A Sneaky Cigarette // Open

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis made his way down towards the lake, still rattled by the encounter with the two Ravenclaws in the owlery. He didn't know why he let people like that irritate him so much. He met people like that every day. If he just learned to ignore people like that, surely he wouldn't get wound up so much. But it was just so hard to keep his temper under control.

Nearing his most recent smoking spot - the teachers had discovered the last one so he couldn't use it any more - a large rock jutting out into the water of the lake, shielded from view of the castle by a large weeping willow tree, Francis pulled a battered packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. He kept them on his most of the time, although he rarely had time to sneak out for one. When he was younger, soon after he'd started smoking, he'd tried smoking in the toilets, but Moaning Murtle had a habit of popping out of the U bend and floating off to tell on him. Although it wasn't really convenient to go out to the lake everytime he needed a smoke, at least he'd only been caught out here once.

Pulling out his wand, he put the cigarette in his mouth and conjured a little blue flame to light it. He wasn't completely adverse to magic, he just didn't worship it like the others seemed to. It was useful, but so were telephones, and motorbike were a much comfier way of travelling when compared to floo powder.

Shoving his wand back in his pocket, Francis sunk down onto the rock, taking a long drag on the cigarette as he leaned his back against the broad tree trunk.

[Aurora Brightmore]

*Rose was glad to have left the owlery. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of thought. Spotting the lake she heads towards it, sinking to her knees at its edge. The rememberance of that horrid night in the woods with the vampire sent chills down her spine. Setting the jar on the ground she shakes off the feeling and decides to take a swim. Didn't matter that the water was freezing cold, she lay her cloak on the ground, removed her robe and shoes and took a running jump into the lake.*

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis had been quite content sitting quietly on his rock, spirals of white smoke whisping off into the dark night sky. However, his peace was broken by a loud splash nearby. Jumping up, he peered out over the dark water, looking for the source of the ripples that were spreading out over the lake. A shocked look came over his face as he saw a head bob up. It was a freezing cold night and the rocks around the lake were slippy with dew. Someone must have fallen in.

Throwing his cigarette aside, his face panicked, Francis kicked off his shoes, letting his school robes fall to the ground as he leaped into the freezing lake. He gasped as the cold hit him, swallowing a mouthfull of the lake water before his head broke the surface of the water. The school clothes dragged him down, but he was a strong swimmer and it didn't take him long to reach the person.

"Just hold on," he cried, spluttering against the water that lapped against his face. He hooked an arm around the person and started swimming backwards with them towards the shore. "Keep your head up," he said breathlessly as he swum, his one free strong arm pushing hard against the water, propelling them as quickly as possible.

[Aurora Brightmore]

*Rose spluttered as she was pulled along, the cold lake water going up her nose and into her mouth. Hearing a voice speak to her she realized who had grabbed her and let him pull her along. After being pulled up on the shore she lay there for a moment trying to clear her lungs of tyhe water. After a moment she sat up, covering herself with her arms.*

OI what the bloody hell did you do that for. I was having a nice relaxing swim.

*Her eyes darted over him, running over his face last.

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis crawled out of the icy water beside the girl, shocked to recognise her as Rose, the ravenclaw from the owlery. "A swim?" he said incredulously, his breath misting in the air as he spoke, water droplets dripping from his hair. "Are you mad? It's bloody freezing!" Not to mention when it was this dark you couldn't see if the Giant Squid was creeping up on you. He gave a little shiver as he imagined feeling the slimey tentacles wrapping around him. That was one encounter he really wouldn't mind forgoing.

Shaking himself off, much like he'd seen his dog, Pouch, doing after going for a walk in the rain, Francis began pacing back and forth, his wet school clothes squelching as he walked. "You're bloody mental, you are!"

[Aurora Brightmore]

*Rose frowned, shaking the water out of her hair. Swimming in the cold water was something she'd always done at Hogwarts, especially late at night. She shivered , runningn her hands over her arms to get a little warmer.*

I like to swim in the lake when i get upset. The temperature doesn't matter to me. Call me mental...I don't care...Nothing anyone says can bother me these days. Plus...what does it matter to you if I freeze to death?

*her cold blue/gray eyes stared into his.*

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis rolled his eyes. He was right; she was mental. Only a mad person would actually volunteer to get into that icy lake. He, of course, had only jumped in because he thought he was helping.

"I thought someone had fallen in!" Francis said, crossing his arms over his soggy sweatshirt, more to stop himself from shivering than anything else. "I thought you were drowning. I'm not just going to stand there and let someone drown. Even I'm not that much of an arboretum!"

Stalking away from her, back towards where he'd left his robes, Francis stooped and picked up the still lit cigarette he'd dropped before diving into the lake. He was glad this one was still lit, and not too burned down, as all his others had been in his pocket when he'd entered the freezing water. He could feel them squelching in his back pocket as he turned back to face Rose.

He took a long drag on the cigarette, savouring the warmth of the smoke as it was pulled down into his lungs. He really needed to quit some day; he knew it was bad for him, but in this place it felt like another way to affiliate himself with the muggle world he missed so much while he was here. "Why are you out here anyway?" he asked. "Thought you'd be having a nice cosy chat with your little friend." He narrowed his eyes, looking down at her. "You weren't following me, were you?" That was how his last smoking spot had been discovered, and he didn't want to lose this one too.

[Aurora Brightmore]

I..I didn't see you over here. I didn't mean to disturb you again. I d...didn't mean it the way it came out.

*Rose spluttered over her words. She had known he was only trying to save her, even though she hadn't needed saving. She looked down at her lap, a little embarassed, looking up again only when he mentioned the other girl.*

J..Just because someone is a part of my house does not mean they are my friend.I come out here when I'm upset or stressed. Swimming does for me what smoking does for you. I've been doing this every year since I started.

*She gasps at his accusation, struggling to stand and keep herself covered.*

Follow...you? I don't think so. You didn't look like you wanted to talk to anyone. I know when to leave people alone.

*Rose turns and heads back towards her clothes, slipping her robe's over her head. Picking up her things, some falling out of her shaking arms, she started to walk away.*

I'm sorry I bothered you, again...I seem to have a knack for doing that.

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis stance relaxed slightly as he took another drag on the cigarette. He could understand someone needing a way to relax. As she had pointed out, he needed his cigarettes to stay sane. Still, he wasn't about to say sorry for doing a good deed, even if it was slightly misguided.

"It's not that I didn't want to talk to anyone. I just didn't want to talk to her any more. I..." He paused. "I lose my temper easily, so it's usually best to just walk away."

He sighed, moving around the tree to watch her as she collected up her belongings. "You don't have to go, although it's probably wise because it's freezing out here and now you're soaking wet..." He coughed. "But, don't feel you have to leave because of me. I told you... I don't mean to be rude."

[Aurora Brightmore]

*Rose knelt on the ground, placing her things down and sitting, pulling her knees up to her chest. Her hair had turned a bright pink, barley visable in the moonlight. She sighed, resting her head back against the tree.*

I..I'm sorry. I thank you for jumping in after me, even if it wasn't needed. It's nice to know that someone would care.

*She picked up the small jar thast held the fire and held it close to her, to help keep her warm. Rose closed her eyes.*

I like to spend as much of my time away from the common room as possible. Out here...It's less likely I'll run into someone I don't care to.

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis watched her for a moment before a shiver interrupted him. "You don't seem like the sort of person that would have a lot of enemies," he said, sitting back on the rock to put his shoes on, his cigarette hanging between his lips. He knew his trousers were still wet, and they'd make his shoes wet too, but he wasn't about to wander around the grounds in his socks. You didn't know what you might step on.

His school robes were in a pile beside him and he picked them up and pulled them on over his sodden sweatshirt, more to diguise the fact that he was soaking wet than warmth. He didn't fancy running into the Headmaster and having to explain why he was dripping all over the castle, or why he'd been outside in the first place.

Francis took the cigarette from between his lips after taking another drag, holding the smoke in his lungs for a moment before releasing the breath. There wasn't enough left on it for another puff so, with a sigh, he flicked it away into the lake. He had another couple of packets of cigarettes up in his dorm, but he was getting painfully low, what with the ones that were confiscated and now the ones that had been in the lake. He knew his mother hated him smoking, but if he looked like he was going to run out, he'd have to owl her and get her to send him some more. He wasn't sure if he could last until Christmas without them.

"Did you, er, want to go in?" Francis asked, nodding up to the castle. He was finding it hard to hold off the shivers, and he was sure she couldn't be much warmer. It wasn't the night, and Francis wasn't in the mood to be hanging around outside, soaking wet, freezing his nipples off.

[Aurora Brightmore]

*Rose shivered again, holding her little canister that held the fire against her.*

I..i don't mind going in. Not really looking forward to seeing anyone in the halls, especially if it's Filch. I'm not even looking forward to seeing anyone from my house.

*She struggled to stand, throwing her cloak around her shoulders.*

I..I'm sorry if ruined your night.

[Francis Eric Thorne]

Francis looked down. He of all people knew what it was like to not look forward to seeing people. Still, he'd rather put up with the other Hufflepuffs right now than stand out here all night freezing. "Right," he said, a little awkwardly. "Well, I'm going to head inside." He looked down at his feet. "I'm, er, sorry for ruining your swim." Even if you are mad to be swimming in this weather, he added silently.

Chewing on his lip, Francis looked at her for a moment longer before heading off up towards the castle, just hoping that he didn't get caught on his way back in.