Skipping Stones

[Blaine Matthias]

There was only so much room for error when it came to skipping stones. Blaine Matthias currently sat at the edge of the lakefront and he looked over the lake with his shining, amber eyes. This could be a fun day if he figured out how to skip a bloody stone. Next to him rested a book on all techniques to skip stones. Blaine thought that it might have been a little lame to have such a book but it was easier than most things anyway. Blaine let out a sigh and he held a stone in his hand. He then picked up the book with the other hand and turned the page forward until he got the motions and such. There, it looked so easy. The pictures moved with how to hold the wrist, but it still seemed to be a little on the complicated side. He wanted to be better at this than Vladimir who could make a stone skip three times before it would fall into the abyss. Blaine could not even make it skip once, and he knew that it would take some time to learn it. However he was getting a little impatient and the book was not helping. Blaine found the feeling in his legs before he stood up, leaving the book on the ground. He dusted off those Ravenclaw robes before he straightened his position. He curled his wrist back and then he let the rock fly toward the water, hoping to make it skip once or twice.

"Son of a b*tch!" exclaimed the Ravenclaw loudly. He had learned this phrase from his brothers so he thought nothing of it. Blaine picked up another stone and just hurled it before he ended up throwing the book into the water. Then it occurred to Blaine that the book was from the library and he groaned in anger. Luckily the book managed to wash up to the shore and he walked forward to pick it up. It was sopping wet. He would have to get one of the older years to dry it off for him at some point. Surely books like this should have had a barrier or something protecting them, but apparently not. Maybe his Head of House could help with it. Blaine took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He had temper issues, just like many others in his family except a certain few. If one let the anger in and overflow, then they would end up in Sethos' type of mind, and no one on Earth wanted that. He was constantly in and out of therapy to see why he was so angry, and so far no one knew. Sighing, Blaine went back to looking over the lake, holding that wet book at his side.​

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

In the few days since arriving at Hogwarts, the young Hufflepuff had quickly realised that he liked the outdoors more than he liked the indoors. Maybe it was just because he had always enjoyed the outdoors more, back in Skye, that was all he liked doing. Winter was an annoying time because sometimes it was simply just too cold to leave the house. The warmth of the fire versus the freezing, windy outdoors was never a hard competition. While the summer weather was nothing like what he was really used to, he was liking it. He enjoyed it. It was different. It was fun. It was much better than staying indoors and wandering around those corridors aimlessly. He didn't like that. Graeme was as much a plans guy as he was impulsive. The only thing was, he could never be aimlessly doing anything. There had to be a point, or it was pointless. He was just that kind of person. However, since he didn't know the school, and classes had yet to start he was feeling a little lost. A little bored with nothing really to do. Nothing much that he could do, since it was the start of term, and he didn't really have many friends yet. On the day in question, the young Hufflepuff had after a brief bite to eat, found himself heading outside. Out to the grounds, although hadn't decided where after that. It was going to be the decision made once he got outside. It was a pretty lovely day, that much the boy admitted to. Maybe New Zealand wasn't as bad as his mind played it. It just wasn't Scotland. Graeme walked along the grounds for a little while, before noticing the lake. He hadn't been near it yet, so why not now. As he approached however, he noticed someone was already at the lake. He watched them fail to skim a stone. He watched the failed attempts, he chuckled at the swearing. Noticing the boy was using the book to practice. He watched for a little longer, before deciding to go over.

"You're no gonnae learn tae skim stones readin' some book" Graeme said as he approached. Ignoring the fact that the other boy seemed to be attempting to calm down. "It's all aboot the wrist. Like it is wae magic" the strong accent playing through in a playful tone. He looked down at the stones and picked one off, turning it in his hands. Throwing it up in the air and then catching it. He lived fairly close to several beaches, skimming stones was something him and his friends had done after school. He walked to the water's edge, and threw the stone. It skimmed four times before sinking. "See" He said with a shrug. He looked down at the book that the boy had, it was soaked. Well, that wasn't a good thing. But, it wasn't like Graeme really cared about the book, it wasn't his. Running a hand through his hair, he was looking around at the other stones, trying to pick out another one that would work equally as well. He noticed one, and picked it up. He turned it in his hands and then moved to closer to the other boy, "If you want tae gee it another shot, try with this," He said holding out for the other boy, pretty much ready to back away if this other guy decided to continue to be angry. He didn't really want to get into a fight early on, but he wouldn't exactly say no. If the other guy hit first, he definitely wouldn't hold back.
​

Let's just ignore the fact, I've gotten the seasons wrong in this.

 

[Blaine Matthias]

Blaine heard another voice, one with an accent that was not from here or Russia. His amber eyes looked over at the boy, his eyes flaming still from anger but he was attempting to calm down before he had a meltdown. That was the last thing that anyone wanted. He said that he wasn't going to learn to skim stones by reading some book. Blaine turned part of his body toward the other boy, and raised an eyebrow. Was this boy an expert? The tone was a little hard to ignore, as he was not that mean at all. Well, it was anything but mean however Blaine had to keep silent for a bit or else he would have turned out too mean, and then refused the only help that he could have received. He would have to beat Vladimir at this, and this was something that he was eager to get into. "So the book won't help me? I suppose you could then." Blaine practically recruited the boy, and was eager to see what he could do, if he could even do it that is. Sometimes the ego of a person was the downfall. However the boy stated that it was all about the wrist, as if it were made from magic. Blaine's eyes kept his eye on the wrist for a moment, before the boy tossed the stone, and it skimmed across the water.

Eyebrows raised, it was easy to see that the Ravenclaw was fairly impressed. The boy might be better than his Slytherin friend. The boy even picked out a stone for him, and then held it out for him. Blaine nodded, and he took the stone from the hand. He studied it, seeing it was somewhat flat. Perhaps it was this that assisted. He then tossed the stone and it skimmed across the water twice before sinking into the abyss. "You are a good teacher. How are you this good? What's your name?" Blaine's tone was definitely opposite from angry, and one could say that there was some gratefulness in that tone. Blaine wondered who this boy was, and wondered if he was in his own house. If he was, then it would be a great start to get to know someone else. This person, if he was skilled at other things, Blaine could use him to get some more skills to outdo Vladimir. Blaine had no reason to insult or injure the boy, not when he was assisting him in this matter.​

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Having spent a lot of time skimming stones when he'd bee growing up, it had always seemed pretty simple to him how to do it. However, he'd met people who could do it, and others who were just awful at it. Unable to grasp it in the slightest. He hoped that the boy would be the former. Just able to do it with ease as soon as he'd really seen how to do it. And not from some book that would just be showing how to do it. Skimming stones wasn't something that could be learned by reading. it was like cycling. Reading about cycling and actually doing it were two very different things. He watched as the boy whom he had decided he'd help was maybe a bit skeptical, probably thought that Graeme was just full of himself, and would in trying to be the better person would therefore mess up. Thankfully that hadn't happened. He'd been skimming stones for years, it wasn't hard for him to do such a thing. He just flicked his wrist in a specific way and it happened. Much like how he had figured it would be with the wand. The wand was an extension of himself, and so to was the stone. Only, unlike the wand, you let go. He looked up at the other kid, and realised that he'd impressed him. Which was funny. Graeme had just always known how to do it. It didn't even occur to him that it would be impressive. It was just something that was. Something that he did. Smiling as he did so. With a happiness that reminded him of home. It wasn't a complex thing. It was just skimming stones. He watched as the other boy tried with the stone that he'd given him. Knowing that this was the real test, if the boy managed it, it would be good. He would be happy. The boy would be happy. And Graeme wouldn't be called a liar. He quickly ran a hand through his hair, and let his eyes carefully watch the stone. When the boy threw it, and it skimmed across the water Graeme let out a small cheer. happy that he'd passed on a little knowledge and that the other guy had gotten it. From this, Graeme had begun looking for another stone for himself to through. When the other guy spoke. Seemingly almost grateful that Graeme had helped him.

"It's nothing. No worries. Couldnae let the book suffer any mer than it's already suffered" He said, "Ma name's Graeme, not spelt the way you're probably thinkin' it's spelt." Graeme smiled at the other boy, before continuing "I grew up in the middle of nowhere relatively close to a stoney beach like this one. Skimming stones was just something ma mates and I always did after school tae pass the time, you know. What's your name?" He asked. Bending down and picking up another stone, turning it in his hands before nearing the water and flicking his wrist, and skimming the stone. It skimmed three times before falling into the water. "Why did you want tae learn?" He asked the boy, as he looked between the stones and the boy. It was maybe just something to pass the time, but it was odd, of all the things to be doing on the first mornings. All the folks he knew where running around reading the books and desperately trying to meet people and make friends. Not be so alone. While Graeme did desire to make friends, he had spent a lot of time alone, he was alright with it taking a little longer. He picked up another stone, and then looked back towards the other guy, "Gee it another shot, so we no it wasnae just a fluke."
​

 

[Blaine Matthias]

Blaine was just happy that he managed to make one skip. Maybe he would be better than Vladimir, but being better than this one male would be a little rougher. He seemed to be a lot better than Blaine and Vladimir unless the Slytherin was holding back on him. At least Blaine was not hating on the book or on the Hufflepuff guy for helping him out. Maybe that house was not too bad after all. He looked down at the ground and he wondered what all he could say. Once the boy said that he couldn't let the book suffer anymore than what it already had, Blaine could not help but laugh. Though he had to admit, having someone cheer for him, albeit a small cheer, could really erase that anger that he once held. "Yeah, the book really went through a lot whenever I tossed it, huh." Blaine felt someone bad for the book, but it was a book. So he should not have to really worry about hurting the feelings of a book. At least the boy was telling him the name of the boy. The name was Graeme, and it was not spelled the way he was thinking it. Blaine honestly did not know how it was spelled, and he did not really care about it. He knew the name of the guy and it was good enough for him.

"I'm Blaine. It has been a pleasure, Graeme." Since the boy did not mention his surname, neither did Blaine. The Matthias family were a little more known in Russia, and not very good things for certain. But if he did, then well, others would know that he was the younger brother of the current Head Boy. "So you were pretty much bored after you went to school and all. Did you go to some muggle school before coming here?" Blaine would not be surprised since some people needed to learn how to read and write. He was lucky to have been home schooled to learn how to read and such. "I wanted to be better than my friend, Vladimir. He tends to beat me at everything." He said to give it another shot, and he nodded. Taking another stone, Blaine remembered how it was done before he flicked his wrist as he tossed the stone. It skipped once before sinking back into the abyss. "Eh, I must need practice..."​

Out of Character:

Sooo sorry about taking so long. I got really busy!