Wild goose....er...dog chase?

Having decided that maybe, just maybe, Gil needed a bit more training, the Slytherin made sure to have the dog's leash in the pocket of his bomber jacket when leaving the dungeons. The Room of Requirement would have been the perfect place to have done the training, except the boy had yet to locate it. Oh, he heard all about it from the upper years or those that had found the room. Just as keeping the fact on how you were sorted via the Sorting Hat was kept mum, so was the hidden rooms and passages in the castle. Raven wasn't sure if it was a tradition or a test, or if it was just fun to watch the younger years flounder. Possibly a combination of all three. Either way, the fresh air would do him and Gil some good anyway, hence why they were on the grounds.

The once small puppy was now lean and grown with thick fur, but was still just as playful. Also just as prone to eating just about anything it could get in its' maw as wel. More than once he had to explain that his dog had actually eaten his homework. The professors didn't find that amusing and one had even suggested that he not crumple parchment balls and toss them for the dog to fetch. The boy had just given his professor a sneer and left. Sometimes adults could be just as bad as the students when making a lame joke. Although...the professor did have a point, since Raven sometimes did do that. But it really wasn't his fault! He would just get bored or frustrated and crumple up his work and throw it, missing the bin. Was it really his fault if Gil decided his owner was trying to play with him?

So far the walk from the castle to the grounds had been uninteresting with only the occassional side quest by Gil finding and chasing an animal or trailing after some scent that the dog found curious. Which from the looks of it, the dog had done once again. Gil's nose was near the ground and the dog was snuffling along. Looking around, Raven saw they were by the school's green houses which did not bode well. The Slytherin was struggling in that particular subject and didn't think he'd be able to identify what was and was not harmful. Not to mention toxic. And Gil liked to eat whatever he could. All Raven had to do was think back to the pot of healing balm his father had made him make and that the boy had carelessly left unattended. Gil had licked some of the paste and had been sick for a few days. That had not been fun.

Perhaps now was a good time for him to put the dog on the leash and teach him how to heel. "Gil! Come!"

Of course the mutt ignored him wanting to track down the source of whatever scent he had found. "Stupid mutt," Raven muttered pulling out the leash and heading for the dog. Ears swiveling towards the approaching boy, Gil raised his head, looked at Raven, gave a yip, and dashed off. Knowing that that particular bark meant that Gil had foudn the source of the scent, he groaned. This could not be good. Hopefully it wouldn't be a skunk. That hadn't been a pleasant experience either. Stupid tomato juice and soup to get the smell off was an old wife's tale! Thankfully the not wanting her house to smell like skunk over powered whatever else his mum might have thought to have her use magic to get the stink off him and Gil.

Not to mention who knew what kind of odd plants their professor might have around here. Or might grow naturually. Just look at the Whomping Willow! And that crazy tree wasn't even near the green houses! Growling almost like his dog, the boy took off after the dog. Seeing another person close by for whatever reason, he hollered, "Oy! Don't let him past!"

The latest copy issue of The Quibbler was situated proudly under her arm, as she made her way towards the Whomping Willow. Not many people knew that she was a descendant of Luna Lovegood, but it was a fact that she was only too happy to share. Many people said that she was quite like her late great grandmother, with the same aloofness, and thirst for knowledge.

They even said that she walked exactly like her too, though you really couldn’t call it a walk, it was more of a jump then anything. At present, she was trudging through the muddy ground of Hogwarts, slightly humming to herself. The Greenhouse not too far away caught her gaze, and she felt herself change direction towards it. She wasn’t a great Herbology student, but the different types of plants known to mankind intrigued her.

She heard a muffled growl from ahead – looking up, she saw as an animal headed straight for her. Stopping before her, the Ravenclaw bent down to her knees, smiling.

"Oy! Don't let him past!"

Seeing Gil stop having located the source of the scent or having picked up a newer and more interesting scent on the girl, Raven was able to catch up. The dog's nose was going a mile a minute as it sniffed at the girl's legs and the boy flushed because Gil was a typical dog. "GIL DOWN! You stupid mutt."

The dog looked ready to knock the girl down, and lapping affection on her with his tongue, tail going madly. Raven ran up and wrapped his arms around the dog's neck apologizing profusely. "I'm really sorry. I haven't trained him that well apparently."

Of course he seemed to like the Ravenclaw girl well enough even though he hadn't appeared to like a few of the Slytherin girls.

Securing the leash to Gil's collar and keeping a tight hold on it, Raven canted his head to the side. "Why are you wearing your uniform on an off day, if you don't mind me asking?"

She giggled as the dog licked her hands, and patted the dog affectionately, but it wasn’t long till the owner arrived and Phoebe straightened herself. The Ravenclaw was amused by how much of a fight the small dog was putting up, and cleared her throat. “Maybe you should let the dog go,” she said dreamily.

Her eyes had caught onto something else – the Whomping Willow in the distance – but her ears were still there, allowing her to hear the question the boy asked. Phoebe’s eyes first trailed to the boy before her, and then to her uniform, and smiled, “I believe that by wearing this uniform, I will feel much more at home”.

Cass thinks it's pitiful how people can't seem to look after their pets. Honestly, apart from the one mishap she had in the Park in London with Bradley, she hasn't had hardly any big trouble with the youngster. Well, he isn't exactly young but you don't want to say he's one of the other general age ranges. Bradley has never been one to take kindly to the mature and plainer aspects of him, both aesthetically and otherwise.

But when Raven swans in with his dog, she can't help but pull a condescending smile she doesn't understand the reason for pulling. It is something funny to watch though, and she continues to do so as she sees another girl approach.

Cass almost loosens her hold entirely of the three books she had neatly placed under the crook of her arm when she sees Gil galloping madly at the girl. "He has claws you know!" she said more to herself, with the exclamation gradually getting louder as she gathered her bearings and decided she had better make a run for it; besides, sitting out here, waiting for the actual want to read wasn't going to do her any good anyway. The rain looked much too promising for reading.

Furtively approaching around the rear of the two, she keeps her eye on Gil. While he's always been a good dog from what she's known (in which she means he hasn't killed anybody; Cass reasons that would make a very bad dog) she doesn't like to put her trust in dogs too much, although she hopes Gil doesn't know that and respond to that. She is terribly nice.

"Thought you'd walk back into your second year without a hullo did you?" she says warmly to Raven, although keeping her eyes on Gil. She nodded, trying not to look too surprised at the girl's unscathed hands and face (because really, how could she explain being surprised to her friend, the owner of the dog, and the girl who doesn't seem to be terrified of the dog). Scratching this down to her being a tad excited to see her buddy and overreacting, Cass pats the girl's shoulder and says, "nice. A girl ravenclaw. Haven't seen one of those around here in a while."

Getting Gil to cooperate was a bit of a handful. The dog kept pulling at his leash which kept jerking the boy forward and he had to use all the muscle which at the moment wasn't much since he was still growing, to keep the dog where he was. Since Raven was only twelve and not even gotten into his soon to be growth spurts, he refused to think he might stay the height he was forever, the dog was at his waist nearly as big if not bigger than himself when on hind legs and capable of knocking one over.

Pheobe Watson wrote:

“Maybe you should let the dog go."

Looking at the girl with wide brown eyes, Raven shook his head slowly. "I don't think that would be such a good idea..."

It was obvious the girl hadn't had any pets before. What the boy was curious about however was how she didn't seem to be afraid of Gil. Even when the dog was charging at her. Raven would have been very wary of a strange dog barreling towards him. Specially one as lean and lithe like Gil. Before he could remark about it however the girl answered his question, making him cant his head in even more confusion.

Phoebe Watson wrote:

“I believe that by wearing this uniform, I will feel much more at home”.

Why would she feel more at home wearing the uniform? Raven himself found them rather stiff and formal. He hated wearing them and loved when he was allowed to wear his own clothes and express himself that way. The uniform was just so drab and showed no personality. The boy disliked them just as he did having to wear his suits when his mum made him dress 'respectably' for events.

Gil tried to jerk away from him again, and Raven nearly lost his grip on the leash, seeing that the dog walked around him and nearly tangled him in said leash. The dog's happy bark and wagging tail, had him turn to where the mutt's attention was. Turning made him nearly fall from the leash about his legs. Disentangling himself and not letting go of the leash was a feat in and of itself since the mutt was trying to pounce the newcomer. A grin lit his face as he saw Pia. He chuckled at her greeting to him.

Cassopeia Marling wrote:

"Thought you'd walk back into your second year without a hullo did you?"

"I didn't mean to. I didn't see you on the train again. I was kind of a bit busy with him," Raven nodded at Gil. "He was in the luggage car causing a commotion."

No use trying to mention that the dog was probably just trying to play and hated to be cooped up as much as his owner did. Then again both had been a bit busy all year and hadn't had much chance of seeing the other. And over the summer both had things going on. One of which Raven was quite happy to have over and done with if he was completely honest with himself. This way maybe his mum would get back into the swing of things. It would be fun if he could have Pia help him chase off his mum's suitors.

When Pia mention the Ravenclaw girl, he smiled sheepishly. "Er, right. Introductions all around, yeah?"

There was something in the distance that wanted her attention, it was why, she found her eyes running back to the direction past the boy's head. As another human being joined them, Phoebe nodded once at the girl.

"Er, right. Introductions all around, yeah?"

The first year Ravenclaw decided that she needed to be first to get beyond the stranger relationship, if you could call it that, to something more that was a friendship from a name basis.

"Phoebe Watson, first year Ravenclaw, at your service," she said cheerfully..

"Yeah yeah, I bet it was," Cass says trying to narrow her eyes in what she hopes is a menacing fashion. "Let's just hope when Bradley asks Gil later and offers him a doggy treat or two the whole story doesn't come all spinning out. If you were fighting a troll and you didn't tell me you are going to be in so much bother," Cass finishes with a 'hmph'.

Cass smiles brightly at the Ravenclaw, glad her name wasn't russian. It wasn't that she looked russian or anything, but all day she had waved hello to people from Russia (she had later gone up to them and exchanged names) and she was quite sure something suspicious was going on. Either that or an exchange programme, but she was hoping it was the former.
"Service?" she repeats. "We have house-elves for that. Being a friend will do for me thanks. Oh yeah, I'm Cass. I'm a second year Hufflepuff." Cass points to the badge as if it's not plainly obvious, but snorts because she's just said she's a Hufflepuff and proven she is a Hufflepuff by pointing at a badge.
Cool story bro, tell it again.

The boy's lips twisted up into a half smirk, half smile at Pia's reply to why he hadn't said hello to her yet and nearly snorted. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind yeah?"

It was the truth too, Raven knew. The girl wouldn't let him hear the end of it if she thought he was trying to avoid her. Brown eyes going to the girl he'd just met and learning her name, he nodded. She seemed to be distracted by something. Maybe he was bothering her?

Looking away to keep from laughing when his friend pointed at the crest on her own robes Raven tried to sober up but couldn't hide the grin as he stated, "Raven Drake, Slytherin Second Year."

Making the mistake of releasing one hand from the leash to scratch his cheek when Gil decided to either take advantage of his human's distraction or caught another scent. The dog had somehow wrapped the leash around the boy's ankles again so when Gil too off, Raven discovered gravity did indeed work. The twelve year old went backwards to land roughly on his arse and back, the wind briefly driven from him connecting with the hard ground.

Since his natural reaction was to let go of anything he was holding and to try and stop his fall, Raven had let go of the leash. Unfortunately it was still tied somewhat around his ankles and was pulled along a few feet while the dog hauled him along. "GIL YOU STUPID MUTT! HEEL!"

Cass can't help but snort and try to hold it in when Raven gets himself wrapped in quite a pickle, or rather, is a pickle wrapped in some sort of problematic solid. Like, bread or something.

"And that, buddy," she says as she taps his shoulder and then folds her arms pointedly, "is why you should always appeal to my good side. Gil must be on my side at least," she says, beaming momentarily at Gil.

Grinning, and standing next to the Ravenclaw, she pulls a face at her like a 'what-is-he-like' sort of face and rolls her eyes. "I'd come and help you up but I'm sure a boy of twelve would be able to do something so mediocre as lifting himself from the floor.

Cass looks through her pocket for a few Froggie Treats and is glad to feel one squashed little oval sweetie. "Bradley!" she bellows unnecessarily loudly. "Come and get it!"
And doing an average throw over Raven's crumpled heap of dog and dog owner, Cass hurtles the Frog Treat, seeing a small green thing leap out of bushes and follow it obediently.

"He's a good little kid, that one is you know. Such a lovely little kid." Cass smiles, glad her pet is for once better than Raven's seems to be. Lucky lucky lucky.

Raven pouted when Pia declared that the stupid mutt was on her side and that was what he got for not hanging out with her essentially. Why did Gil seem to like girls more than him? Well, actually the boy hadn't really known Gil to really like anyone apart from himself and Pia actually. So it was rather strange his sudden complete liking of the Ravenclaw girl. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Raven griped. "We all know that pets fall in line for the awesomeness that is you, Pia."

It was true. All one had to do was look at the odd pet that was named Bradley to see that. Speaking of the devil... As boy and dog were trying to get untangled, well, Raven was trying to while Gil seemed to want to run after the treat Pia threw. The Slytherin was tempted to cast a mock glare at his friend, but resisted since his concentration was disentangling himself from the leash.

When he got that worked out, he made sure to keep both hands on the dog's leash as he stood. He'd have to wait to get the grass and bits of mud off his clothes until he was inside and either was able to loose Gil so he could brush himself off and change. Or, he could find a professor and have them use the cleaning charm on him. It was nowhere near a substitution for actually washing your clothes, but at least it helped keep your dignity.

Pretending to frown and be put out, Raven arched a brow and asked, "Who you callin a little kid? Bradley? I would hardly call him little or a kid." The toad was all grown up. Unless there was another name for a toad when it got old?

"I wouldn't say they fall in line, because that would be presuming I make them do it. I don't make friends with animals on purpose, you know!" Which was true, because some animals of the furry variety really creeped her out, and at first she had only been nice to Gil because of his owner being her friend. Now she had known him, she'd decided he wasn't too bad, and not too bad would have to do.

Bradley slunk back, and Cass can plainly see how triumphant Bradley is, showing the Toady treat on his long tongue. "And there's more where that came from you know, if you're good," she says sweetly.

Smirking, Cass says, "looks like Gil's been giving you a little bit of trouble here. Maybe you should have invested your time in slimeball like Bradley." Following a fast look over her shoulder to him, she adds, "and you know I meant that in a good way!"

Throwing another treat off her shoulder, Cass shakes her head and flicks it back, surprised. "No, I wasn't. I meant that about you," she rolled her eyes and laughed. "Phoebe needs to know you aren't completely mad, is all."

Phoebe watched in awe at the happenings around, the conversation of her two acquaintances and then the talk about pets. She supposed that the dog was acting quite weird to a few she had seen before, and spoke up, "Possibly his being affected by the Wrackspurts, I thought I could feel their presence".

Phoebe couldn't help but wonder how long the Hufflepuff girl and Slytherin boy had been friends, though guessing both were in second year might answer it.

Walking towards the Hufflepuff girl, she outstretched out her hand, and smiled, "Could I hold Bradley?" She was sure that she had never held a toad before, and she was mesmerised by the being. Perhaps the toad was what had been catching her gaze for the past few minutes, after all, she had been looking past the girl's shoulder.

"You're honestly better off asking him. I don't own him, moreover, he owns me and I just yell at him." She turns around to spot the little blighter. Wherever he is, he's making that Merlin Awful chomping sound he's so renowned for. Not in the slightest bit tasteful Bradley, really.

"I think his eating ritual is yet to be finished but you're welcome to go and find him," she says wryly. "And I promise, his ritual doesn't involve ripping heads off.. human heads, anyway."

Cass can't help but wonder what Bradley is like towards new people after eating. It's always been a sad part of the day for him as one of his regulated treats are eaten away by yours truly. At first Cass said that with strangers he'd been sad and kept away, but that was proved wrong the last time they both had met someone. So what was it going to be, Bradley?

Nodding to Phoebe giving her permission from her- not that she needed it from Cass, of course- and faced Raven again.

Raven looked at the strange Ravenclaw and stared at her as if he wasn't sure if she was quite all there in the head. Having been friends with Pia for so long he'd heard of some pretty bizarre things. Never once however had he heard of these things the other girl was talking about. "Wrackspurts? And who's being affected by them?"

Neither he, Gil, or even Bradley for that matter were acting odd in Raven's opinion. "And how would you know? We've just met."

Quite sure the girl was a bit addled in the mind, the boy shook his head with a bit of a scowl. Looking back to his friend he couldn't help but grin. "Well of course its the pets who own the humans. If they didn't like us they would have disappeared and found themselves new humans awhile ago."

Grinning from ear to ear he added, "Of course I don't fancy Bradley would be getting many offers for a home if they knew he was a gladiator toad."

The Slytherin couldn't help it. He had to tease Pia.

Phoebe smiled taking the toad into her hands, she couldn't help but gasp in delight. The creature was beautiful in her opinion, and there was nothing more to it then that. She had to remember to tell her daddy to get a toad for her birthday or Christmas, it seemed high time that she had a permanent companion.

Handing back Bradley to its owner, she decided that it was high time she continued on to her original destination. "I shall get going," she said, "I have a few things on my hands that need to be done".

With a nod, she skipped off in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, not once turning to look back at her new acquaintances.

"The pets choose the people," conceeded Cass agreeing with Raven, "Hear hear on Bradley's account! I wouldn't get a moment's peace if I didn't agree with you there."
Cass' eyes bulge in a very Bradley and un-lady like way. "He's not a gladiator, is he?" She looks back at her toad and can't help but picture him in the gladiator she-bang. It's a hard thing to picture, even though her mind does very good mind-pictures, but Cass can't help but think that Bradley wouldn't like a gold metal skirt.

"Where-I- oh, okay, Miss Watson," she said, her hands opening quickly to catch Bradley as the Raven dropped him in front of her chest. Flustered, Cass couldn't help but blush, feeling she must have said something and not noticed. No bother, if the girl had really been upset by any of Cass' actions, Cass was foolishly sure that Phoebe would have voiced her upset.

"Is he really a gladiator toad?" says Cass in a small voice. Truth be told, once Cass had thought he looked like A fire toad. But now she isn't sure. His skin does change every now and again.