(Lake) A good Ol' Reunion

[Mark Alméida]

Mark had transferred from Durmstrang, knowing this was where Maxi had come to. Things werent quite the same at Durmstrang without him and Mark knew he wasnt the only one to think that way, mainly because everyone had commented on it when they went back at the start of the year. Most of the subjects they talked about revolved around Maxi and his crazy antics back in Durmstrang and Mark was curious to know whether Maxi was still upto his old tricks here.

He thought of taking in the sights, the place was smaller than Durmstang so Mark didnt think he'd have a problem getting to know his way around, though he did miss it. It was obviously his second home, many people had told Mark to try and get Max to go back to Durmstrang and he promised them he would. Though it depended on whether or not anything held Max here. Mark knew Maxi well enough to know if something held him here, he wouldnt budge until the ties to whatever it was, were severed.

He stood at the edge of the lake looking down into it. He missed the snow filled mountains that surrounded their old school. He missed the caves, mostly, he missed the lads. They had a right old laugh, but since Max left, their laughs werent as good. You could always count on that old idiot to make you laugh, especially when he tried to be serious.

[Max Hennerdale]

For the first time in a long time, today was the first day Maxi hadnt seen Ash. Wonder where he's got to? he thought to himself as he crossed the lawns walking over to the lake. Its not like him to just vanish off the face of the earth... Hope he's alright Maxi was missing Ash quite a bit. Every thought he tried not to think was about Ashton, plain and simple.

He got to the lake and stood there, stretching, then ruffled his own blonde head. Yawning he spoke to himself, "Man im tired" He turned to look down the lake and nearly had a heart attack. Falling back a couple of steps he recognised instantly the black hair and strong looking body that belonged to Mark. What in the... What's he doing here? He never told me he was coming here! He thought. Happiness flooding over him at seeing his ex-school mate, jogging over he punched Mark on the back. "What the ruddy hell do you think your doing here? No! More importantly, why the ruddy hell did you not tell me you were going to be here!" He smiled as he looked upon the face of Mark, still nearing perfection as always. "How've you been! Man ive missed you! How's everyone up on the giant snowball?" Maxi began reeling off questions as he stood there, in the presence of his friend. His best friend.

[Mark Alméida]

A punch on the shoulder, a sharp pain. Now that hurt he thought as he turned to face, who he clearly knew was Max. Smiling as Maxi reeled off questions he took in Maxi's appearance. Blonde hair, blue eyes... Quite girly looking, thin and very camp. Apart from being blonde, everything about Maxi was the same, though he was sure Maxi had light brown hair at Durmstrang. Though the blonde suited him better. "I think im here to learn, though i could be wrong, you know what im like" He gave a laugh and pulled Max into a hug, sharply hitting him on the back. "I didnt tell you because i thought it would ruin the surprise, and you know how much i like surprising people"

It was like the two had never been apart, but yet they had so much to talk about. Mark wanted to know all about life here, at Hogwarts, and he was sure Maxi would like to know about Durmstrang and the happenings up there. "How have i been? You know me! Cant go through a day without something happening, i was dangling by a thread, man im telling you! The head was getting seriously naffed at me and Hanson. Han was so trying to take your place he like, adopted your personality! Nick nearly killed himself laughing when he tried to take the mick out of the Dark Arts prof like you used to! What about you eh? How've you been keeping?"

"Everyones pretty much the same. Still trying to figure a way into the back of that cave we found last year in the mountain. Not even the smallest first year cut fit through the gap" Mark smirked, "Believe me, we tried forcing him through, though he got stuck... Which wasnt all that good. Took us over two hours to prise him out. Two hours and lots of grease spells. He smelled like... Well i guess he smelled like grease." Mark gave a laugh, "Ferdys dad was sent off to Azkaban for hoarding real bad dark items, which of course, we all thought was highly entertaining, until Ferdy had to leave because of it. Left the country with his mam. Well we all knew she wanted shot of his dad didnt we? Now she's done it, though Ferdy thinks it was his mam that planted these items to get his dad nicked"

[Max Hennerdale]

"You? Learn! Thats got to be the best joke you've ever told!" Maxi laughed. He returned Mark's hugs like always, it was good to see the guy again. Though Maxi didnt relish telling him he'd done nothing great since he'd been here, though now Mark was here he was sure trouble was going to head his way. "Yeah, i remember your surprises! Poor Sam woke up with loads of spiders crawling over him, and you knew he was terrified of them!"

"Yeah I know you" Maxi said crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. Never a day went by when Mark wasnt in the heads office for some reason or other. He had been suspended at least twice and had three months worth of detentions, every night. "You were always dangling by a thread mate, and it was a thin one." Maxi laughed, "One more prank out of you boy and your straight out of those doors by your earlobes!" He said, imitating their old headmaster in a high pitched squeel. "Hanson tried to take my place? The little Skrewt! He was always trying to cram in with us lot, though he never quite made it did he? Wait a second! Your telling me you guys let him stick with you? Oh now thats bad Markus, real bad!"

"Ive been pretty much a boring idiot since ive been here to be honest" Maxi shrugged. It was true, "Keeping my head down, trying to figure this place out and believe you me, its so different. I havnt yet been in trouble, havnt been called to see Darrow. Which is the headmaster here. Oh, watch out for Vance, he's a right slave driver and harsh to pop. Really dont want to get on his bad side." Maxi was thinking, who else was there that he didnt really want to get on the bad side of? Though telling this to Mark, he knew he would go out of his way to get on the bad side of them, "Ive heard Daniel Hubbles, another professor, isnt really one to be messing with either, but ive yet to see his temper fly"

"Which firstie did you get stuck in the gap?" He asked, intruiged. "I remember when we found that cave, it was one to add onto the list of all the other caves we found anyway wasnt it? As for smallest first year, they all seemed pretty small to me. Even when i got into the second year, they were still teeny" Maxi made a small hand gesture trying to emphasise his meaning of teeny. "Yeah, well we did know Ferdy's mum wanted to get his dad gone, she never liked him. Though why marry a guy you dont like? Let alone have a kid with i mean its pointless! What do you think? Do you reckon she did?"

[Mark Alméida]

Mark smiled, "Well i was the biggest joker the school had seen in a good long while! Head even said so" Mark grinned, it was quieter here too, he had noticed, than it was at Durmstang. Mark smiled when Max recapped on the story with the spiders, and that was just one joke he had pulled. He couldnt help it, when he first saw Sam's reaction on the spiders he had to do it, he couldnt just ignore it.

"Yeah well this thread turned from thin, to like, hair thin. Serious ive never been so close to being expelled before and to be frank, i think he was glad to finally see the back of me. Which i think was a shame, ill miss all my pranks back there. Especially the ones on him" He gave a small wink. Some of the pranks he had pulled on the head were horrendous. He had even gone so far to play muggle pranks on him, which angered him immensly. Tying a bucket full of dungbombs to the door so when the head openend it, the dungbombs fell right on his head. "Stinker" he muttered and laughed. 'Stinker' had become the headmasters nickname, and it was so hard not to call it him to his face sometimes.

Mark nearly fell over laughing when Max did his famous 'Stinker' impression. "Yeah yeah! That one right there!" He yelled laughing, though quickly straightened himself up, "Yeah he tried, and we let him tag along because we thought it was fun. Didnt stop us playing pranks on him, though it only made him think it wasnt us. Though some first year had gone around stealing his clothes"

Mark chocked, he hadnt heard anything so appaling since he heard 'Stinker' was to be married! And Mark was nearly sick when that news came out. "Yeah you have!" Mark said when he finished speaking. "Keeping your head down! Learning! Where's My-Parner-In-Crime Maxi-The-Trouble-Maker? Eh? Seriously Max, im appalled at you! You've been letting yourself go, lucky i came here or we might have lost you for good! Man, even your letters were getting boring! After telling us about the centaur you encountered, you always wrote about lessons... And... Lessons! Maxi me-lad! What were you thinking!" Mark stopped rambling at Maxi and shook his head, "Is there anything else about this new and boring Maxi i should know about?"

"Ah, Darrow... I'll have to remember that. No doubt i'll be called to see him within the next week or so" He gave a laugh. He once again, listened to Maxi, and this Vance person seemed quite interesting. "Maxi, you know by telling me this your only going to get me into trouble because you know im only going to see how far i can push them... And them im going to keep on pushing." Mark shrugged, "Well we'll have to get Bubbles's temper to fly then wont we?"

"Oh it was.. Ehm.. Little Kane Reeve, remember him right? Proper took a shine to you, wouldnt go anywhere you werent going, and the like" Mark shrugged, they had pretty much, between their group, found everything they could inside and outside their school. It made things seem interesting that they kept on finding things. "I think she planted them then phoned whoever and told them that they had dark items, didnt tell them who was calling and hung up. When they came to check she was all 'Oooh whats going on? Dark items? I have absolutley no idea what you are talking about... Thats a dark item? I have never seen it before in my life... Oooh Kinda thing" Mark shrugged, "I thought about it way to much"

[Max Hennerdale]

"Well dont get too comfy wearing that crown, Mark, there are tons of jokers in this place. Some will even rival you" He was of course thinking of the Parkhurst twins, whose only ambition seemed to be pranking people.

"I'll bet he was glad to see the back of you! I think it was you that turned the poor bloke gray! Im willing to bet he was close to having a heart attack with you as one of his students" Maxi couldnt help but laugh, Stinker, that was an amazing prank. Mark had gone over the boundaries, nobody had dared play a prank on the head before.

"Well you see, I was here and you were there so it was like we werent partners in crime anymore" Maxi laughed, "What did you want me to do? Send you instructions of things to do over owl and play them out like that? Just let you pretend i was there?" He gave a laugh, it was the most ridiculous idea ever but funny to contemplate. "Yeah well, you are here now and im sure, you've brought lots of trouble too havnt you?"

"Well what can i say? Things are limited here, theres only so much you can do and in the end you end up repeating yourself. Come on Mark even you cant deny repeating ones tricks isnt fun!" Maxi shrugged, the only answer he could come up with was that he wasnt thinking. "Uhm... Well... There is one thing" Maxi said, Ashton popping into his mind, "Im seeing someone too"

"Yeah i know you will, thats why i told you" Maxi said, "Giving you a heads up on who to bug for the most trouble. Want to get far in trouble i'd suggest Vance. He has an icy cool temper, just his stare sends shivers roaming through me. Oh and Mark, Its Hubbles... Not Bubbles" Maxi laughed, he imagined calling the professor Bubbles instead of Hubbles, now that would be funny.

"Oh god, that annoying little thing?" He said remembering him instantly. Kane Reeve, Maxi's little lapdog. Do anything Max wanted. He was annoying. "Yeah Mark, you did so think about that far too much. But on that note, you thought about his mum far too much, didnt you?"

[Mark Alméida]

Mark was taken aback, other pranksters? Well he would just have to knock them off his radar. He forgot when starting a new school he had to start his reputation from scratch too, well this was certainly a hitch.

"Yeah I probably did send him grey" Mark said with a thought, "And yeah, probably did nearly give 'im heart attack" He looked up, "T'was fun though"

Mark was still appalled with Maxi's behavier and knew instantly what would happen if he did manage to get Max back to Durmstrang and he was still boring. Subject to toture until they had the old Max back. "Maybe i have brought trouble, maybe i havnt... Maybe Old Maxi will have to wait and see wont he?"

"Yeah well its not actually techically classed as a repetative performance if you do the same trick in a different place now is it?" Mark sighed looking at him. He thought of all the people Max would have known that. "Your what?" Mark said. Seriously thinking he had misunderstood what Max had said. "Your seeing... as in... Serious? Relationship?" Mark felt astounded. "Max! Your a slut! Your not supposed to do that! Oh my god, ive lost you man!" He walked up to Max and gave him a good slap around the face, "Your bloody seeing someone! Of all the crazy whack job hairbrained ideas youve ever had, this one is your most craziest!"

"Bubbles, Hubbles, Same name, just with a B instead of a H" Mark shrugged deciding he liked his own logic. "Professor Bubbles. Got a nice ring to it don'cha think?" Mark nodded when Max explained the Vance situation, "So Vance is Marks man then eh? Watch out Proffy Vance-Mance-Mince-Munce" He laughed, something Mark said the weirdest things.

"Well what can i say Max?" Mark sighed, "You like men i like girls... And Ferdys mum was just... phwoar... Well i wouldnt say no anyway. Though i think she'd probably break me"

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton strolled dejectedly along the path that led to the lake. Head down, shoulders sagging, this Ashton was truly different from the happy, bubbly person he had been for the last few weeks. But then again, he hadn't seen Maxi all day, and in Ashton's mind, any moment without Maxi was complete misery. Ashton looked up and sighed, pulling himself out of his dismal thoughts, when he saw a familiar blond head. His face brightened with joy, as he made his way down to his boyfriend. Sneaking up behind Maxi, he placed both hands over the blond boy's eyes, and said in his ear, "Guess who?"

[Max Hennerdale]

Before Maxi had even had a chance to reply his eyes became dark, then he heard the familiar voice of Ashton and found himself smiling. He pulled the boys hands away from himself, his cheeks reddend from the slap he had recieved off Mark and leant in to kiss his boyfriend quickly, taking his hand before turning back to Mark. "Yeah as in serious mate. This is not a crazy hairbrained idea Mark. Its actually nice" He smiled as he pulled Ash to stand next to him, "Boyfriend, Ashton" he said introducing him to Mark.

Setting back on track with their conversation, Maxi began to mull things over about what Mark had said in his mind. "Probably did? You did man! He was never grey until you turned up! As usual, late on your first year! Serious you'll be late to your own funeral you"

"Aw! Mark you cant do that" Maxi said trying to do his puppy dog eyes, "Did you or didnt you! Saying that why do i even need to ask! Its you! Of course you brought trouble it wouldnt be right if you didnt"

"Though we still know its an old trick, despite the fact whether someones seen it or not. It wont be half as fun to watch, surely you can come up with something new, or has Mark-The-Great lost his imagination for pranks?"

"Professor Daniel Bubbles" Maxi laughed, "Thats it, his new name. Bubbles! So suits him" He nodded, Bubbles did have a nice ring to it. "Yeah, Vance is definatly the one you want to go for if you want instant trouble. He's the nastiest professor in the school. Most people are scared of him and even more dislike him. Seriously, he's not one to be toyed with, which of course means your going to do it anyway"

"Too right i like my men" He said, giving a side look at Ashton. "I dont think ive ever looked at Ferdys mum like that, but breakin you? She'd snap you in half mate"

[Mark Alméida]

Mark looked at the newcomer with a raised eyebrow. He watched what was going on between his friend and... this boy. "Man youve lost it, completly" Mark sighed "Boyfriend... You.... Thats just weird on a very weird scale and its not normal at all, you know that! Its just..." Before he could finish his sentance Max had kissed the boy named Ashton, "Max man ive just eaten!"

Mark looked at Ash, "Apart from the fact you seemed to have tamed what i raised to be untameable, its a pleasure to meet you" Mark returned his attention back to Max, "Hey i wasnt that late! Only two months or so! My timescale was all screwy it wasnt my fault, alright it was my fault but i made up for it in pranks didnt i?"

"Yes i can do that Maxi thats the point, and i ha... I HAVE NOT RUN OUT OF IMAGINATION!" He nearly yelled, but laughed, "Max you know me, ill never run out of imagination. Ill be old and grey telling my grankids what to do"

"Settled then, This Hubbub guy is Bubbles" Mark smiled. It was one of his favourite things to do, think of ways to rename professors so it would annoy them immensly. "Vance sounds a bit on the dangerous side which of course is even better. If he's as nasty as you say im well going to break my record of three months worth of det. In fact, im aiming for it"

"Maxi your chained man" he said looking at them both. Mark merely shrugged, "Yeah i know. I mean im practised, but im not practised enough to handle her"

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton laughed as Mark rambled. "Nice to meet you too." he said with a smile, he looked from Maxi to Mark, "You two wouldn't happen to be trying to think of ways to annoy Hubbles now would you? If you are, I'm definitely in! I mean, he's a cool teacher, but man it is boring around here! We need some excitement!" Ashton stopped and took a deep breath, "Well, I think I've done enough rambling for the day!" He turned to Maxi, and gave him his signature adorabale puppy look, "Kiss me?" he pleaded.

[Max Hennerdale]

"Ive not lost it mate its just you've never experianced something like this" He said with a grin knowing full well Mark only liked sleeping with the girls, not getting emotionally involved which would more than likely be his downfall one day. "Its not weird, Mark, its natural its just you dont see it" Maxi sighed, he knew Mark wouldnt like this, but he knew he couldnt hide Ash for long, however it might have been better for them to meet when Mark had been here a bit longer than one day. "What are you trying to say Alméida?" Maxi laughed, it was rare they used each others last names and was usually a sign of when they were angry with eachother. Though Maxi laughed so it showed he wasnt angry with Mark.

"Yeah and two months isnt late at all is it?" Rolling his eyes he smiled, knowing full well that Mark would try and weasel out of it, like he did so many times whenever this conversation came up, and he usually came upwith a different excuse every time. "Yeah i guess you did"

Maxi laughed when Mark nearly exploded, he reacted in the way Maxi knew he would. He was very protective of his pranks, they were like his only love. A picture came into his head, an old Mark, grey and extreamly wrinkly with a wobbly voice and false teeth sitting in an old rocking chair beside a fire place. His grandkids around him listening to him as he told them what pranks to pull.

"Bubbles the Hubbub" Maxi laughed, he remembered the time when they used to sit there thinking of these names, and Stinker was by far their best yet. "Vance is dangerous, Mark. He'll likely hex you. Seriously he would" Maxi shrugged, "I dont think Vance is one for keeping to the student rules, you should see the way he looks at anyone who isnt in Slytherin seriously. Like were all diseased or something"

"Yeah im chained! And proud of it!" He said with a laugh squeezing Ash's hand. "I dont think anyone is practised enough for the she-beast"

Maxi turned his attention to Ash and shook his head, "Were going after Vance first, then Bubbles" Maxi told him. Knowing full well going after Vance was probably not the best idea in the world.

[Mark Alméida]

"Yeah and i dont plan on being chained either" Mark said shuddering. The thought of any girl occupying his every thought seemed to just sicken him. "No your right man i dont see it and i dont want to so can you please keep you antics in the bedroom i dont want to be a witness to it! Dude i know your gay and you know i love you man for it but i dont want to see it! Havnt i always said that?" Mark said. He had nothing against gays, though he didnt really feel comfortable with it being shoved in his face 24/7 unless of course Max was playing the field, which he just thought was funny, now he had a boyfriend it was different. "Im saying Hennerdale! Its bloody weird!"

"No, two months is Mark time which is On-time" He smiled. Everyone at durmstrang knew of Mark time. If Mark said he'd be there at a certain time, you should never expect him until at least two hours later.

"Aye! I'll drink to bubbles! Or i would if i had one anyway" he said looking at his empty hand. "Being hexed is all more fun i say! Bring on the Hex-Man Vance then!" Mark sighed, "Well you heard of the Vance that went travelling right? Michael Vance? Proper into the dark arts never liked anything less than pure ((ooc: I read his biothingy)) Dead set against muggles and loved anything bad aye? Reckon Vance and this other Vance are related?"

"We can go after Bubbles and Vancy at the same time if your up for it?"

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton nodded, "Vance huh? Well count me in! I can't stand the guy! I hate how he treats people who aren't Purebloods." He turned to Maxi, and wrapped his arms around the other boys waist, and said with a small smirk, "Now about that kiss...?"

[Max Hennerdale]

"You know it will happen one day Mark, or else where are those grankids coming from? The stork? The cabbage patch?" He gave a laugh. Mark didnt like anything that tyed him down even in the slightest. Maxi knew he knew that if he had a girl it would be less time pranking and more time holding hands in the park or something. "Yeah man you have, but dont you think i feel weird when i see you kissing all those girls in the summer?" Maxi questioned. Max usually stayed with Mark over their holidays going out to the clubs and you could guarentee Mark would bring a new girl home every night. "Alright Alméida i'll play nice until you get used to me having a boyfriend"

"You'll be surprised how we got used to Mark-time" Maxi laughed. "I remember once you told us too meet you in the Maxon Hallway at twelve and none of us turned up till half two that morning. You didnt show till three!"

"Yeah, ill have to take you to the local pub to get a butterbeer one day Mark, females go in there" he said with a wink. It had never crossed Maxi's mind about Vance, but now he thought about it, it did seem likely. "Actually, Vance's first name is Michael. Reckon it could be the same guy?"

"Yeah man im all for it" he turned to Ashton and smiled, "Lets wait until Marky-bop here gets used to us"