The Nettles and the Girl by the Lake

To the south of the large castle that was Hogwarts was the Great Lake. The Black Lake. Many nettles grew in this area and there was one very antsy girl eager to get to picking. Plopping her feet one after the other down a slippery slope towards this area was Eileen Dedworth. Short red hair bouncing as her body hit the earth, Eileen clutched the bag around her tight as she stopped suddenly in a very open area a few fathoms from the water line. Falling to her knees in front of a patch of Nettles she started picking intently, placing each bud into a smaller compartment in her sack. Legs covered in light brown boots that reached her knees sank into the mud and without a care in the world the girl had to keep pushing her sleeves up to stay comfortable. Eileen sighed every 20 seconds. A boring day. Another day without buddies to shoot the breeze with. "Oh, I don't mind, really." She whispered to her nettles. Eileen picked and picked on.

Lynne trotted ahead of the boy, nipping at the snow, which was admittedly soggy for the middle of winter. The wolf didn't seem to mind. Damian did a bit. He pulled his jacket tighter about himself to ward off the chill.

As they neared the lake, the canine followed a set of tracks, giving way to idle interest as she always did. Damian trailed after her, arriving just in time to witness his daemon's attack on his unsuspecting housemate (a truly vicious affair with included complete invasion of personal space and overenthusiastic, curious nosing of the girl's face and attire).

"Lynne!" Damian admonished. Honestly, sometimes he was certain Lynne thought she was a dog and not a dire wolf.

He noted that she had managed to find a patch of nettles, kept mostly safe from the snow by the foliage overhead. "You interested in potions?" he asked. It would make sense, after all. Why else would she be picking nettles in winter?

Eileen picked and picked, falling deeper into her own thoughts when she turned her head at the sound of foot steps. Right when she turned her head she was rampaged and knocked back by a little beast. Gasping from light chuckles, Eileen noticed the boy approach. "Aye, I suppose you could say I need them for potions. I'm terrible at the subject, mind you." Eileen stood and brushed herself off, shifting her bag behind her. "I just like to pick them. Thought I'd see how they did in winter." She took a step forward, extending a hand. "I'm Eileen. I believe I seen you around." She said shyly in her broken Irish accent.

"Might need to let them dry out a bit more before storing them," Damian advised. "Moisture from frost and snow probably got into them."

Lynne had crept off after some creature or another, the adolescent wolf moving silently between trees. Damian wasn't concerned. The wolf was well able to look after herself.

The boy shook the girl's hand. "I know," he stated. "We have some of the same classes and we share a common room. It's Damian."

Eileen smiled and widened her eyes at the friendly tip. "Oh, yes, I'm sure I'll take the proper precaution before turning them into tea." She watched as the boys beast ran off, a small sign of concern covering her face. Once she saw it was no bother to the boy she left it be. "Yes, Damian, that's right. Well, it's right nice to formally meet you..." Once Eileen took her hand away she peered to the ground a bit shyly. She wasn't used to talking to many people, she didn't have a lot of friends. Usually when people approached they just shot her dirty looks and then carried on with their business. "Uhm..." She stammered a bit, hoping to make a right first impression. "Your pet there, he alright?" She pointed halfheartedly.

"You're gonna make tea with them?" Damian wrinkled his nose a bit. Nettle tea was not a favorite of his. He preferred to use them in other concoctions.

Blue eyes glanced off in the direction the brown wolf had gone. He couldn't see her through the trees and undergrowth anymore, but she was still close enough that he could hear her. "Who, Lynne?" he asked. "She's fine. Tracking a squirrel or something." He shrugged.