Victory's Contagious

Taping her wand on the goblet of pumpkin juice in front of her lightly, Cassandra raised a brow as the consistency, and certainly the color, appeared to change. She gave it a small snif, before downing the contents. Placing the goblet back down, she gave a small grin to the person across the table. “Well. It worked.” 

Logan wrinkled their nose, eyeing the goblet suspiciously. “Yes but how did it taste? Because I’m just not sure I believe it could taste as good as the real thing. I mean, I’d take it either way but still.”

“Liquor is not at all hard for me to get. What’s your poison?” Amara commented, wondering if Logan knew that the Zabini family had made their fortune in the selling of wines and liquors. She brushed a hair from her face before looking back at her companion, “It is what it is”

“Honestly, I’ve been so deprived lately that I’ll take whatever you can get. Do you have any recommendations?” They didn’t understand how Amara could be so nonchalant about the wedding but then, it was her future and not Logan’s. Even if it was disappointing, Amara had the right to handle it however she liked. “Well that may be true but I can still be disappointed, can’t I? I hate seeing pretty girls who are unavailable.”

“I know a few people like that back home.” Savannah said, still gently working her finger’s through Logan’s hair. “Some don’t much like being touched at all, and some are just picky about their hair. To each their own I suppose.” She shrugged, though Logan wouldn’t be able to see. In a way, she felt honored that Logan trusted her enough to touch their hair if they really didn’t let people touch it normally. Savannah determined that she would do her best to live up to that trust.

“My Mama is always fussin’ over my hair too.” Savannah confided with a small smile. She remembered the way Ruby would run her fingers through Savannah’s long curls, brushing them back and tying them with a big ribbon to match whichever dress Savannah had on that day. Some days she had tied that ribbon and untied it countless times, making sure it was perfect. When Savannah was especially young, she remembered how she wiggled with pent up energy from standing too long, slowly growing frustrated as her Mama kept her standing still for even longer. As Savannah grew older she had eagerly taken to styling her hair herself, no longer needing Ruby’s help. And now, well, Savannah missed that time with her Mama. “She doesn’t do it for me anymore, but she’s always fixin’ it when it’s out of place.”

Savannah laughed lightly at the comparison of her two schools. “I’d be too afraid to let some of our roommates touch my hair. I have a feeling they’d do something nasty instead.” Savannah might have said it in a joking tone but she was anything but kidding. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hufflepuffs did braid each other’s hair though.” She agreed with a smile.

It was odd. Savannah Wilkinson was not the sort of person that Logan usually cared to befriend - which wasn’t saying much, since Logan didn’t really count many people as friends. But even among their acquaintances, they couldn’t recall anyone like Savannah, who was such a wholesome person. Logan didn’t enjoy the company of those who would eagerly qualify themselves as good. And yet they had enjoyed spending time with Savannah - partly because she was pretty and it was entertaining to flirt with her and see her reactions. But partly because she was just calming, and Logan found that they could use a dose of calm in their life occasionally. “I suppose I’m picky about who I let touch me.” Not as picky as they could be though; Logan had slept with a lot of halfbloods, after all. “But my mother hasn’t touched my hair since I was very young.” 

Logan hadn’t been the girly child by any means, and as soon as they learned to braid their own hair, they refused to let their mother do anything to it again. They weren’t sure they’d have liked it - no, they were sure they wouldn’t have liked it. Their mother had too many expectations and schemes for Logan. They laughed at the comment about the other Slytherins; it was smart of Savannah to recognize that. Anything from one of them would be less a favor and more a chance to undermine Savannah somehow. “You could probably even go join in on the Hufflepuff braiding session,” they said, still grinning. “I’m sure you’d be welcome.” Savannah probably would fit right in with the Hufflepuffs too. Although since the Hat had placed her in Slytherin, there had to be a reason, and Logan wanted to know what it was. “And next time I’m having trouble, I’ll come find you again.”

John Dawlish liked patrolling the grounds. It had taken some time to convince his superiors that they could trust him on his own, but he was thankful that their suspicion hadn’t lasted very long. He was a dutiful and loyal Auror, but even he grew weary of his role inside of the castle amongst the hustle and bustle of the students. Outdoor patrol was relatively peaceful so long as the students behaved themselves and didn’t sneak out to places they weren’t supposed to be, namely the lake. Being that it was still chilly outside, John couldn’t understand for the life of him why anyone would want to swim, but that hadn’t warded off the figure clearly enjoying the icy waters. John made his way to the water’s edge and crossed his arms, waiting for the student to notice him. “You’re breaking the rules. Consider this a friendly warning to get out of the cold and we can leave it at that, yeah?”

Logan didn’t say anything at first, eyeing the Auror as they debated their course of action. They didn’t really care what the Aurors offered as punishment - they had been to more detentions than they could remember and while they usually didn’t try to cause problems, they were not an unfamiliar face in detention. But causing problems now might impede their future plans and the last thing they really wanted was to have the Aurors remembering them as a troublemaker. “But I’m not hurting anyone,” they said after a minute. “And if you’re out here, then what could possibly happen to hurt me?” That comment might be toeing the line a bit too much, given everything that had happened in Hogwarts even since the arrival of the Aurors. Reluctantly, Logan moved toward the shore where they had stashed a towel and their robe and wand. 

“An old text on curses” Zaccaria replied, cocking her head to the side as she regarded Logan before setting the book aside. Her father had sent it to her to read. If he wished he could sell it and get a decent amount out of the correct buyer, but it certainly wouldn’t be a top seller. Books usually weren’t, especially when one could just as easily purchase a cursed item. “Why are you swimming anyway? Are you that bored?”

"That sounds interesting,” Logan said. The words were only half true, because when it came down to it, Logan was more of a doer than a reader. But if they were going to read anything, a book on curses would be one of their top choices. They moved through the water to get a little closer to Zaccaria, shrugging. “Not bored. I just wanted some fresh air, and I like the water. The castle is too stuffy these days.”

Nadezhda was far from the type to go on walks outside, but this afternoon proved to be different as she strolled by the lake, catching sight of someone beneath the water’s surface. She raised a curious brow, before identifying Logan in the water. Her lips tugged upwards the slightest bit as she waved a hand in the air, brushing off their words. “As if I’m one to follow those sorts of rules. However if anything pulls you under, I’ll be left with no choice but to save you.”

Logan’s expression eased as they recognized Nadezhda, any concern over their ability to stay here fading away. “Well now that I see you more clearly, I’m aware of that,” they said, their lips curling into a bit of a smile. “And I never protest the thought of being saved by a pretty girl. Although I like to think I’d put up a good fight against anything in here.”

Amara arched a brow at their response, a slight smirk pulling at the corner of her lips, “I can you good wine here. Though I would love to see how resplendent you look beneath the Tuscan sun and my family will only provide the finest if you care to indulge in it” she replied, handing them an invitation, “The event will be far more enjoyable should you agree to come”

"Can you? I haven’t tried to get any in since Christmas. Things were too tense so I’ve been dependent on the kindness of my friends. I’d be happy to make it up to you, if you’d like.” Their smile grew as the stepped a little closer to Amara; the compliment did nice things for their vanity. Taking the invitation, they glanced at it without much interest. “What sort of event - is this a wedding invitation? For your wedding?” While they had many things they didn’t like about their parents, at least they hadn’t done this yet. “I’ll come, of course, but I must say, I’m disappointed that you’ll be tied down so soon.”

Loretta was taking a walk when she noticed someone in the lake. She didn’t really care too much about them being in it, she wasn’t a prefect or anything. And while it was basically summer that day wasn’t particularly warm enough that swimming seemed like a good idea. “Oh no you’re fine! How’s the water?” She asked, giving them a soft smile. 

"That’s good to know.” Logan relaxed, with a half-smile. They didn’t want to get in trouble at this point in the year, but they also didn’t want to be sent back to the castle. It was too stuffy there. “It’s brisk. I like it this way though. And it’s worth it to be outside again, away from the castle.”

Zaccaria was enraptured by the idea of travel and discovery. Of the documentation of things previously unknown. The idea of leaving her own mark on the world. Which was why she removed herself from the library and ventured where none would bother her - the edges of the lake. She had just seated herself, book spread across her lap when something or someone broke the surface. “So long as you don’t get me or my book wet we shouldn’t have a problem, dearest” she replied, abandoning her attention of Logan immediately after speaking to return to her text. 

Logan’s brow went up a bit, but they didn’t comment at first. They didn’t know Zaccaria well, but she was pretty, and she was a pureblood, and she wasn’t annoying, so she met all of their preferences when it came to flirting. “Well see now you’ve made me want to get your book wet and it wasn’t even on my radar before. I’ll squelch the urge though. May I ask what you’re reading? I wouldn’t want to disturb you.” That wasn’t entirely true but they weren’t going to get on Zaccaria’s bad side either.

Zelda had settled down ashore from the lake, her textbooks piled up beside her. It was rather chilly, but on a warm day, she would kick her sandals off and spend hours reading and watching the water. To her surprise, a head popped out of the water - she grinned as she took in the girl’s features. Who in their right mind would hop into the water on a day like this? Zelda mused that she must be someone daring, intriguing her even more. “I’m not the type to tattle,” She smirked. “Honestly, I have half a mind to join you.” 

Logan glanced over at the stack of books curiously; not that curious because they didn’t really see the point in studying anymore, not with the war officially underway, but it was interesting to see anyone out studying at this time of year, after everything that had happened. “I appreciate that,” they said with a small grin. Running their hands over their hair, they raised an eyebrow. “Please feel free. It’s much more comfortable than you probably think. Still a bit chilly, but more invigorating than anything.”

Spring was coming quickly - Sybill’s favorite time of year (and not just because of her birthday). It was a time for rebirth, the perfect time of year for her to put new vigor into her studies to master her Inner Eye. She was sick of being trapped in the castle, stuck with everyone’s negativity and anxiety. Her skin was practically crawling all the time. A dip in the lake would be just what her great-great-grandmother would do to clear her mind - so Sybill would do the same. Classes were over for the day and she knew a reliable passage out of the castle that the prefects didn’t often patrol even in these strange times. She arrived at the lake only to find Logan Wilkes had beat her there. She felt oddly shy around the Slytherin, but still let out a bark of a laugh at the accusing words, “My dear, I don’t believe anyone would send me to enforce the rules.” Sybill was often in detention for being out and about after curfew.

Logan was in a good mood, which made a significant difference in their interactions with Sybill. The girl was cute enough to make Logan ignore how weird and annoying she could be - for now, anyway. “I suppose that’s true enough,” they said, moving a little closer to the shore. “But since you’re out here, maybe you want to hop in and join me? The water’s really lovely.” It would be an interesting diversion, if nothing else; Logan knew they made people uncomfortable - which was a goal of theirs - so they often had amusing interactions.

Edgar knew this conversation was probably going to give him more annoyance than it was worth, but what could he do when given a direct order by a Professor? He’d strictly been told to keep an eye on the grounds and to send in any students who wandered too far. The Lake was, in Professor McGonagall’s opinion, too far. Edgar didn’t care for Logan Wilkes, not really, but he’d never had a specific problem with them. More with their last name and what Frank had to say about them. He sighed a little when their first rang out to him. He slowed to a stop next to the tree just a little ways from the lake. “Sorry, Wilkes, but you’re going to have to give out.” His voice sounded over the silence in all of its prefect-worthy authority. “McGonagall says students aren’t to be out this far, not right now.”

Logan did their best not to roll their eyes when they recognized Edgar. They weren’t fond of him - they weren’t fond of most people, but he was one of those do-gooder types that grated on their nerves. And the way he acted as if he had such authority just from being a prefect - it was absurd. His authority meant nothing in the end: bossing around students at school? Worthless. There was real power to be had, and Logan was going to have it. But as long as they were stuck at Hogwarts, they didn’t want to cause a scene. Sighing, they began wading toward the shore. “It’s not as if I went into the forest. I’m well within sight of the castle. How long are we going to be punished for what Fawley did?”

Hestia wondered why she kept running into people wherever she went. The castle was giant, but it proved to be impossible to find a spot to actually be alone for anything more than a few moments. The girl was hardly even surprised when she spotted someone swimming in the lake. If she were a prefect, she would probably even pretend like she cared. But who was she to judge if they wanted to be attacked by the Giant Squid? “It doesn’t matter to me. Just don’t scream to much if something tries to pull you under.” 

Well, as long as they weren’t about to be dragged away to the castle and punished, Logan didn’t care if there was someone else about. They shrugged at the warning; after over six years of swimming in the lake, they thought they knew enough not to anger the Giant Squid. “I haven’t been pulled under yet and I swim here a lot. I think I’ll be safe.” They eyed the girl curiously, wondering what had brought her out. They ought to know her, but she wasn’t in their year or house and they didn’t care about many people. “I take it you’re not going to be joining me?”

Logan didn’t particularly care about the weather, or how cold the lake was. They were ready to get in the water, and since they had magic, it was easy enough to use a warming charm when they got cold. And since it was chilly yet, no one else was going to be around to bother them, or so they thought. When they surfaced and realized they weren’t alone, they sighed. “Please tell you weren’t sent to drag me back inside. I’m not hurting anyone.”

Savannah felt the heat rise to her face as Logan mentioned how much of a talker she was. They weren’t wrong, Savannah would talk to anyone and everyone who would listen. The only problem was, there were fewer attentive ears here at Hogwarts than Savannah had ever experienced in her life. Mealtimes were nearly torturous at this school as the majority of her housemates couldn’t seem to stand the sound of her voice and welcomed her conversation even less. There were a few, like Logan, who didn’t seem to mind but Savannah felt herself growing all the more self-conscious about how often she interjected. She tried to brush those thoughts away, she had ideas she wanted to share, there was nothing wrong with that. The only problem was finding someone who wanted to hear them. Savannah Wilkinson had been taught to speak with conviction, and that others only had the power to silence you with your permission, but Savannah was learning that being outspoken had consequences as well.

She smiled as Logan turned their back to her, allowing her to fix their hair for them. Gently, Savannah ran her fingers through the braid, letting it unravel and slowly working through the knots left behind. “It’s no trouble, really. I like fixin’ hair.” She explained with a shrug, though Logan wouldn’t be able to see. “I used to do my friends’ hair back home every now and then.” Savannah did not rush her work on Logan’s hair, still running her fingers through gently to find any knots she might have overlooked. “Your hair always looks so nice.” She complimented, and she always had liked the way they braided their hair. “I suppose sometimes we just have off-days.”

Logan noticed the color in Savannah’s face but didn’t think much of it. They weren’t sure if it was something they’d said, although that seemed a likely assumption. But they hadn’t said anything rude, so they didn’t see how they could change anything. And anyway, they were too happy to let Savannah fix their hair to be bothered with whatever was concerning her. They sighed a little, listening to her speak. “Did you? I don’t usually let people touch my hair. Except Cass. But I’ve been doing my braids for most of my life.” It must be nice to have more people who were trusted enough to do something so intimate. Not that Logan ever felt that they were lacking in anything.

“My hair was the one way I could make my parents happy,” they said after a moment of pause. Almost everything in their childhood had been a fight but Logan had always been content to wear their hair in a braid. They never minded the fighting with their parents, but it had been a welcome reprieve when they didn’t fight. “And then I got used to it.” Their hair was the one trait they were most vain about so they had never even considered cutting it short. “Ilvermorney must have been a lot different from Hogwarts. I can’t imagine any of the Slytherin girls sitting around braiding hair. Maybe the Hufflepuffs though.” It sounded like the sort of thing Hufflepuffs would do.”

Amycus laughed. It wasn’t very often that the word clever was used in regards to him. Alecto, sure? But Amycus, well… the only person who ever called him clever was his father, but he had learned a long time ago never to put stock in what that man had to say. “I can come with all sorts of ways to pass the time, Logan.” He murmured, eyes flickering over their shoulder to the corridor behind them. “The hard part is finding fun that won’t get me expelled. Every one is so uptight this year, it’s hard to even make the first years cry without getting threatened with expulsion.”

They grinned, crossing their arms and glancing around the corridor casually. The atmosphere in the castle did make things a lot more difficult, especially when they wanted to have a little fun. “I know. It’s certainly put a damper on everything, hasn’t it? I’m sure there’s something. Even if we can’t make firsties cry.”