As the doors to the Great Hall opened, the usual bubbles of chatter surrounding the students’ days thus far ended abruptly.
“The mud monsters are back!” somebody cried accompanied by several screams of terror from younger students.
About the only one in the hall who didn’t pay the two moving piles of muck any notice at all was Limestone. Scoti and Teeth had already vanished by the time Limestone had casually trotted into the hall after fulfilling Susan’s request.
The two piles of sludge stopped as they reached Limestone and placed themselves either side of their friend but refused to sit down
“I got you free did I not?” Limestone said unfazed before consuming another mouthful of salad.
“And we just wanted to thank you for doing so,” Susan said in a forced cheery tone.
“By all means, go ahead. Keeping a hellhound puppy entertained is no easy feat and I am happy to accept all the help I can get,” Limestone replied still, seemingly, unfazed. “And next time I might not be around too free you until the following morning. Or maybe he would prefer a new chew toy?”
Susan faltered momentarily and scowled at Limestone. “Bring it on. He just got the jump on us was…”
“Enough Susan. Let us just grab a few bits and get back to the dorm for a shower,” Leanne interrupted.
“Pfft, nah. I’m fine the way I am,” Susan said sliding in next to Limestone and grabbing a sausage roll with her extremely dirty hands.
“You might be fine with the way you are but I am most certainly not. Just what in phoenix fire have you two been up to this morning?” Professor Sprout’s scathing voice cut into the conversation.
“Probably better not to ask,” Limestone replied. “It’s a long story.”
“And you can hardly speak. We got buried alive by a hellhound and then shot over ten foot into the air by a geyser of mud. What is your excuse professor?” Susan stated rudely with her mouth full of sausage roll.
“Miss Moon, kindly escort your friend back to your dormitory for a bath and ensure you use the strongest smelling soap you can find. Perhaps that and an empty stomach will improve her manners,” Professor Sprout said coldly.
Susan’s head slammed against the table. “Fuck,” she grumbled. “Is it to late to say I am sorry?”
“Yes, yes, it is.”
*
“Do they have to stare?” Susan griped in embarrassment as they continued on their way to Charms. “Like, I get it, I smell like a fruity abomination, you don’t need to remind me.” She shovelled another load of Teeth’s dog biscuits into her mouth from the box she held in her left hand.
Personally, Limestone wasn’t sure what was getting her friend more attention, the smell she was emitting or the fact she was happily eating dog food. It was probably a combination of the two and Leanne seemed only too happy to highlight this fact.
“Or that you’re eating dog food.”
“It was the only thing I could easily find to eat in our dorm as you tried to hurry me out the door,” Susan griped some more. “Maybe if someone’s mutt hadn’t lost me my lunch, I wouldn’t have been forced to resort to a box of said mutt’s biscuits.”
“How is any of this my fault?” Limestone countered.
“Who threw that blasted satsuma in the first place. Who’s mutt… hey, what the, get of me you great big furball,” Susan exclaimed as Teeth suddenly landed on her.
Teeth barked indignantly and attempted to wrestle his biscuits off Susan.
Susan whacked the dog’s muzzle and tried to shake him off her back. “Hey, this is the least you owe me after burying me alive and losing me my lunch.”
Teeth wasn’t accepting any excuses and continued trying to wrestle his biscuits away from Susan.
Limestone sighed. “Teeth, down boy.”
Teeth grudgingly obeyed but still flashed his teeth and growled at Susan as he fell into step at Limestone’s side. Susan retaliated by throwing a biscuit and sticking her tongue out at him.
“Those two are as bad as each other,” Leanne snickered.
“If we didn’t have Charms and that I know the two of them would end up decimating them, I would let them settle their differences on the training fields. Don’t think Madam Hooch would take to kindly to having to take our Flying class in a mud bath either,” Limestone replied.
“Oh, you’re just scared I might actually hurt your precious puppy,” Susan teased throwing another biscuit at Teeth.
Teeth was ready this time though and caught the biscuit in his seemingly bottomless maw, shattering it into a thousand pieces. It was plainly obvious to all who Teeth was envisaging the biscuit to be.
“If you are not careful, that biscuit could well end up becoming your leg and I really would not like to have to explain to Professor Sprout at dinner why Teeth Is gnawing on your severed leg,” Limestone said testily.
Leanne let out another snicker as Susan thought over her next retort.
“I’d like to see him try,” she eventually said throwing the last few biscuits into her mouth and crumpling the box to smithereens.
Teeth whined pitifully at seeing all his precious treats being scoffed by another.
Limestone gave her pet’s shaggy coat a good scratch to cheer him up and passed him a piece of jerky from her robe.
Susan looked on enviously.
“Want a piece? Shame I’ve only one left,” Limestone said handing said piece to Leanne.
Susan stared at her friend wide eyed.
“You promise no more mischief for the rest of the day,” Leanne instructed firmly.
Susan nodded, her tongue having slid out of her mouth in anticipation.
Leanne threw her friend the scrap before turning to Limestone. “I cannot believe it has taken me this long to discover how easy it is to keep her under control.”
*
The three of them and Teeth made it to Charms just in the nick of time.
“Glad to see you three made it. Intriguing aroma Miss Bones, clementine and rosewood if I’m not mistaken,” Professor Flitwick commented as they came through the door.
Susan blushed in embarrassment. “Yes sir, thank you sir,” she said swiftly taking one of the few empty seats remaining next to Scoti and giving the other girl a devilish smile.
Leanne tapped Susan on the back of her head as she squeezed in next to her. “Remember your promise,” she whispered.
Limestone meanwhile went to sit next to Lavender who had saved her a space as Teeth laid down in front of Professor Flitwick’s desk, let out a massive yawn, and then dozed off.
“I see you got Susan that bath,” Lavender tittered as Limestone sat down next to her.
Limestone didn’t get the chance to reply as Professor Flitwick began the lesson.
“Okay class, settle down. Today we shall be continuing our practice of Lumos and Nox,” the Charms professor informed the class before demonstrating both once more to his students. “As before I shall be circling the classroom so if you require any assistance feel free to stick up your hand and I will come over. Any questions?”
There were none.
“Excellent. Then off you go.”
Limestone was certainly more of a doer than a thinker but she was also a rational mare and never one to rush into something blindly and unprepared for the consequences this could potentially cause. Thus, she pulled out a quill and the journal Professor Flitwick had given her during the previous lesson and made some notes.
1) Thestrals prefer dark, shady environments.
2) Thus, a wand with their tail hair is reluctant to perform light spells.
3) A way around this is to perform the spell in defence as thestrals will naturally offer protection to anyone they view as family or a friend.
4) Unfortunately, this only allowed her to perform the more powerful Lumos Solem variant that produces such a powerful blast of light it blinds everyone in close proximity including the caster.
5) So, how could she perform a dimmer version of Lumos just for light?
Limestone stared at the fifth point and pondered the question for several minutes. She came away with nothing and eventually growled with frustration. All she wanted was a poxy bit of light at the tip of her wand and she couldn’t even do that!
“Having trouble again Miss Pie?”
Limestone jumped. So lost in her thoughts she hadn’t even noticed Professor Flitwick approach.
“Just trying to think of a way to perform Lumos without blinding myself and half the class,” Limestone admitted.
Professor Flitwick stroked his beard. “A challenging conundrum for sure and one I see you have been researching.”
He glanced down at the several pieces of parchment that formed the essay Limestone had written for her homework.
“But perhaps rather than focusing on what your wand won’t cast, we should focus on what it can. Hmm, let me see.” Professor Flitwick picked up Limestone’s Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 and flicked through it before placing it on the table. “Oh, this is a fun one.”
He placed the book onto the table and went back to his desk before returning to Limestone with several plates.
“The softening charm, Spongify, is a simplistic spell that can turn even the hardest objects soft and springy for several hours,” Professor Flitwick explained before making an S with his wand and calling “Spongify”
Limestone watched on in astonishment as Professor Flitwick took the plate he had directed the spell at from the table and dropped it to the floor. Despite being told what the spell did, Limestone was sure she was about to hear the plate shatter into a thousand pieces. Instead, it bounced of the floor and back into Professor Flitwick’s right hand. He handed the plate to her.
“Okay, this is just freaky,” Limestone said squeezing the now squishy plate.
Professor Flitwick smiled. “Would you like to try for yourself?”
Limestone shrugged her shoulders and put the plate back down. “Sure, why not. Beats blinding everyone. Thanks professor.”
“No problem. Now, it seems as if your neighbour needs my assistance,” Professor Flitwick stated moving over to where Lavender had once more ignited her wand but once more was struggling to extinguish it.
Limestone meanwhile took a plate from the stack and began her new assignment.
*
It was about an hour into the lesson when Limestone, who had so far only managed to make one small edge of her plate spongy, smelt the smoke.
“SIR,” she heard Susan cry.
“YOU PROMISED!” Limestone heard Leanne exclaim.
“Hey it was an accid…” Susan didn’t get any further as a stream of water hit her in the face.
Limestone watched on as the torrent of water slowly subsided as Flitwick approached the commotion.
“Miss Prewett, I think that is enough,” he stated reaching Limestone’s three friends.
“Seriously, how many washes do I need in one day?” Susan groused as the water finally subsided.
You were the one who set my robes on fire. I was just putting them out, Scoti argued.
“As I told Leanne, it was an accident. My wand tip just brushed your sleeve. I accept though that it was my fault for being careless sir and await your decision on further punishment,” Susan confessed honestly dropping her wand onto her desk and raising her hands in surrender.
Wait, what?
“I promised Leanne no more mischief today and I intend to keep my promise. Our friendship is too important to me to risk over some silly revenge prank,” Susan stated firmly.
Leanne, also soaked to the bone, stared at Susan lost for words. Limestone did similar from across the classroom.
“I admire your honesty and feel we can just mark it down as a learning experience. Just let me dry you two off.” Professor Flitwick waved his wand once more and a strong wind blew the two girls at least a little drier than they had previously been.
Limestone didn’t catch what Professor Flitwick said next as Lavender drew her attention away.
“Well, that was unexpected. Do you know what she got in return for that promise?”
“Beef jerky.”
“Totally worth it,” Lavender surmised taking a plate from the stack. “Mind if I have a go. Repeatedly igniting and extinguishing a light at the tip of my wand is getting a little tiresome.”
“Feel free. It’s trickier than it…”
“Spongify,”
Their desk collapsed into a spongy heap.
“Oops, I see what you mean,” Lavender surmised sheepishly.
Limestone stared at wobbly mess that was now their desk. “Seriously? I’ve been at this spell non-stop for the past hour and only managed to soften the tiniest fraction of a plate. And then you come along and do this!” Limestone gestured wildly with her hands at the mess her friend had caused.
Lavender shrugged her shoulders. “Beginner’s luck?”
Limestone just shook her head in disbelief and began collecting up her things from the lump of jelly their desk had become.