 not quoting but there's mentions of PEOPLE HERE (bentley & co, aldous, char, davie) Lovely™ | Captain Hurted | Ariana's Bane | Resident Antagonist | Unparalleled Delight
Some were in a boat already, including Bentley, a boy Daxton had met in Diagon Alley the day Char had stolen his card. He watched that group for a moment, trying to get a read on just how reliable these wooden death traps were, but it was impossible to say for sure.
At first, Daxton could see why it might be wise to find out the maximum capacity of these boats, but in actuality all the first years differed in height and weight, and considering they were all reasonably small to start with, a little difference might just make... well, a big difference. He wanted the maximum capacity provided in proper measurements. Pounds or kilos, it didn't matter which, as long as it was precise. Not something so vague and unreliable as 'four to a boat'.
Daxton took a look at the kid next to him. Taking a different boat would be a good idea, but for two things: 1. Daxton wasn't getting into a boat at all, and 2. if he was, he wasn't planning on sharing with anyone, especially someone he didn't know. What exactly would stop this other boy from trying to knock Daxton out, or rock the boat and tip it over?
... Char was here. It was impossible not to notice her as she dashed past him, all but yelling about those assassins again (Daxton cast another suspicious look at the boy next to him). She jumped right into the nearest boat, proving him absolutely correct in his worries about them rocking and tipping. What the... she was even bouncing while sitting inside.
Daxton deadpanned. The mere thought of sitting in a boat with Char sent literal shivers through him. If he had to ride in a boat with her, he knew that this would be the end. He would die tonight, crossing this lake. He wouldn't even know what House he'd have been sorted into.
A sudden thought struck Daxton. If he didn't get on a boat, did that mean that he wouldn't get to go to Hogwarts? Before he could ruminated on that for very long, the shore began to fill up with more first years swarming towards the remaining boats. Daxton took an instinctive step towards the boat that Char and Davie were in and away from the children he did not recognise, but still didn't climb aboard. He couldn't even claim an empty boat, because someone would definitely join him.
Daxton just stood there, by Char and Davie's boat and the possible assassin but still very much on the shore, not knowing quite how to solve this dilemma.
And Bentley was taking pictures.
Of course he was. |