Out by the Dark Lake.

[misscharlotte]

A tree nearby. The sound of splashing about by the Giant Squid. Kids laughter. You set the scene.

[Duddahs]

Darien walked up to the edge of the lake. His curiosity was just burning him from deep inside.

Wishing to find out for himself if the Giant Squid was real or if it were just a bit of fiction to scare the first years.

The stories that were passed around the Hufflepuff Common Room were so fanciful and so far fetched that Darien felt that it was one of those rights of passage initiations played as a prank on the young naive students.

As Darien crouched down and placed his hand on the edge of the waters bank to stabilize himself, a small swirling ripple effect began to develop just a few feet from where he stooped.

The sound of laughter from behind him caused Darien to turn all too quickly and without warning, his foot slipped on the wet grass under his foot.

The shock of the cold water that engulfed Darien and the loss of control over his motions happened so quickly that he did not have time to try to save himself from falling fully clothed into the lake.

[nz101nz]

Professor Richard Merchant opened the large oak doors of the Entrance Hall, eagerly on his way to the Hogwarts Lake.

He remembered his days at Hogwarts, some 20 years ago. Not much had changed since the last time he stepped foot through those large oak doors as a young Scottish first year, or his last time as an Auror stationed at the school. The school's wonderful atmosphere was still present, his favourite professors were still teaching away, heck, even Peeves was still up to his old tricks.

He sure loved this school, but was ecstatic when he received a letter from Headmaster McGonegall, offering him the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?" he remembered thinking to himself when he read the letter "Looks like Professor Lyle's finally had enough of it" He chuckled at the recollection of the memory and knew he would enjoy teaching the class.

As he made his way down towards the lake, an odd thing caught Professor Merchant's eye. A young boy, maybe in his first or second year, was making his way towards the edge of the lake, apparently deep in thought.

"Now what is this poor lad doi--SPLASH" To the shock of many, the boy had fallen into the lake.

Professor Merchant rushed over to the edge of the lake quickly, wand at the ready. "Out of the way students, move out of the way please" he said, pushing his way through the crowd of students.

When he arrived at the edge of the lake, he pointed his wand at the boy and flicked it. Gently, the boy was lifted out of the water and placed on the ground. With another flick, warm blankets were conjured up and placed around the boy.

"Move along now, c'mon, nothing to see here" he muttered to the crowd of students in his thick Scottish accent. When the crowd had disappeared, he turned to the boy.

"So, you were fancying a little swim, weren't you lad?"

[Duddahs]

Darien found himself floating above the now calm surface of the lake. His reflection looking back up at him as his gaze traveled down to where he had just been plucked from.

Absolutely embarrassed and now beginning to shiver uncontrollably, it began to dawn upon him that there were classmates all staring, some laughing while others had their hands clasped over their mouths in astonishment.

Even through his shivering fit, Darien found the entire situation funny. He too began to laugh and while floating toward the shore with the assistance of the Professors levitation charm, his eyes caught sight of a very cute red head that he had always had a bit of a crush on.

She was a Gryffindor and Darien knew full well that Gryffindors were very protective of their numbers.

A bit of blush now turned his cheeks and tips of his ears a bit of strawberry tinge.

"THUMP!"

Darien found himself now being so unceremoniously dropped onto the grassy covered bank of the lake. Solid ground and boy did Darien find out just how solid it was.

"UMPH!"

[Duddahs]

Several first years are taking their very first stroll around the lake. It is cold as heck out today, the sun is high in the sky above Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The wind blows and howls across the surface of the lake.

The group are startled to near death as the Giant Squid burst from the placid surface of cold water. Several bizarre grey figures are being tossed up into the air only to splash down into the water, having performed the most excellent swan dives any of the youngsters had ever witnessed.

Time and again, the odd looking creatures took to the air, assisted by the ferocious looking multi tentacled lake monster. How did they do this, how were they able to stay under water for such extended periods of time only to emerge time and again to perform their high dive extravaganza?