October and April

[Aelius Narcissus Dyne]

It wasn't easy adjusting to a new school. The faces were all different. The language spoken, though the young man new it, sounded foreign. The weather was either intolerably damp or intolerably dry. The food was... well, the food was certainly better than it had been in Mother Russia, but only marginally so. Either way, as he leaned against the wall of the courtyard, watching the classes file out at the end of the day while he enjoyed a cigarette, Aelius Narcissus Dyne found himself feeling very much like an outsider looking in at a world he had no hope of belonging in.

"Это место сосет. (This place sucks)" he whispered to himself, blowing smoke and flicking ash from his cigarette as he returned his attention to the advanced transfiguration text book he had been given in class. The formulas were all so simple. A child could do them. There wasn't much difference between curriculums as far wizarding schools went it seemed. Not that it mattered much. He'd aced his OWLs, he brought home amazing grades and, in general, was well behaved enough a kid that people at least respected him if not liked him.


But that was in Durmstrang. Here? It would be a different game entirely.

[Hugo Weasley]

These free periods were delightful. Whole hours of be able to do nothing, well for the time being able to do nothing, and that is how he intended to utilise them. He knew that his mother would be horrified at him. Hugo could hear her voice in his head right now; You should be studying! You won’t pass your NEWTs if you are lazy! Rolling his eyes at the thought, the red headed Gryffindor strolled across the courtyard. He slouched shoving his hands deep into his pockets. The weather at Hogwarts was ok, nothing special at the moment, the grey clouds hanging over the grounds like a looming spectre was not a nice image to behold. Hugo couldn’t wait until it started snowing. Hogwarts was beautiful when covered in snow.

The novelty of the free period had already worn off and now he was outside with nothing to do. If only he had brought his broomstick with him. Throwing off the thoughts of boredom he scuffed his feet across the stone floor, the stone scratching the heel of his trainers while his mind raced over countless ideas. Sometimes he wished he had his mother’s logical ability to compartmentalise his brain into neat categories so nothing was out of place, but fortunately for Hugo he inherited his father’s brain patterns; easily distracted albeit talented in many things.

With nothing exciting to do Hugo turned back to the Castle. He might as well start on that homework set by Professor Culpepper. Heaving a great sigh as if the entire world weighed down on him Hugo made his way back to the large front doors when he saw a small trickle of smoke rise into the air. He was intrigued. Hugo followed the smell of smoke and the sight of it rising in the air until he came across the new kid on the block.

“Mr Dyne,” Hugo said in his best imitation of any male teacher. “I would have thought you could have found a better spot than this for your cigarette.”

[Fionn McLaren]

So the last thing Fionn ever expected to do when he woke up that morning was to find himself running away from a bunch of (fairly hot) young students who’s skirts, okay, could have afforded to be a couple of inches shorter. Still, he supposed perhaps that had something to do with it, you know, shrinking spell and all that. It wasn’t like it was that bad a spell. But he had apparently failed to notice a familiar face in the pack who of course knew who the culprit was who had made their skirts shrink to show well above the average amount of flesh.

Apparently the ladies couldn’t take a joke, and were now chasing him across the courtyard at (terrifying!) speed, casting spells left, right and centre in an attempt to get the grinning Irishman his just desserts. Well now, couldn’t have that could we?

Fleeing across the stone pathway, he all but leapt over a stone wall which one student had been sitting on and another, red-headed one was standing behind, exclaiming; “FIRE IN THE HOLE!” while whipping out his wand with a dramatic flick. Out of nowhere, several fireworks sparked up from different corners of the courtyard. Roman Candles and Aladdin’s Lamps belching out smoke and sparks and a Whizzbe hurling out a gust of wind about the girls, lifting their already short skirts and showing off a surprising array of underwear for the pleasure of all those who were there to observe.

Of course, its not like the fireworks would hurt any of them, but it sure did make them scream. Scream and retreat back to find their respective Heads of House. Okay, some Hufflepuff points would be taken off for his antics, but come on. The girls were hot, and to have legs that good it was a crime to have them covered up with skirts so long!

Finally withdrawing from his hiding place, he casually leant against the wall, grinning to the two students there quite happily. “So... how about that weather we’re having, hey boys?”

[Aelius Narcissus Dyne]

When one expects quiet to study and smoke in, it's always safe to assume something will come along to spoil it. Just as he'd been in the middle of turning a page in his textbook, the arrival of the younger Weasley had startled the young elementalist enough that he singed the page he'd attempted to turn. Displeased by the fact that the book was now damaged, Aelius glared up at the redhead with every intention of asking him what his damage was when, just as suddenly a gaggle of shrieking girls, chasing a very familiar face poured passed them, followed by fireworks.

Great. There went all his concentration, too.

"Небеса мне помочь, я окружен идиоты." (heaven help me, I'm surrounded by idiots) he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head. He heaved a sigh, looking between the Gryffindor and the Hufflepuff as if trying to decide who's head to take off first before he simply resigned himself to puffing on his cigarette a moment to calm himself before he spoke.

"Privet, Fionn. Privet, Weasley." he said softly, his voice heavily accented though he didn't look the slightest bit Russian. "Is there some sort of problem you have with me studying? Or is this how all Hogwarts students spend their free time?"

[Hugo Weasley]

Hugo’s mouth was half opened when Fionn leaped into view, his wand waving towards girls who were chasing him. As their skirts blew upward revealing their underwear Hugo couldn’t help but laugh aloud. Fionn had the knack of enraging girls, both for good and bad reasons, just by looking at them but it appeared that today he had done that little bit extra.

Still laughing Hugo rolled his eyes at Ael’s Russian comment. He had learnt to ignore it after countless times asking what he said meant in English. “Well the weather seems to be getting you hot under the collar McLaren,” Hugo said with a smirk and a wink. Leaning against the wall Hugo watched both Fionn and Aelius with a keen interest. A cigarette was in Aelius’ mouth quicker than Hugo realised and once again he rolled his eyes at the Russian, but said nothing. Smoking was such a disgusting habit of Ael’s and Hugo hated to be around him when he smoked, but he wasn’t just about to walk away. That would cause serious damage to his rep. “Like you were actually studying Ael,” Hugo quipped.

Crossing his arms as he leant against the wall turned to look at Fionn, “So, what did you do this time?” He asked with a smirk.

[Aelius Narcissus Dyne]

"I am a Ravenclaw, am I not? I don't *need* to study things I already know." Ael asked, blowing smoke through his nose as he returned his gaze to his textbook. There wasn't much point in studying now that he had company. Hell, there hadn't been before. The temporary professor for the Transfiguration class was unimaginative that it made practical use of the spells a drag and studying the spells as though they were the be all and end all of his NEWTs was beyond idiotic.

"As for Fionn, it's likely the same thing that got into him as my grandmama's garden party this passed summer." he continued, stubbing out his spent cigarette and reaching for his case again out of habit. "Loose skirts plus sudden breezes just tend to make him happy."

[Fionn McLaren]

“Uh, duh. You know there’s a reason they call it free time!” he stressed firmly close to the (sort-of) Ruski’s ear, though knowing very well that acting like a tourist never helped matters. He smiled and scratched the back of his neck, trying to avert his gaze from the cigarette that was sat all too temptingly in Ael’s fingers. Damn that little white stick of terrible temptation goodness.

What with his mother threatening to disown him if ever word got sent her way that he was smoking, it seemed all might be lost for Fionn’s addiction. He had taken to sucking on lollipops that gave you the sensation of smoking and taking in nicotine without doing the slightest bit of harm. But it just wasn’t the same.

“Pfft, you’re acting like you didn’t like that display I did for you guys. I bet you’d have struggled to get all their skirts up like that without my help.” He grinned slyly, twirling his wand about his fingertips in a casual manner. It was a bad habit of his as he broke more wands than he could really afford that way, but he couldn’t help it – it meant he could quickly cast spells far more easily through doing it.

“Besides, I’m easily pleased. I’m not fussy. Girl’s skirts going up is just something I appreciate. Like a good meal. Or er... ice cream on a hot day. Or-... you know, all that sort of romantic-mulchy-stuff.”

[Aelius Narcissus Dyne]

"I could have easily gotten their skirts up and their panties off with but a word, tovarish." Ael responded with a roll of his eyes as he selected another cigarette from the case and put it to his lips. As one hand snapped the case shut, the other snapped his fingers in front of the little white stick. The action set the tip of his left pointer finger on fire with an audible crackle, yet, likely to his companions' surprise, he didn't scream out in agony or shout for a nurse.

It was as natural a thing for him to do as breathing, after all.

"The trouble is, it's broad day light and we're in the courtyard. Bad place to start and orgy."

[Felicity Fairweather]

Professor Fairweather was making her way out of the entrance hall as the gaggle of screaming girls fled inside away from the fireworks that had erupted in the courtyard.”Girls!” she shouted in an attempt to stop the screaming.

“Professor Fairweather! Its McLaren-” All at once the girls began babbling at her; “shrunk our skirts” and “fireworks” was about all she managed to get. She raised her hands. “Enough!” she said calmly but with enough volume to silence them. “Go and sort your skirts out, it’s a simple charm. I will deal with McLaren.” Grumbling the girls moved away.

“Ah, Fionn” she sighed. Pushing open the entrance hall doors she stepped into the sunlight, scanning the area for sign of the troublesome boy. She spotted smoke drifting lazily upwards not far from the door, there was only one student daft enough to smoke this close to the entrance of Hogwarts and Dyne and McLaren were often seen together, sighing again she headed towards them. Punishing students was not something she enjoyed.

She approached them quietly and stood with her arms folded behind McLaren.

“...Bad place to start an orgy.”

Fairweather snorted “Oh, I dunno, some people enjoy the prospect of getting caught.” She nodded towards the cigarette in Dyne’s hand “Put it out Dyne.”

She turned her attention on McLaren “a bunch of screeching girls tell me you’ve been shrinking skirts again McLaren. I do hope their wrong.”

[Fionn McLaren]

“Well that all depends on what you mean by ‘shrinking skirts’ and ‘again’” Fionn smiled casually, “I mean, saying ‘again’, would imply that I had cast a charm with a similar purpose before and in such a serious and fine institution as this, I should have been punished as such. “ He tapped the bottom-end of his wand against his chin for a moment, looking momentarily thoughtful.

“If I remember rightly, the last time this happened it was through no fault of my own. Instead some fireworks I had set off had a charm on them set to cause it to rain when they exploded. The only drawback was that the rain itself was charmed and in effect caused anyone who got caught in it to have their clothes shrink!”

As for how this explanation would get him out of trouble was anyone’s guess, though Fionn was not the sort to mind trouble, or detention. On the contrary detention was just an excuse for him to plot more ‘evil deeds’ and when it came to losing Hufflepuff House Points it was a well-known fact that Fionn was the person who least gave a damn about the Hufflepuffs. He would often state quite openly that Hufflepuff was the house with ‘The lowest expectations’. They weren’t the smartest, or bravest or snobs. They just... were the average lot. Not that he minded. What was better than to have no pressure put on you by what house you were put in?

He smiled across at the Professor once more, leaning against the wall and beginning to twirl his wand between his fingers out of habit again. “– So really, if you punish me for it, its only my first crime, and should be treated as such, Professor.”

[Hugo Weasley]

Fionn and Aelius spoke to each other like a couple that had known each other for years, and it justifiably made Hugo feel out of place. He leant against the wall with his arms cross as the pair talked about summer holidays and Christmas parties, all of which Hugo had not been involved in or invited to. He wasn’t angry or jealous, well a little bit jealous, but he hated feeling left out.

Hugo’s mind began to wander and it settled on Professor Decorus. It was such a school boy crush on the woman. She was brilliant as she was beautiful. She had it all yet she never flaunted it. Hugo could find no fault in her. For a few more moments he allowed his musings to flutter uninterrupted until Professor Fairweather appeared.

His precious thoughts ceased as he blinked quickly, bringing himself out of his daydream. As Professor Fairweather told Aelius to put his cigarette out and chastised Fionn about the shrinking skirts, she appeared to have missed Hugo. He wasn’t that bothered that she overlooked him for her classes had never been his best so when he had the first chance to drop it he did. Hugo crossed his arms as Fionn attempted to curry favour with the Professor and his attempt was pretty good. Stifling a laugh his eyes switched between Fionn and Professor Fairweather as they spoke.

[Felicity Fairweather]

Professor Fairweather shook her head and sighed, this boy could talk for Britain. She wouldn’t be surprised if he landed himself a career with the radio, he did so love the sound of his own voice “Your first deliberate offense of shrinking skirts it may be Mr. McLaren but it is not your first for harassing girls, is it?”

She paused for a moment, debating how to punish him, not that punishment worked on Fionn, but it made her feel better for at least trying to get through to him. “I’ll give you a choice, we can either go to Professor Decorus and you can try using that rubbish you call an explanation on her or, you can spend the rest of your afternoon, mucking out temporary stables without magic for me?”

She hoped he chose to see Celeste, she was so much better with punishments than her, she would at least find something for McLaren to do that might at least make him think twice about what he had done, and he was after all in her house.

She looked to the other two boys and smiled at Hugo. She hadn’t managed to keep any of the Weasley’s interested in care of magical creatures, and she had to say she was a little disappointed. It would be nice to have a claim to fame, however small.

[Fionn McLaren]

“Professor Decorus! “ he said abruptly. Really it wasn’t any choice now was it? After all, if you had the choice of mucking out stables or spending at least five minutes with a beautiful woman what would you choose? Exactly. Fionn grinned and placed his hands behind his back in a well manoeuvred ‘I may have been a little bit naughty but I still have a heart of gold’ look.

He turned to Hugo and Ael, offering a grin and a firm salute. “I guess I’ll see you guys later” he said with a grin, seeming much more like someone who had just been upped to the business section of an aeroplane rather than condemned to a possible punishment by his House Head. Oh well, that was just the way Fionn was. He turned about to the Professor again and bowed down low. “Professor- take me in!”

[Felicity Fairweather]

Professor Fairweather glowered at the speed of McClaren’s decision. Ok, so she had wanted him to choose Professor Decorus really, but he could have at least pretended to think about it. “Very well.” She said stiffly and unfolded her arms as he said goodbye to his classmates.

“Professor- take me in!” She resisted the urge to cuff McLaren across the head for the disrespect he showed, Decorus could deal with him. “Pack it in.” she snapped as he bowed, she looked up at Dyne whose cigarette was still in hand “Ten points from Ravenclaw, Dyne and if I catch you smoking again it’ll be a detention.”

Irritated beyond belief, she couldn't wait to off load McLaren to Decorus and return to tending to the two young unicorns she had been heading towards intially. Placing a hand on McLaren’s shoulder, she proceeded to steer him into the castle and Professor Decorus’ office.

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