Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Jul 4, 2006 17:22:05 GMT -5
As the sun peeked over the Scottish hills and glistened off of the lake, the countryside around the school was slowly awaking. A light breeze rustled the trees in the forest and the birds chirpped their happy hellos. The peacefulness of the morning was broken only by the loud smacking sound comming from the shore of the lake.
The early morning found Drew where it found him on many mornings... especially on those mornings where he hadn't slept very well the previous night. He stood on the edge of the lake with an old beaters bat in his hand, belting rocks into the lake. Sure, the practice was good, but he also found the sights and sounds and smells of the morning relaxing.
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Post by arianna on Jul 4, 2006 21:53:18 GMT -5
After two months back home, Arianna still found it difficult to sleep at the proper times now that she was back in the UK. Last night had been a bit better, but more like a long nap instead of a full night's sleep. When she had wandered downstairs in the early hours, the girl caught sight of Drew heading out, but didn't think too much about it. She hadn't even intended to find him, but after a quick shower she headed downstairs to see if breakfast was ready. It looked as though it'd be a while longer, so she went outside for a little fresh air, when the most curious sound came to her ears. She followed it and, consequently, found herself at the edge of the lake not too far from Drew.
"Good Morning!" she called out, waving in the boy's direction. "You're up early."
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
|
Post by Drew Thornton on Jul 4, 2006 22:19:48 GMT -5
"Morning!" Drew called back, looking over his shoulder to see Ari approaching. "So are you," he pointed out with a grin as he hit another rock out over the lake. "Wanna try?" he asked, holding his bat out to her.
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Post by arianna on Jul 4, 2006 22:43:46 GMT -5
"Sure," Arianna replied with a small shrug. When she reached the boy, she took the bat and set herself up. It was a good thing she'd kept up with her quidditch practice over the summer or she would have embarassed herself on her first try.
Picking a good-sized stone up from the ground, Arianna tossed it in the air and swung as it came down. It sailed over the lake a few meters out before plopping into the water. Arianna grinned at her success then handed the bat back to Drew.
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
|
Post by Drew Thornton on Jul 4, 2006 22:56:07 GMT -5
"Hey, not bad for a small fry," Drew teased, smacking another rock out over the water. "You've gotten better." She had always been a decent beater, but he had never seen her get so much distance before.
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Post by arianna on Jul 4, 2006 23:53:43 GMT -5
"Thanks," Arianna's smile widened at the complement. She crooked her right arm up to show off any muscle she might have there and poked at it with her left hand. For the first time in years, Arianna had done something extremely physically challenging over break. "I think the other one grew a bit, too."
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
|
Post by Drew Thornton on Jul 5, 2006 0:13:04 GMT -5
"So what are you doing up and about this early?" Drew asked her. watching his latest projectile sail over the lake and make a splashdown about eighty yards out. Definitely one of his best.
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Post by arianna on Jul 5, 2006 0:17:28 GMT -5
"It's around three in the afternoon back home," Arianna replied. She bent over and picked up another pebble. This one was nice and smooth and good for skipping. "I'm still stuck on that."
Chucking the pebble as hard as she could, Arianna's nose scrunched slightly as it made only three skips. That was something she hadn't practiced enough of.
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
|
Post by Drew Thornton on Jul 5, 2006 0:23:41 GMT -5
"Good point," Drew answered with a knowing smile. He had gotten pretty used to the time change in Qui-lin even with spending only a few weeks there. That may have contributed to his inability to sleep as well.
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Post by arianna on Jul 5, 2006 0:53:04 GMT -5
"Of course, it also means I need a nap around lunchtime," Arianna commented, grabbing another pebble from the ground. This one she just chucked to hear the satisfying plunk! sound. "And again before dinner so I don't completely fall apart."
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
|
Post by Drew Thornton on Jul 5, 2006 19:50:33 GMT -5
"Well, that's always good just as a general rule," Drew told her as he threw up another rock and slammed it out over the lake. It plopped just short of the previous one and Drew couldn't help but think how much better he would do with a decent bat and real bludgers.
Of course, he'd never dream of using his good bat on rocks. So this was how it was going to be done.
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Post by arianna on Jul 5, 2006 20:11:37 GMT -5
"So how come you're up so early?" Arianna questioned as she found yet another rock to chuck. She knew Drew was always up fairly early, but THIS long before breakfast? "Didn't miss your midnight snack last night, did you?"
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Jul 6, 2006 0:38:33 GMT -5
"No," he answered back casually as he smacked another rock across the lake. "Just a lot of stuff on my mind I guess," he continued. There had been a few nightmares over the summer, but being back at school, so close to where the murder had happened, they had intensified. Not quite as bad as when it first happened, but still enough for him to have a few sleepless nights.
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Post by arianna on Jul 6, 2006 1:08:24 GMT -5
"Yeah?" Arianna asked. She wondered if she should ask why. What in the world would be bothering Drew so early in the year? OWLS, maybe?
"OWLS are no big deal," she assured him, shrugging slightly. "I know you won't have any problems. Besides, they're not till the end of the year. It's too early to worry about them."
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
|
Post by Drew Thornton on Jul 6, 2006 1:17:22 GMT -5
"Yeah, I know," Drew sighed, dropping his bat a little. OWLs were a concern, but only about third on his list of things to worry about. Of course, her mentioning them had just moved them up a notch.
"But still. What if I bomb them, you know?" he asked quietly. "I'd have to retake the classes and then they'd never let me into the academy. Sometimes I think I could fall back on quidditch, but then I look at Tad and think there's no way I'll ever be that good."
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