This Lake isn't a Water Park!!!

"Sure, there's a squid and an octopus. Hannibal and Christopher- only I'm not sure which ones which. There's grindylows, merpeople, plimplies, and I think Theresa can tell you the rest. She's in Hufflepuff y'know. She always says how she wishes there was someone to talk to in the common room."

Alex sighed as she shook her head, "I avoid going into the common room, our dormitory or anything really, the puffs do not talk to each other. In fact, I think I am the only one who has actually claimed a bed in our dorm! But I will try to find her, she seems nice."

"And are you sure there is soooo much inside?" Alex asked as she gazed into the dark, glistening water of the lake.

"You kidding? Gosh, that's a shock. Well there's Dixie, but you know her, and Indiana's awesome. So that's three Hufflepuffs I adore. I'll get back to you on the rest. Theresa is nice. I think she was my first friend to meet, or one of the earliest ones."
Cass followed a reproachful Alex to the edge of the water, holding onto Alex- something about having a friend so close to the water made her worry, unless they were intentionally jumping int- "I know, it's mad isn't it? like when you fly and you see houses below and they're so tiny- you can't believe people live in them at that height. But yes, its miles and miles down, and it's at least miles across. It would have to be."

"Dixie's in my dormitory" Alex stated flatly. "and I have never met Indiana too, wait I saw him outside Prof. Spelling's office."

She turned, amused, at the worry on Pecan's face, "Chill! I know how to keep myself afloat at the very least! And even if I do have plans on suicide, I will make sure everyone I know knows, so they can come and beg me not to give up on my life, and I will agree. Eventually. After loads of blackmailing." Alex finished with a smirk.

"Indiana's good if you're in a tough moment. One for adventures, too."

Cass chortled. Then she wondered if what she was doing was chortling, and she thought that was an odd word, so she stopped.
"Why would you have mail that's black? You wouldn't be able to see the ink or anything," she shook her head, as if to say 'What a Ditz Brain, Andy Pandy...'

Alex rolled her eyes, "Seriously Pecan? You are asking me BLACKMAILING? Well, its when you take one thing that a person really wants and then force that person to do whatever you want, in exchange for that thing. It works best when you threaten to destroy it."

"Adventure? then I will have to meet him sometime then."

"Ah, right, right," said Cass absently, not sure still. "I get it now. Kinda," she gulped.

"Yep," she said proudly, glad to boast of her friend's qualities. "We went into a secret place in the forbidden corridor, we've been in the forest god knows how many times, and he stayed with me to talk for a while and have some roasted marshmellows in the Shrieking Shack. Tis good, to explore."

"He seems nice but then I am biased I guess. I prefer hanging out with boys rather than girls. Girls judge too quickly and are generally sappy. But, exceptions are the law of nature, in both cases." Alex said as she resumed her earlier pastime of watching the lake. "Shrieking shack, huh? Tell me all about it!"

"You know what, if I didn't feel bad for agreeing with that so bad, I'd tell you I agree," she smirked. "I fit in more with boys, sometimes. But I hate being a fly around poo, so to speak, flocking around them. But then again, apart from Indiana, I'm not really close to any. Raven, I suppose on a good day. But all my best friends are girls, apart from my bro-"
she stopped. No way she was talking about Alex.
Girls were too quick to judge, weren't they.

“Yeah I have to agree on that with you, all of my friends are girls, I have not even met a boy in Hogwarts.”

Alex got a feeling that Pecan did not trust her as she definitely was about to say something but had stopped herself. She wondered what it was, and then remembered, she too did not like it when people asked too many questions or the pity. So, making no sign to indicate that she had even heard Pecan’s unfinished sentences, she casually asked while indicating around her, “Is it not pretty?”

Okay, so it was not the best topic change but it was something!

"Hmm?"
An absent Cass was wondering if she'd ever tell anyone other than Indiana. Everybody else was happy- visibly happy. It all made sense now. They weren't judgemental- she wouldn't dare be friends with them if they were. But Indi, had sadness written all over him. Dixie, happy, Scarfy, happy, Jazzie, happy, Theresa, happy. Not that she was complaining.
"The lake? Meh, I've seen better. I love the sky at night, or rather, just walking around at night, it's probably the reason why I'm up all night!"
Half truths, always half truths.

"Nature lover? Or hippie tree hugger? Wait! That rhymes! I am a poet, and I did not even know it!" Alex said with a wink, Pecan was sounding depressed, the sort that she had seen her grandmother. Now that moment was shudder shudder. She thought as she did shudder.

"Anyways, I still have not learnt how to cartwheel, ya know! Think you might be up for it?"

"Ha! We have another bard on our hands, Ladies and Gentlemen!" she said standing and jazz Handing in Alex's direction. "You haven't got a cartwheel nailed? WHAT! Get your arse over here Alex Black, and get some serious cartwheeling done," she shook her head. "Ziz iz 'orrible, womiin. 'ow can I mayke you a beautiful prima baller-cartwheeler if you do not tell me zese kind of zings, hmm?"

(a/n Cass aint depressed, she's fine )

The determination on Pecan's face, half made her want to run away, while she had the chance, but of course being the idiot that she is, she stood up and watched Pecan warily.

Why couldn't I think up of something else! Now she will actually make me do it!

[a.n Alex thought she sounded like it! ]

"Right, get yourself a firm footing- woah, not near the lake you mad woman!- that's better. I'll show you a quick one. Eh, I'll just limber up..." she added, her rationality sliding through, after a quick jolt of swings and spinning roundabouts.
She did another cartwheel, this time coming back to meet Alex. She went slower, and made her hands exaggerated.
"They don't move, see?" she observed, staying in the air in a handstand. Cass flopped to the left. Done.

Alex walked with a blank expression on her face. But after seeing Pecan finish her cartwheel and looking at her with an expectant expression on her face, got Alex's eyes to focus again. She blinked as she realized that Pecan was waiting for her to do the cartwheel.

Crap, what??? I missed it again!!!!!!!!!! but this time I won't ask her to do it again, I will get it or DIE trying, or well, fall trying.

Alex shrugged. She had made her decision. She took a deep breath as she forced her body to turn sideways and place full weight on her hands.

"Not bad, for a first attempt, Alex," said Cass, surprised how much Alex had taken on board. "You seem to push too fast to get your hands to the floor. Take it slower. And watch your ankle- the way you land you might sprain it. Try and point your toes, if you feel that helps," she offered.

Cat shook herself. Whoops- she HAD to stop doing that. Cass and the girl she thought might be called Alex were doing cartwheels- she could do that. But she could do that with style.

It had been a while, but maybe...

Cat took a step back, did a little skip and a onehanded cartwheel. She didn't quite make the end of it properly, but it was ok. "Hey." She said with a grin. "Sorry I didn't come earlier. I zoned out."

"It's cool!" said Cass, ecstatic Catherine had decided to come stop by. "Go on, show us again how you do your cartwheels. I love the way your feet seem to find the floor at the end."

Cass did another cartwheel, thinking what she liked about her own. She liked how she always ended half a turn extra, and had to spin on her landing.

Alex just glanced in disbelief at Pecan, "I don't think when I do the stuff, Pecan. I just...do it!" she said incredibly slowly as if Pecan was a small baby.

"WOW!!! Why is everyone so good at it?" she asked to no one in particular as she saw the girl-whose-name-she-still-did-not-know do a cartwheel. With one hand.

"That was awesome girl-whose-name-she-still-did-not-know!"

Cass nodded at Alex trying to be condescending, "Yes, momma."
Cass clapped proudly at Cat's cartwheel, remembering when they had done the very same thing in the library, resulting with Cass handstanding, and letting her feet rest on bookshelves. "THAT," she said with awe, "was Catherine Black."

Cat burst ot laughing. "It's Cat." She said. "Your Alex aren't you? I think I've seen you around." She grinned broadly. "And that wasn't a good cartwheel. They are not my forte. Now get me upside down or on a unicycle..." she trailed off. And then made a face.

Cat blinked. "Please ignore the insanity- I try not to show it in public."

"Finally my poor baby figured out who I was!" Alex said in a voice full of emotions and invisible tears running down her face, as she captured Pecan in a bone crushing hug. "See, today's children. This generation I tell you! No respect for elders. Now look at this girl, pretty fine, but no respect!" She added in a perfect imitation of the friends her mom had over for her kitty parties.

"You have seen me around like where, I really need to chose properly to avoid insane people!" she asked Cat in her normal voice, smiling to tell her she was just kidding.

Cat laughed again. "For some reason my friends all had that very same problem." she said innocently. "I can't imagine why."

She grinned. "I think I've seen you in flying. Possibly charms as well- but I'm not so sure about that."

Looking at Cass Cat said in a silly tone. "Cassie-pants..."

Cass was shocked how Dixie could say she had strong hugs when Alex obviously won that battle. She tried to hug her as much as she could back, but gave up when it wasn't enough. Alex'd win, for now. For now.


"Catty-winkle, how you been? Missed our Duck discussions."