the refining stage after he'd carved out the rough shape and pose he wanted the animal to be in. He worked with his father's dagger at this even though the blade was more a weapon and less an artist's tool.

Obvious? Jack stared off into space with a perplexed look. He did know that Rou wasn't much of a people person, unlike Jack. However, there could be other reasons such as he enjoyed caving things much like that monkey in his hand, and was going to surprise someone with it as a gift. Heck, he could waiting for a group of people to go off on an adventure, Jack smiled at that thought, he loved adventures. Jack finally thought that the most reasonable answer was his first, but the others were nice ideas too.

"I like my time to myself, I thought most people knew that by now," Well there's the answer. Jack was about to speak up and list each reason why Rou was at the lake, thankfully he didn't have to. Jack did realize that the young HufflePuff wasn't usually out with people, sometimes Jack wouldn't even notice the kid. choosing the lake was probably a place where most kids just hung out to be alone. It beat the armory[1] or the library, even Jack stays here.

"Well if you must know why I'm here" Jack straightened his posture, looking really proud and excited. "I enjoy the scenery of the place, and the fun activities that I can do here. Jack gestures to the trees. " Look at the trees, the lake the grass. There is so much to do, so much to see, it's amazing!." He fell backwards onto a patch of of half dead grass,"Truly amazing."

1.	The place where Jack usually ends up in fights.

Rou didn't really know how to properly respond to Jack's rather, quite frankly, airheaded speech on the awesomeness of being out in the freezing day with no shoes on. At the same time, Rou couldn't help but want to ask just what possessed his housemate to do so! Wracked with indecision, he simply continued to work on his carving and whittled it down to the final stage of detail, where a few more touches would be needed to make it perfect. Before proceeding to the final step, Rou finally just let his question slip out.

"Okay, I guess, but I wouldn't say this is really that amazing a day to be out without shoes or socks, Jack," Rou snarked, his question implied by his nodding at Jack's bare, mud-caked feet and pointing down at his own feet, clad in a comfortable pair of trainers that kept him insulated, "I mean, I'm not one for wearing shoes when I can help it, either, but this is just not that sort of day, mate!" Rou intently examined his carving and finally began to put the finishing touches on it, giving it details to the face and limbs in order to bring it fully to life.

Jack closed his eyes and began to let his mind wonder. There was no actual though going on in Jack's head, just ideas popping in and out when they pleased. Rou stopped talking for some time, letting Jack enjoy the outside.

"Okay, I guess, but I wouldn't say this is really that amazing a day to be out without shoes or socks, Jack," After hearing Rou, Jack's body gave a quick shiver. Maybe it was time to cover up those bare feet of his. Slowly getting up from his comfortable location, Jack started to merrily walk towards the lake. "Ah! here they are." Jack reached into the lake, grabbed his shoes and socks, and laid them out on a rock nearby. He turned to Rou," I took a tumble into the mud and well... , my shoes got a little mucky." Jack gave a quick smile then turned back to his shoes, noticing that all the mud was washed away." Do you know any spells that could possibly try these things off?"

"Drying Charm's a bit too advanced for first-years like us, unfortunately," replied Rou, smirking a bit as he started to gain a bit of amusement at Jack's discomfort, "The Hot Air Charm's not really for shoes, either. Would probably damage them from the heat more than anything." Rou quit talking for a bit to finally finish his monkey sculpture, which now perfectly fit the entire situation at hand. Jack did, after all, climb that tree with quite a bit of deftness.

"Looks like you're outta luck, Jack," Rou said after finishing the carving, "It's too bloody cold for me to enjoy the serenity of this lake, either," he grumbled, "Would you much rather just head back to the Common Room? I'm thinking of heading there, myself. Really cold and all." Rou began to turn the sculpture over in his hands a few times, admiring his final craftsmanship. And, as it stood, he'd have to bin it as soon as he returned to the castle anymore. A small look of sadness came to his face.

Dratz, well it looked like Jack was outa luck for having his feet stay dry. So, instead of taking wearing mushy shoes, he took them off and laid them nearby one of the trees. He looked up the healthy Yew nearby, he could really have some fun.

Turning to Rou, Jack ran over to the towering tree nearby."C'mon let's go on an adventure." With that, he was gone. Jack was sprinting towards the Yew at full speed. With a quick jump he was able to swing himself up one of the lower branches and use his momentum to climb to a thicker, more stable branch a couple of feet above. This was going to be fun.

By now Jack had completely forgotten about Rou. He didn't notice the kid until he was about a third way up, seeing his house mate's figure still on the ground. "Well..." Jack said excitingly, "Are you coming?"

Rou couldn't help but just stare, dumbfounded, as Jack forged ahead and climbed a yew tree after setting aside his wet shoes. By now, if Roland was as cold as he was on a day like this, he'd have gone inside and enjoyed the warm hearth of the Hufflepuff Common Room. And yet, here he was watching Jack act a fool in freezing cold weather and inviting him to join in.

"I'd rather not risk breaking an arm, Jack," Rou replied, "If you fall, you're gonna need someone to catch you, anyway! How can you continue doing this without shoes as it is!?"

Jack turned his head to Roland, with a slight grin on his face. "Magic"

Since Roland was still being on cautious side Jack quickly climbed back down. Every few branches he would let himself drop to speedily reach Roland. Jack finally "fell" onto one of the branches above Roland, perching himself just out of reach of the Huffler below. With a motherly tone Jack lifted his wand and said,"If you feel that one of us will end up hurt. Would you like me to use the cushioning charm." Then the inner child came out. Oh how wanted to get Roland out of his comfort zone. The kid was too boring, too dull. Jack made it his mission to get the kid up this tree. He stood up, a sly smile smeared across his face. " Unless your... scared?"

"Jack, I climb trees out here every now and again. Carving isn't the only thing I enjoy about this lake!" Rou said, trying his damnedest not to rise to Windell's obvious bait, "There's no way you can cast a Cushioning Charm big enough to save the both of us, Jack. And if you get us both into trouble, then that little detention that McDonough tossed you into will be the least of your problems with me!" Rou still couldn't help but feel a slight and odd sense of concern for his fellow Housemate. After all, Hufflepuffs were all meant to be loyal to one another, right? Why else did that bloody hat toss him into it? Aside from the very comfortable common room couches, that is...

After taking the time to delicately put away his dagger and set down his monkey sculpture, Rou took a short jump from his standing position and was able to catch the lowest branch right next to Jack, though it was still a good head and a half above his height. Rou's trainers felt dangerously loose as he briefly hanged in the air to get his grip, seeing as there was no way he'd voluntarily remove those during such a cold and stiff day, especially if he was about to chase Jack through the branches. Rou pulled himself up and settled on a branch, taking a bit of time to set and retie his dislodged shoes.

"C'mon, Jack, I'm not gonna be trying to pull you down from these trees!" Rou said as he got to his feet and faced his Housemate. "If you wind up hurting yourself, that could mean grief for me."