Originally Posted by Felixir

Clara's greeting didn't go unnoticed, and Toby looked down from the sign to smile at the second Ravenclaw seventh year to join him.

"You got that right," he said in response to her comment about 'another normal day at Hogwarts'. This didn't seem SO bad... yet. The sign of death still had Toby on edge and he wasn't sure how comfortable he felt at being met in a classroom with a statement like that. What about all the littles? The first years and second years or sensitive older kids who might get upset? What about anyone who was affected by Gregoire's death last year, which was sure to be a lot of people? Toby didn't like it, not one bit.

Not long after he'd processed these thoughts, a patronus arrived. Because of, uh, recent events, this turned out to be exactly the opposite thing that would make Toby feel any better. He stared at it with a straight face as it spoke, only really half paying attention 'cause he was thinking about DADA again, and was still staring when he heard Eden speak again.



"Together?" he said, shaken out of his reverie and blinking at Eden, before remembering. Oh, right. RIGHT. Toby gave a decisive nod. "Together." It was always good to have a friend nearby in any case, and in lesson activities it was even better. He got his wand from its holster and proceeded through the trees with Eden...

... only to be met with LOCUSTS. UM. PLS.

At once he was batting them away, trying to protect his face and neck from being bitten (he understood the long sleeves now), and also to THINK. Eden was already getting the magic underway with the snake conjuring spell. Toby might have grinned at that if he weren't a little preoccupied.

"Uhh," the Hufflepuff responded, still madly batting at the insects in the air. "Birds? We could use Avis? Or the- puh, gross. Get out of my mouth, dude, I'M A VEGETARIAN." Yes. He was yelling at the swarming bugs, which only upped the chances of them flying into his gob. "The dragon spell? From last year? Did they eat things?"

He couldn't REMEMBER if Quigley had ever mentioned it. But... these things were starting to bug him (ha!), and they had to go. Even if it DID break Toby's heart to cast a spell to get them all eaten up. Circle of life, he told himself. Circle of life.

"How about you try the dragon one? And I'll do- PUH! Bugs, PLEASE -I'll do the birds." Okay? Okay. "Avis!" He cast the spell, and... nothing. Uh. Toby shook his wand, like it was a pen with the ink running low, and tried again. BIRD BIRD BIRD THINK OF THE BIRDS. "Avis!"

And a flock of birds appeared, huzzah! Would it work?