By the Lake

[Ginny Weasley]

The Black Lake (alternatively known as the Great Lake) is a large body of water located to the south of the castle, about half a mile in diameter and home to the Giant Squid and a colony of Merpeople. The water is cold, but students are known to swim in its waters on hot days, and first years are lead in procession across it on their first arrival at Hogwarts.

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna walked lazily down to the Lake, a book open in front of her face as she walked. There was a slight scowl on her face but she never missed a step or tripped over any of the rocks in her path. Pulling her attention from the book for long enough to find a dry patch, Leanna sat down, curling her arm around one leg and turning the page. It was a book she'd brought from home, a potions book, too advanced for her but she liked to flick through it, look at the interesting potions that she could possibly make one day.

If she ever made it out of this hell hole alive. She snapped the book shut and glared out over the Lake. It was cool but she didn't mind. Cold was better than hot. At least you could easily get warm. She let go of her leg and leaned back, holding the book in her lap and sighing softly. More than anything she just wanted to get up, walk out the castle gates and go home. Where it was safe and she could tinker in her potions room alone. Where blood status didn't matter. Where her father's blood couldn't get her killed if anyone found out. Leanna was thankful she'd never been of the mind to tell anyone about her father. The less people knew about your life, the less they could hurt you. That was her mother's motto. She was quickly taking it on as her own as well.

[Ginny Weasley]

"You okay?" the voice drifted over from behind her.

Ginny eyed the Ravenclaw curiously, recognising her as someone from the year above, but not knowing much else about her. She had intended fully to simply walk on past... but something about the way the girl hunched herself in resonated with her, causing her steps to slow and her gaze to linger sympathetically. This year was hell to them all after all.

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna tilted her head back to look at whoever it was that was speaking. "Oh, Morning." she mumbled. "I'm fine. Just tired." She took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders back. Her hand lifted from her book to rub her eyes. "You're that Weasley girl aren't you?" she asked. "The one whose throat kept having Potter's tongue stuck down it."

She tilted her head back again. "Still got all your fingers and toes attached? I do. I count them every morning when I wake up, and every night when I go to bed."

[Ginny Weasley]

Ginny's eyebrow lifted at the so casually spoken insult, arms folding beneath her breasts as she eyed the other girl, undecided if she should be amused or annoyed.

"That is my *other* title," she offered dryly, before, despite herself a wave of sardonic amusement passed through her at the finger question. She wasn't as sweet or airy as Luna, but there was something destinctly Luna-ish about the question. "So far so good, but not through lack of trying on the new Professors part."

[Leanna Barker]

She nodded a little. "Most important body part is the head. Fingers and toes are luxuries, heads are essential." Her fingers ran along the spin of her book and she looked back over the Lake. A gentle breeze played with her hair, making the red curls shift, proving that she was still alive and not a wax figure. Her green eyes had a slightly haunted look but with a few blinks it was gone, a thin veil of curiosity there now.

"I didn't think Gryffindor's were even allowed out of their beds let alone allowed to wander the grounds." Leanna muttered. "Out here its like nothing's changed. Same old Hogwarts. Don't you think?"

[Ginny Weasley]

Ginny pursed her lips as her amused eyes ran over the girl one more before finally giving a mental shrug and moving to sit next to her.

"What about the heart?" she asked at last, arms folding idly around her legs. "That's important too, isnt it?"

"Yeah," she added with a low, mirthless chuckle. "Out here you could almost believe everything is still right with the world. Seems kinda messed up really."

[Leanna Barker]

"Hearts can be wrapped in ice." Leanna sniffed dismissively. "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy hoggy Hogwarts." she sung under her breath. "Yep, still the same." She laid back to nestle into the grass and yawned. "I'm gonna have a nap. Wake me up if some Death Eaters come over and look like they want finger soup or toe sandwiches."

Leanna rolled onto her side, hugging her potions book, facing Ginny. The Weasley girl had always been a source of mild amusement for her. Her brother was best friends with possibly the most famous wizard of their times and she was dating him. Match making much?

[Ginny Weasley]

"Whats the point in having one if you don't use it?" Ginny scoffed, shooting the girl a strange look as she declared her desire to go to sleep. "You'll probably get hypothermia..." she pointed out dubiously. Did this chick really expect her to hang about while she snoozed?

[Leanna Barker]

"Because using one gets you hurt." Leanna grumbled. "And hypothermia is cool. I'll sleep forever then." she frowned. "But then again, I haven't finished my book." She lifted herself up onto her elbow and looked around. "What're you doing out here anyway?"

[Ginny Weasley]

"Riiight..." Ginny returned slowly, eyebrows lifting higher. Forget Luna... this girl definitely had the dibs on crazy. "Uh, nothing really. Just thinking I suppose."

[Leanna Barker]

"About what?" Leanna asked. It wasn't that she really cared, but it would chase away the silence and stop her from having to talk too much to her fellow redhead. She rubbed her eye and sighed softly, looking out at the water again. "I wonder how long I would have to be dead before they can't revive me anymore." she murmured to herself.

[Ginny Weasley]

"Family," Ginny answered before pushing on, not really wanting to discuss her intimate thoughts and worries with this oddball she had just met.

"And depends how warm you are. Warm the brain and heart can only survive without oxygen for a few minutes, cold and you might have hours."

Okay so maybe her reading had been a bit morbid lately... but it was all good preparation right? Hell any tips that might save someones life now were invaluable.

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna blinked and looked up at Ginny. "You are a strange person." she commented. "I like that. But why are you reading up on stuff like that? Bit dark." She glanced down at her book and snorted a little to herself. "Not that I can talk. I'm sitting here reading about deadly potions." She held the book out to show the girl. "Too advanced for me still but I'll get there."

[Ginny Weasley]

"I've developed a sudden and intense interest in ways not to die lately," Ginny offered back dryly. "Funny that..."

Her gaze shifted to the book in the other's hands as she spoke of it, considering it a moment.

"So why dark potions?" she asked at last, torn between being intrigued and feeling averse to anything dark right now.

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna looked down at the book. "Oh, it's just a hobby of mine. You wouldn't believe some of the things I've found in here." She fingered the cover lightly, a thoughtful look on her face. Many things but still not a potion to withstand an Unforgiveable. Perhaps she'd have to go for a little wander into the Restricted Section. The library might have something a little more that she needed. She'd read through every book in that library to find something, anything, that would give her an edge against the Death Eaters.

[Ginny Weasley]

"Anything useful, or just lots of twisted and grotesque?" Ginny asked, still eyeing the book dubiously, arms coming up to hug her knees lightly to keep off the chill from the air.

[Leanna Barker]

"Depends what you define as useful." she replied, pushing herself to sitting again. "I'm sure the DEs would use a lot of this stuff. If they had the brains to sit down and make the stuff." Leanna rubbed her eye a little and frowned down at the book. "Potions is so complicated sometimes. Half this stuff is very rare."

[Ginny Weasley]

"Then don't let Snape get his hands on it," she offered dryly, mouth curving down in distaste as she eyed the book, not sure what to think of the Ravenclaw girl honestly. She was an idiot if she thought that the Death Eaters they had in the school were thick. Crazy yes, vicious undoubtedly, but they weren't thick. Life would be much easier if they were...

[Leanna Barker]

Her fingers traced along the spine of her book and she hummed softly. She couldn't remember where the tune was from and she frowned. Leanna combed her fingers through her hair and pulled it back from her face. "Why's it so cold?" she murmured to herself, moving the subject from the problems at school.

[Theo Nott]

Theo walked around the grounds and made his way to the edge of the lake. Taking a seat against a tree he tossed a rock into the water and watched the ripples, his thought drifting.

[Ginny Weasley]

Turning her head from the highly random Raven, Ginny let her eyes wander, leaving the girl to resume speaking to herself for the meantime. Her eyes fell at last on the sight of Nott as he moved around the lake, watching suspiciously as he moved. It was odd these days to see a lone Slytherin. Mostly they moved in packs... Was he out for a casual stroll or up to something more sinister?

[Theo Nott]

Theo continued to toss small stones into the lake for several moments. Looking around when he felt eyes on him he met Ginny's and smirked slightly, giving a mocking wave in greeting, hoping it would irritate her slightly.

[Ginny Weasley]

Ginny narrowed her eyes at his flip gesture before turning away, though she kept a watch on him out of the corner of her eye as she gazed once more at her strange companion.

[Theo Nott]

Theo smirked to himself as Ginny turned away. "So much fun, how a small gesture can effect someone." he commented to the sky.

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna followed Ginny's eyes and waved to Nott. "What are you doing outside?" she asked, tilting her head at the Slytherin. "It's too cold to be enjoying a walk out here Theo."

[Theo Nott]

Turning to look at who addressed him he smiled slightly and;shrugged. "I needed some time to think , without being distracted." He replied.

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna grinned, reaching forward and splashing some water at Theo. "Such a shame I'm out here then." Her hand quickly tucked her book into her robes in case Theo decided to retaliate.

[Ginny Weasley]

Seeing Nott venture closer, Ginny was about to challenge him with a scathing retort when her odd companion called out a friendly greeting to him. Surprise flickered over her features as she turned to study the other girl, brows pulling down in a frown before her face closed off and she pushed herself up, dusting off her skirt.

She had known the girl was strange from the get go, but this was no Luna. There was no innocent sweetness here. Reading Dark books, being friendly with known want to be Death Eaters... Perhaps it was a little hypocritical of her given her own... whatever it was with Malfoy, and the time she spent pouring over questionable texts in the restricted section, but Leanna didn't have the excuse of trying to create lesson plans to keep her friends alive when the crap hit the fan, and somehow she doubted Nott was secretly a decent guy underneath that pratty bluster like the blonde was proving to be.

"Good luck with your reading," she offered the Ravenclaw though her tone was notably a bit cooler, moving to pull her bag over her shoulder as she turned away, not bothering acknowledging Nott again as he started back up the path to the school, leaving the two to their flirtation.

[Leanna Barker]

Leanna turned her head to watch Ginny leave, a slight tilt in her head as the definitely cooler tone reached her ears. "Ginny." she called to the girl, wondering if she would turn around. "Sometimes you have to save yourself." The Ravenclaw turned back to Theo, letting Ginny decipher the message how she wished. There was nothing she could do to make the situation better, and worse was much more probable that Leanna would have liked it to be.