Date With The Devil

[matthew23]

Cyprian slowly drifted over the grassy slopes toward the lake. What a dreadful thing, to be dead. He attempted to spit in disgust, before realizing he didn't even have saliva. "My life sucks...I mean, my death sucks," he said to no one. Picking up a rock, he lofted it into the air, landing about 40 meters away in the water. The ripple broke the calm of the lake, which moments before had looked like glass. He heard a strange call from the depths of the water. 'I have awakened the beast...' he thought to himself. A fire burned deep in his shadowy eyes, awakening something that had been dormant in him for many decades. "You shall heed my call beast, I shall tame you!" he yelled to the night, gliding with over the lake toward the emerging giant squid, a passion possessing him rarely seen in a ghost.
Diving into the water without making a splash, Cyprian charged angrily at the squid. He grabbed onto a tentacle, pulling him closer to the beasts head, its angry eye following his movement. The giant squid swings a tentacle toward Cyprian, who punches it away, he glides closer, trying to get to the eye. 'Take the eye out and take the beast down' thought Cyprian to himself, angrily thrashing at the mass of tentacles. Almost through, he swings at the eye, but is knocked back by a tentacle he did not anticipate. Cyprian lands at the edge of the lake, sinking a few feet into the ground before regaining his composure and rising back to the surface. Across the water, the giant squid splashed in triumph, diving deep into the lake. Cyprian bowed in respect. "Another day beast, you will feel my wrath...I swear it."

[basilembry]

Basil stared wide-eyed at the silvery figure taking a bow before the lake. Horribly intrigued but trying to bat the nagging feeling of "common sense" away, he took a few steps toward the mysterious warrior. Stumbling on his over-sized robes, Basil panicked and hid behind a gnarled oak. How could he approach the hardened spectre, and could he, too, one day take on such a mighty and noble beast?

[understanding]

"Someone told me the squid is actually an imprisoned dark wizard." Oscar had seen the splashing and padded over, kicking off a shoe as he reached the lake edge. His eyes had gone wide at the sight of Cyprian's ethereal form, the lake clearly visible through what was once a broad and clearly athletic body. Trying to steady himself, "But people have been telling me a lot of things. I'm not sure what's true anymore. Are you really a ghost?" Best to be out with it, he reasoned.

[matthew23]

"Sadly, it is true. I am indeed a ghost. I know not if that dark beast is truly an imprisoned wizard, but it shall to my iron fists and dark fury just the same," said Cyprian, thoughts of vengeance taking his mind, his heart set upon torn tentacles and that wretched eye. "And who may you be, if I may be so bold to ask. I know many of the students in these hallowed halls, but your name and face elude even my mind's eye. Have you newly entered Hogwarts? Or have you trodden these paths before?" asked Cyprian. He was interested in meeting new students, he was looking to start some action around here, and he needed a sharp mind and steady hands to compliment his ambition. Maybe this young Ravenclaw would do the job.

[spaghetti231]

Seeing an interesting spectacle as he walked from the castle, Zerrubabel walked down to the lake. He had thought he'd seen a ghost drift over the lake, dive in, and then shoot in a high arc out of the water, landing on the lakeside. 'This school just keeps on getting weirder' he thought to himself. Walking over to the pale ghost, he saw the boy he had met in herbology earlier. His name was...Oscar maybe? He didn't remember speaking directly to him earlier.
"Hey, it's Oscar, isn't it? I'm Zerrubabel. And you must be the Gryffindor ghost, I have seen you before, but I've never spoken to you, I think." Zerrubabel held out his hand, but placed it kind of in the middle, for he did not know if it was more polite to shake Oscar's hand or the ghosts first. The ghost did have seniority, but he was dead, so did that count?

[understanding]

Oscar toed the other shoe off before settling himself down on the rough, thin beach. "Sorry to be so forward," he begins softly, thinking better of his question. "I've never seen one before. The only ghost I ever knew drank heavily of my father's brandy and played our records too loud," Oscar continues, tugging on the thick grass. The boy turns suddenly, certain he'd heard a little caper of delight from behind a certain nearby gnarled oak. Lately he'd taken to listening quietly, never sure when he might come upon a giant man eating plant or when such a plant might come upon him. Oscar relaxes quickly and answer's the ghost. "I've only just arrived really; I'm called Oscar," turning again now, "But who is--"

Oscar yelps a little at being snuck up on, looking up in to the face of the same pirate boy who'd been struck by the icy Verre in herbology. He was looking well enough, certainly seemed limber and was, thankfully, not the voracious Dionaeatron. Oscar nods happily after recovering, "Hello Zerrubabel," he manages, accent bobbing with the unfamiliar sounds.