Gabby made her way to the ship and decided to park herself at the deck. She figured it might be quiet there for awhile, but when night fell it would probably get busier and she would be watching. She couldn't help but be a bit excited that the Board members got to do this for the students. She hoped she'd get to see her son, she had sent him and Miranda nice outfits to wear.

Looking out at the black lake she couldn't help but be surprised how nice it actually was. The castle was beautiful too. Not being an actual Alumni of Hogwarts she hadn't experienced any of this as a child, she wondered if she would have more feelings if she had went to school here.

Glancing at her watch, she knew the students would be coming soon.

Kyle's first stop was here, the Promenade Deck. He'd expected something much cooler, but it was the perfect temperature. He wondered if Jace was going to come. The notice said to bring a date, but he didn't have a date. He just had a friend. Jace. Someone was out on the deck already that he didn't recognize. He thought about saying hi, but he wound up getting butterflies in his stomach and not saying anything. Instead, he went and sat down by the railing, taking in the sight.

Jace walked out on the deck and was surprised that it was comfortable; he had expected at least a little chill. He spotted his friend and made his way over. "isn't this great?"

Kyle smiled as Jace made his way over. "Yeah. Even though it's just on the lake, it feels like we could go anywhere." He looked his friend over. "You look good. Formal suits you."

"Mom has us dress like this for family gatherings. Not a fan, but you gotta do what ya gotta do." He looked over Kyle, "Not bad your self. Having a stuck up..." Jace broke off, "Sorry Dad slipped in their for a second. Having a former professor for a father must make getting snazzy easy."

Kyle laughed. "Well, dad's always been interested in the latest fashions, so he buys some pretty nice stuff for us. Of course, once the triplets started buying their own clothes, they didn't follow suit." He looked out over the water. "Stuck up, huh?"

"one of the nice epitaphs Dad uses. I was talking through the fire with him just a little bit ago and he had a few choice things to say before i told that you were my friend no matter what our dads might think or say." Jace chuckled, "Mom will even him out...probably."

"I think dad was more worried about me bringing home a kneazle than me being friends with you. But I did kinda tell him that in the same letter." Kyle giggled.

Jace chuckled, " I think it would be funny for you bring home my dad as a kneazle and watch the hilarity...but considering your dad really doesn't like them, and my dad especially, that probably isn't a great idea, on second thought." He looked over the side at the lake and concentrated really hard, but the most that happened was an extra little wave formed and disipaited. "Hmmm, too far."

Kyle laughed. "I think he would recognize your dad in a heartbeat. He told me about your dad's trips to his place as a kneazle. I've got a kneazle in Care of Magical Creatures named Honey. The teacher says we can adopt our animals at the end of term if our parents let us." He looked out over the water. "What were you trying to do?"

"Oh ya, your dad would freak if actually brought one home to keep." Jace out right laughed at the thought. Suppressing his laughter he looked over the side, " Same stick different medium. I'm not very good with water either."

"Water and fire have similar properties in a way, I think. Both like to flow freely. Not like earth, where it can be molded and shaped." Kyle sat back, tilting his head as he thought about it. "And maybe trying to grasp something free-flowing in such a large body of water is more difficult. Maybe we could like, try something with a cup of water back at the dorm."

"Ya and the distance from the surface is a problem too." Jace smiled, "Was just an idle thought. And yes that is why I have trouble with both, i can't contain them as easly."

"Nice try, though." Kyle grinned. "So, did you watch the last challenge? I didn't see you in the stands."

"No i missed it. I was up late working on...other endeavors...and it knocked me out."
*Literally* he thought. There was no way he would admit that he accidentally hit himself with an earth sphere that he shouldn't have been to pull up.

"Okay, so they all went into this really creepy forest and found a dementor attacking someone with each of them. Different looking people each time. And they had to get the dementor away, and then calm down what appeared to be a muggle. And then they got a portkey which brought them to the stands." Kyle grinned. "Brent, who's a boy from our house, did great. And at the end, four of the champions got eliminated from the competition. I don't remember who the Ilvermorny students were, but the two Ravenclaw champions both got eliminated."

"Both of the ravenclaws? Wow that's surprising." Jace smirked, "Of course we did well."

Kyle grinned. "Yup! It was an Ilvermorny student that got the most points, though. Strangely? A guy named Kyle."

"Are they doing well?"

"So far." Kyle leaned back. "I heard stuff about some sort of monster here last year and some of the second years and up being traumatized by it, and then the competitors this year face dementors in the first challenge. There were people there ready to help if something happened, but still... Lot of therapy needed all around at this school."

"from what i hear that is par for the course." Jace chuckled. " Well ya for school spirit." Jace's stomach made a very loud unhappy sound. "hush you, their will sacrifices later." He smiled apologetically to Kyle, "Sorry been a minute since i ate...You wanna go get food?"

Kyle nodded. "Sure!" He got up from where he sat and stretched. "I wonder what they have... I bet it's going to be crowded in there. Well, let's go see." He smiled and led the way.

"Indeed, but the food will be fabulous." He stated in an over dramatic theatre accent and followed Kyle out.

It had not been the easiest thing to do, going up to someone he barely knew and asking them to this cruise/ball of sorts, but Aiden had plucked up some kind of courage to ask one of the other selected Champions. Ravenclaw, right? The houses were still a little fuzzy to him but for the most part he had come to learn that the red ones were the loud ones and the yellow ones had an odd fascination with food and hugs. Made him wonder the criteria that magic hat of theirs actually used when placing them.

Being raised the gentleman he was, Aiden climbed up all the way to the Tower to escort his date back down to the large boat.

It was a hella long climb, he would admit that but he did not mind entirely. It gave him another chance to have a look at the castle. Most days he stayed out by the beetle watching his schoolmates carry on with whatever they were up to. It was not often that he decided the castle was where he needed to be.

"Have I told you that you look lovely in that dress?" He asked, walking alongside her as they got onto the deck. He probably had, twice, but it was the nerves. Branching out was not his typical style and he knew it was only a matter of time before he ruined it.