Open The Solution Isn't Stress

[River Hopkins-Vance]

River needed some fresh air. The classes were piling up. She was trying not to become stressed, which in itself was a little stressful to put so much effort into it. She certainly did not want to become like her sister. River had just come from visiting Emmaline in the library, seeing a mess of a person, eyes red from so much reading. River knew how important it was for both of them to do well, but she by no means was going to let it affect her as much as her sister did. The Slytherin girl knew there was so much more to Hogwarts than just the classes. Though seeing her older sister as such a complete nervous wreck, River needed to clear her mind. She knew right where she wanted to go, the one place that calmed her down like no other, the lakefront. It was almost ironic than a girl named River found so much comfort by the side of water, but it was indeed the case.

The young Slytherin walked out of the castle, instantly feeling better as she found an empty spot by the lake. For a moment she considered taking out some textbooks to read, be productive, but the image on her older sister came to mind. The thought of being productive instantly felt like a terrible idea. Instead she would just enjoy this moment. River leaned back, keeping her balance by propping herself on her arms, her long green hair matching the grass that it touched. She glanced out over the lake. It was always so quiet here. Deep in the waters, River could just imagine how exciting it much be, how deceptive the quiet view from the top looked. She wished she could go for a swim. Now that would really clear her mind. She had not been swimming in far too long. River used to swim every day. Hogwarts did not have a swim team though. It definitely should She thought absentmindedly as she looked out over the lake. She could feel her thoughts disappear as she watched the slight movement of the lake. Getting lost in her thoughts, River was able to tune out the world, if only for a little while.

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh didn't have any reason to be inside the school, everyone was being dumb and boring and revising and Liusaidh was just not about that life, so she'd come outside, where the air was fresh and she was looking forward to finally going back home. It was still nice here, but the weather was definitely turning and she was looking forward to switching it out with some typical summer in Scotland that she was much more used to. As she made her way towards the forest - since she had not much else to do, she spotted a girl staring very intensely at the water. Immediately Liusaidh's mind churned with what she could. She took out her wand, and spotted a large rock, she whispered a quiet wingardium leviosa and then guided it to be at the water hopefully outside of this girl's field of view, and let it fall, hoping that the rock would create a big enough splash to wet the girl. ​

 

[River Hopkins-Vance]

River had been watching the tiny ripples in the water. It was calm, relaxing, tempting.. She remained focus on the water, yet all of the sudden something was off. The tiny ripples had turned larger. For a second she watched, sitting up slightly more as her green eyes focused on the sight in front of her. It only took a second, before she was covered in water. A huge splash had created enough of a wave to cover the Slytherin girl with the cool lake water. Her hair was soaked as was her uniform. The strands of her hair framing her face.

It took a moment for River to realize what had happened. One moment she was watching the calm water ripples, maybe from a tiny bug or even the wind, the next moment she was covered in the water that she so desperately wanted to be apart of. So many thoughts crossed her mind in the moments after. Was this the giant creatures underneath telling her that they were there? Was it punishment for not studying, taking school as seriously as her sister? Was it a freak accident? River wasn't sure what really caused it. The lake was telling her something. No she had to be logical. This was not an invitation to go swimming, even if it was ever so tempting.

River had to think logical. It was what was expected of her. She moved the plastered pieces of hair from her face, as she looked around. There were very few people in the area, a few students including an older girl. River wondered if anyone else had seen that or maybe she was going as crazy as her older sister. Emmaline isn't crazy. That's horrible The thought briefly crossed her mind as River looked around at the area. She was not sure to address, but after such a random occurrence, she felt like she could address anyone. To the open air she asked loudly for those around her to hear her, "Did anyone else see that? It was a huge wave, well ripple, well something." River said. For once her words were failing her, as she looked down at her soaking uniform at the last comment.

 

[Liusaidh Styx]

Liusaidh watched as the rock fell and caused a much bigger ripple that she'd been expecting, though her objectively had been achieved she'd hit the girl with the water. Liusaidh was quick to move her wand out of the wand and reign in as much as possible her own laughter. She began taking small steps back as her fun had really been had. She noted the girl was now stood up and was looking around. She heard the girl speak and had to stifle her laughter in the moment she decided to approach, "Oh my merlin," she said with a fake cheery tone, "It wis like a tail or somethin'...like a fish tail or somethin' just splashed the top of the water. Ah've never seen anythin' like that," Liusaidh lied.​

 

[River Hopkins-Vance]

River's attention was caught by another Slytherin girl who apparently also had seen the splash. The young Slytherin girl tried to wipe the now wet hair out of her face and to the side as she turned to the girl as she approached. In the back of her mind, River doubted the girl's words. She had not seen anything in the water herself, but maybe just maybe. It was more hope than it was reality. Not everything is logical. I'm at Hogwarts after all, a magical school She thought, knowing that her wishing for the other girl's words to be true was clearly clouding her judgement.

"I've heard the the creatures in the lake, but I've never seen any. I even heard of mermaids being..." her words cut off as she looked towards the water again. Just wanting to see a mermaid was not enough. It couldn't have been...could it? Her eyes focused on the water for a few seconds before she turned to the other girl once more. "What colour was the tail? What did it look like?" River asked the girl, maybe a little too excitedly, a little too naïve. It was in her nature to figure out what had really happened, even if right at this moment she was grasping onto the very limited chance that it had been anything true to what her imagination wanted, not at all the facts of the situation.