It was good that they were getting off the Dementor topic, because thinking about that and the ice cream had started to give Toby the shivers, and even though he'd brought it up, thinking about patronuses was making him feel icky too.

But yes. YES. The healer thing... Toby had been a touch apprehensive about sharing all that once the words had come out of his mouth, but he needn't have worried. Culloden was always super cool about things, and this was no exception. Toby smiled at his response, still flipping the pages of his textbook with the edge of his thumb.

"I mean... I think I'll... think about it, y'know?" he said, unable to keep himself from imagining an eventuality where he did go on to do healer studies at WU, and did well, and became a Healer AND a professional Quidditch player. Maybe it seemed like a lot for one person to do, maybe even it was impossible, but you weren't allowed to say that something was impossible without trying it first. Still, Toby knew for sure that he needed a good, long break from school things, at least for a little while. Get in the air. Clear his head. "Everyone's always telling me how much potential I have. I don't want to let anyone down by not using it, y'know what I mean?" Wanting to please everyone was very difficult now Toby was this age, about to leave school and do his own thing. Mainly he wanted to have fun, but every time someone suggested he do this or that, he felt guilty for not wanting it or going for it.

But. Yeah. THINGS. Things he wasn't going to dwell on.

"I guess I still got a bunch of time. I'll see how Quidditch goes first." Toby suddenly broke out into a super wide grin. "Hey, if I get onto a team, I'll send you tickets for a game, and tons of merch and stuff. When West... West Odessa... when he first started playing Pro Quidditch I got a bunch of merchandise from him, and some of my other friends, too. So I bet I can do that for other people." Was he getting ahead of himself here? Probably. But Toby was EXCITED. He wanted to send people all sorts of free stuff.

Cosgrach nodded reassuringly. Toby would think about it, got it. It wasn't an easy thing to decide your future at all, and everyone needed some time for it. And... oh... Cosgrach regretted mentioning the word 'potential'. "What's important is, what you think you're best at," he said, "don't worry about others, yeah?" Yeah. Cosgrach would love Toby the same if he became a Quidditch player too (actually more if - EHEHEHE, TICKETS to the games! Toby read his mind!).

"You..." he shook his index finger at the boy as if he'd caught him doing something he shouldn't be doing, but he was grinning from ear to ear. "You know how to speak Cosgrach." Free tickets and merchandise! Who wouldn't want it!? "Definitely try Quidditch first, then become a Healer. I need tickets now and a healer when I'm older." He laughed.

Not selfish at all. HEHE.

Well see that was a WHOLE 'NOTHER THING, now, wasn't it? Toby didn't have a high enough opinion of himself to consider that he was THAT great at anything, just had a lot of luck and enjoyed having fun, and happened to fluke out into seeming like he had some sort of talent. But instead of mentioning that, because that was too negative and Toby was done with saying negative things, he just grinned at Culloden, and gave an enthusiastic nod. "Yeah, exactly." Nodnod. "I'll just... go with the flow. Gonnna just do what's fun." Whiiiiiich was to play Quidditch! "Do what makes me happy." WHICH WAS TO PLAY QUIDDITCH.

Ahem.

Toby's grin got even wider, if possible, because it seemed as though he'd said exactly the right thing. Then he couldn't help himself, he burst out laughing. Mainly because what Culloden said was FUNNY, but also because he was just happy. "Oh yeah," he giggled. "I'm fluent in Cosgrach." Ehehehehe. "Sounds like a plan then, sir." And then, even though that was already the plan, Toby held his hand out to shake on it, as though they'd made an actual proper contractual agreement.

Yeah, what Toby said! Cosgrah smiled at the boy. Do what made him happy, exactly.

Except as long as it made this man happy too hehe. (Just kidding. As long as Toby was happy. The kid deserved it.)

"Deal!" he exclaimed as he shook his hand in all seriousness, then... looked at him half sadly, half proudly.

"Gonna miss ya, kid. You take care." Because did Toby really think Culloden would send him away without any feelings?

Toby wasn't entirely sure what that look meant, but he'd already clocked that there were some mixed feelings purely from the vibes he was getting. Sad vibes, but not altogether distraught. Sad and good. Sadgood. Goodsad. Or something.

"I will," he replied, giving a small and kinda sorta sad but no less genuine smile. Because HE was happy he was leaving, finally graduating, but there were still other feelings that were more difficult to process, that conflicted with the happiness of getting out of here. Because he was leaving people, places, and things, behind. It was a part of life, though, he'd decided. This must have been how Ella had felt when she'd left, and Merlin knew Toby understood what it would be like to stay behind. "And you take care too, sir. Don't go getting caught up in any Hogwarts craziness if you can help it." He left it unsaid, the request that Culloden keep an eye on Soph and look after her and ensure she was happy and safe and everything. Because he knew it didn't need to be said, because Culloden would do that anyway. Same for Kyroh, now he thought of it.

And... wow, he really was leaving a lot behind. Probably... easiest not to think about that for the moment.

"I'll write, too. Keep you updated and all. If that's okay?" Toby had plans to stay in touch with plenty of professors and students, and of course the Potions Master was right at the top of that list.

Cosgrach was somewhat relieved then that Toby did say he would take care of himself. He trusted the kid in that. He would keep his promises.

And those unsaid things were understood. Of course he would take care of Sophie and Kyroh. Everyone, really. Hogwarts kds had jinxed him and got into his heart and he didn't know how to get rid of this over-caring.

He would write? Cosgravh smiled brightly. "Please do," he said, because he wanted to know how Toby fared in life. "Don't forget the free tickets too." Hehehe. This was only a joke. Toby would understand.

Bigger smiles from Toby again now. He grinned to himself and leaned back against the tree again, flipping the pages of his textbook again, more for something to do with his hands than anything else.

"You got it, Professor. The best seats for you, right?" Culloden may have been joking, but Toby absolutely meant it. He was quite happy to provide, even if it meant buying the tickets first himself, and then passing them along. Did players even get many tickets to hand out? WHO CARES. HE'D BUY THEM. "It'll be wicked, just you wait."

Maybe that last statement was Toby talking to himself, as well as to the professor.

Toby was flipping the pages of his book... okay, Cosgrach got the message. Conversation over!

"I knew I could count on ya," he said cheerfully. 'Best seats' was right. Toby was a bright kid, wasn't he? Hehehe.

"Bet it will," he said, "you'll be marvellous. I'm sure." And therefore, the team would be great too. Hopefully Toby would go to a team he liked, though. He didn't want to clap the rivals, tyvm.

"I should leave you to your DADA book, then," he said as he got up--HIS KNEES HIS KNEES OWWWW--"see ya around." Like, until he left.

Better not to think about that...

"Always, Professor." Like, he could always count on Toby. Because Toby was very dependable, or so he liked to think. Whether that was true or not depended entirely on the person who was, well, y'know... doing the depending.

But, d'aww. Here was Culloden, bigging Toby up, and Toby found himself wanting to deflect the compliments. But sometimes people got unhappy when he tried to do that, so he didn't.

"Thanks, sir. I sure hope so," was all he said, still as grinny as ever. "Alright, yeah, sure." GOSH. DADA study. Oops. He'd forgotten he'd come out here to do that. Rahh. NEWTs. Talk about coming back to reality with a crash. "I'll come see you again soon, yeah?" To chat or talk about Potions things in preparation for NEWT stuff or just to hang out or whatever. Maybe he'd borrow a book, which was a big deal, because Toby couldn't always spare the concentration to read extra books unless he was really into something. Like potions. Or other subjects. Or Quidditch.

Or cows.

"So yep. Definitely see you around."

Many more times before term was over, oh yes.