Tending the Plants

[Jocelynn Moors]

Jocelynn waded into the water, which was slightly cool now that winter was leaving and Spring had arrived. The water still had yet to really warm up a comfortable temperature, but her feet quickly became numb as did her hands as she combed through some of the plants on the floor of the lake at her feet. Her father was a herbologist and had taught her a lot about plants growing up, sometimes she thought it was pointless to go to Herbology already knowing so much about the subject it seemed stupid to relearn it from someone that wasn't her father and in her opinion more knowledgeable about he subject. She was looking for a certain kind of water plant that her father had once told her about. She was wondering if it was growing here close to Hogwarts. Her copy of Winogrand's Wondrous Water Plants was sitting on the shore open to the plant she was in search of so she could refer back to the drawn image. She mostly was just seeing plain normal types of seaweed and some forms of algae but she decided to keep on looking anyways.
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[Emilia Manning]

Emilia liked being at the lake, though she also worried a little about what could be underneath the surface. It was a nice, calm place where she had met one of her friends last year. Even though it was winter, the Hufflepuff had decided to take a walk around the lake to clear her mind after a few difficult classes. It made her sad that she wasn't doing very well, especially compared to some of her classmates. But as she walked by the shore, she suddenly saw there was a girl in the lake. Emilia stopped, startled, and watched for a moment. Wasn't she cold? Hesitantly, Emilia approached, noticing a book on the shore. "Uh, uhm..." She glanced around, but there was no one else to help if the girl needed it."Excuse me!" She called, though it embarrassed her. "Are you okay?"

 

[Jocelynn Moors]

Jocelynn turned hearing a voice call out to her. She was glad her balance was good from doing years of dance and gymnastics as a child before coming here to Hogwarts, otherwise she probably would have fallen straight into the water. "Hello! I'm looking for that plant, have you seen it before?" Jocelynn called back pointing to where her book was lying on the ground. She went back to searching, glancing up at the shore to see the girl's reaction. Her feet and legs were starting to feel more than just numb but she didn't think the water was that cold that she'd be in danger of losing any toes or anything. Instead she continued on searching wondering if there was a way to be able to dive down underwater later in the summer time to search deeper in the water. She looked back up towards the girl on the shore with a smile on her face to confirm that she really was alright.
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[Emilia Manning]

Emilia's hands flew to her mouth as the girl turned, as it seemed for a moment she might fall in. The movement turned out surprisingly graceful, though, and Emilia relaxed a little. At the girl's question, she glanced at the page of the book again. Emilia couldn't say she had ever seen the plant before, so she shook her head. But that hadn't really been why she asked. "Aren't you cold?" She called out, concern clear in her voice. "I don't know if you should be in the water!"

 

[Jocelynn Moors]

Jocelynn noted a hint of concern in the girl's voice, though it was more than just a hint. Slowly Jocelynn looked around once more before giving up and coming back onto the shore. Her legs were dripping and her pants had gotten a little wet even though they had been rolled up. She didn't mind too much and the sun on her skin felt nice after being in that cold water. "The water is really nice, why shouldn't we go in there? I didn't think they said the water was forbidden, just the cliffs and the forest," Jocelynn said towards the girl as she walked up to her. She wasn't meaning to sound rude just more curious as to why the girl sounded so afraid of her being in the shallow water. Even if she didn't know how to swim all she'd need to do would be sit and her head would be above water.
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[Emilia Manning]

Emilia frowned at the girl who seemed perfectly happy to stand in dirty cold water. She shuddered at the thought. The lake was probably full of plants and insects, and the girl's feet were probably in mud. Why didn't she understand why Emilia was concerned? This all seemed like a very bad idea. "Isn't it cold?" She asked again, as the girl hadn't answered her question. "Are you sure I shouldn't get a professor?" Perhaps she should... the girl claimed it wasn't forbidden to stand in the water but what if it was? If she got a professor, at least the responsibility of having to make some sort of choice about the situation would be out of her hands. But what if she was right and it was okay? Then the professor might be mad at her for interrupting with something so unimportant. Biting her lip, Emilia took a step back. "Uh, well... If you're okay, then I'll leave you to it!" She called, deciding that perhaps getting away was the safest choice.

 

[Jocelynn Moors]

Jocelynn shook the water off her legs as she stepped out of the lake and towards the girl and where her personal artifacts were. "I hope I didn't scare you by being in the water. I didn't go in too deep, I wouldn't have drowned if I fell," Jocelynn said grabbing the towel she had brought down from the castle with her. She quickly dried off her legs feeling as though she wasn't going to find the plant she'd been looking for. "It's a bit cold, but you get used to it when you're in it for long enough," Jocelynn replied sitting down and putting her shoes back on her feet. "No, no, there isn't any need to get a Professor," she said quickly hoping to get the girl off that train of thought.
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[Emilia Manning]

Emilia watched warily as the girl started to wade to towards the shore and got out of the water. What if she was angry about the interruption? Would she yell? Emilia took a small step back, regarding the girl nervously. But when she spoke, she still sounded friendly. "I wasn't scared... just confused and a little worried. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt what you were doing..." Anxiously, she twisted some hair around her finger and averted her gaze. When the girl said she didn't need to get a professor, Emilia simply nodded. "Okay, I won't. Why... uh, do you need this plant?" She gestured to the book and glanced at the older girl. "Is it homework for Herbology?" She hoped not, that would mean she had to do the same thing soon.