Closed Crossing the Creek

[Susie Lagowski]

It was freezing cold, and the ground was hard under the children's feet as they weaved through the woods half a mile from the Lagowski barn. Susie skipped ahead several paces, the sound of water spurring her on. "And this is the creek!" she said, holding her arms out like she was presenting something she'd made herself. She had a pink woolly hat on and a clashing red coat. "It's not deep. You can usually walk through it - but I wouldn't, unless you want really cold, wet feet." A little further down, a fallen tree lay across the water. Susie gestured at it. "We can use the bridge."​

 

[Eoghan Blyth]

Eoghan wasn't used to wearing a backpack, but it felt necessary today for their walk. He wasn't about to venture into a forest (even if it wasn't forbidden this time) without supplies. He was also wearing his oversized jacket and tight jeans, glad for relief he had from the slap of the leaf stems that Susie was unintentionally pinging into his knees. It was a relief when she suddenly darted up ahead, and the blonde's eyes followed the Hufflepuff and the sound of trickles of water. "You call that a bridge?" he smirked, clinging tighter to the bottom of the straps of the backpack.

 

[Freddie Lagowski]

Freddie laughed, already heading down the water toward the log bridge. He'd crossed it so many times, he could've done backwards on one leg. "There's a real bridge, like, a mile that way," he said, pointing. "If you're scared." Unlike his sister, he wasn't wearing a hat, because it didn't look cool. His waterproof coat was open, and he was debating taking off his knitted scarf as well. He didn't really feel the cold anyway.​

 

[Lilith Ilves]

Lilith was used to the cold but she was still wearing a winter coat, though a lighter one she'd wear at home in Finland. Trailing behind her friends she took in the scenery, finally having taken a break from working on the assignment Professor Pirrip had given her. "Make sure not to slip and fall!" Lilith called out with a small smile, she'd seen plenty of times her brother walking on a slippery log during winter and falling over.

 

[Luke Lagowski]

Luke was wearing so many clothes that he couldn't really bend any of his limbs. It was a mixture between wearing so many clothes because he felt the cold, and wearing the clothes his siblings used to wear meaning they were definitely not his size just yet. He plodded along at the back of the group, not even glancing up when Susie mentioned the bridge. He'd crossed it a couple of times but it was always a bit of a sketchy experience at the best of times. Perhaps it was a good thing he'd left Butters at home today.

 

[Susie Lagowski]

Susie rolled her eyes. Obviously Eoghan wasn't scared - and she wished Freddie wouldn't try to goad him. "It's okay," she said. "It's not that bad. You just have to know the technique. You gotta do it fast, not slow. Watch." She climbed up on the end of the log. It was slippery, but it was wide and straight and nobody was gonna fall in. Holding her arms out for balance, she quick-walked along the trunk, then hopped down on the other side. "See? Easy."​

 

[Eoghan Blyth]

"It's easy for you, you're using to being on slippery wood," she was a Beater who played in the rain, of course she knew how to balance even at the worst of times. Lilith would be fine too, no doubt accustomed to moving quickly. Eoghan on the other hand didn't have a fast bone in his body. Maybe Freddie was right, and he was better off finding the real bridge. "I'm not scared," he narrowed his eyes but smiled at the younger boy, trying not to think of the water below. He'd never really recovered from his fear of water since that day by the lake. He followed Susie, testing the slipperiness with one foot before he put all his weight on the trunk of the tree. His heart was hammering in his chest, maybe he was scared.

 

[Freddie Lagowski]

Freddie paused by the rotten roots, waiting for Eoghan to go first. Luke hadn't been across that many times before, and he could barely walk in all his layers, so he'd probably need some help. But Eoghan was being real slow. Just kinda standing there testing it. Maybe he was scared, actually. Why, though? The water wasn't even deep. If he fell, he'd just get wet for a second. "Go, then," said Freddie. Then he felt bad and added, more quietly, "Gimme your bag. If you want." It'd be easier without a bag.​

 

[Lilith Ilves]

Lilith watched quietly as Susie crossed the bridge then let out a soft laugh and shake of her head at the comment about being used to being on slippery wood. Yeah the brooms could be hard to stay on especially when getting smacked with a bludger so they did have a slight advantage she supposed. A soft smile etched on her face as she watched Freddie trying to help Eoghan out, she then glanced at Susie trying to give her a look that said; 'Look at him go!' Knowing full well her friend had her moments with her brother.

 

[Luke Lagowski]

They were lingering up ahead. 'Course they were. They'd never crossed before and even though Luke knew it was a bit precarious, at least he wasn't scared, and he was the youngest. The blonde boy and the pretty girl were hanging around near the start of the log with Freddie, who was trying to egg one of them on. Feeling like he needed to prove himself to his siblings, Luke said nothing as he moved around the couple, jumping up onto the log in front of the boy's foot, and quickly darting across the river. "Easy," he gave a grin to Susie although his heart wasn't in it and it didn't meet his eyes. Instead he just moved in front of his sister to continue their journey, hoping the others would just get on with it. His heart was pounding in his chest because for a moment he'd thought he was going to fall, but at least he'd proven to Susie and Freddie he was better than their other friends. He was one of them.

 

[Susie Lagowski]

Susie snorted at Eoghan's comment, adjusting her hat a bit. "You got this," she said. "Just keep your arms out, like this, and don't look at down." It wasn't a big drop - maybe a meter - but he was gonna freak himself out if he thought about falling. Even Susie was a little scared the first time she crossed, though she'd pretended she wasn't.

She cocked her head. Why was Lili looking at her like that? Because of Freddie? Oh, yeah. She told people he was a good kid really, but it said a lot about him that they were still shocked when he did something nice. Luke, on the other hand, was a total show-off - couldn't even wait his turn to cross. Susie gave him a small whoop, secretly throwing a sorry about him look across the water. At least he made it over okay. Now they just had to convince Eoghan. "Just think of the hot chocolate," she said. If they kept walking up the hill, then turned left at the road, they'd make it to town in twenty minutes. "Trust me. It's worth it."​

 

[Eoghan Blyth]

Eoghan gave a small nod as Freddie told him to go, although on second thoughts maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing if he gave the boy his bag. No, that would mean he was likely to doubt himself. He'd be fine. A moment later, Susie's youngest brother clambered up in front of him, scurrying along the log as though it was nothing. Not wanting to make a big deal out of things, Eoghan leaned forward and stood properly on the log, putting out his arms in the way Susie had shown them, taking precarious steps across the mossy surface. He needed to speed up. She'd said he needed to be fast. Suddenly increasing his speed, Eoghan made a bid to get across as quickly as he could, but in his hurry, he wasn't watching the placement of his feet, and no sooner had he gained the confidence that he might be able to do it, his surroundings suddenly became very cold and very wet.

 

[Freddie Lagowski]

Luke! What was he doing? Freddie was gonna help him cross! He held his breath as his little brother tottered along the log, only breathing out when he made it to the other side. Dang. He made it look super easy, actually. Even Freddie didn't go that fast. Eoghan went next. As soon as he was up on the log, Freddie grabbed the roots at the end, pretending like he was trying to tip it over. He couldn't move it, obviously. He could pull and pull with all his might and the log wasn't gonna tip. But it was funny seeing the look on Susie's face - like she thought it actually might.

And then there was a splash. Freddie clapped a hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh. That had to be cold. Like, really really cold. At least it wasn't deep though. "Oooh no. I didn't do it. I didn't move it." Everyone knew he didn't move it, right? ​

 

[Lilith Ilves]

Lilith watched the smallest Lagowski cross the log like an actual pro and she couldn't help the smile that took over, it reminded her of Leo. As Eoghan went next the Ravenclaw hoped his trip across would be as painless as the ones before but as fate would have it third time was a charm and Eoghan went flying down. Lilith's eyes widened and she winced rushing forward, not really even caring about what Freddie was saying. All that played in her mind was the day at the lake and the fact that Eoghan did not know how to swim, all comments about the lack of depth in the creek long since forgotten. "Are you okay?" She called out trying to get down towards him.