Black Lake

These rps take place at the Black Lake at Hogwarts.

## Lily & Ashley

*August 10-13, 2012*

Lily would be floating in the lake, thinking about her last training session with Sabrina.

Ashley spotted Lily and walked toward her. She would be in a green-and-black sportskini. "Same idea, huh?" Ashley called as she waded in.

Lily would be wearing a blue and light green one-piece. "Apparently so. ...water's pretty cold, but after you've been in it a bit, it's rather nice."

Ashley waded in until she was beside her. "I don't mind the cold. So, how's your training going?"

She would sigh. "Horrible. Yours?"

"Good. What happened with yours? Do you have Sabrina now too?"

Lily would nod. "Yeah...and I just can't seem t'ah get tha hang of occlumency. I can hide m'ah memories, but my emotions jus' seem t'ah run rampet."

Ashley ducked underwater and did a flip. Breaking the surface, she said, "Well, you're usually way better at figuring out other people's feelings than hiding your own, so it's not surprising."

Lily would dive under, letting the water flow around her, and ease her frustration. When she came back up, she would shrug. "I guess...it's just really frustrating. I've tried and tried, an' jus' can't seem t'ah get it. If I can't figure it out, they might not let me go wit' ya' to tha' next WHPS meetin'."

"Nonsense! Remember what Kinsel said: you have to go now. And you've made some progress; you can hide your memories, right? So for example, say you're feeling frustrated when someone performs Legilimency on you; how can they know what you're feeling frustrated about if the memory is hidden?"

"Yeah...I guess. ...I jus' wouldn't wanna' put you at risk if I couldn't control myself, ya' know?"

"That's why we're learning escape training too, right?" Ashley said with a smile. "Cheer up, it'll be okay." Inspiration struck her. "You know, we really are opposites... same amount of strength, but different strength... maybe if you're not good at Occlumency, you're good at Legilimency."

Lily would look throughtful. "Hmm....maybe. Still....that's a dangerous skill. I'm not sure I'd use it even if I was good at it. ...an somehow I don't think any of the Profs would be winnin' t'ah teach it to me." She would begin floating on her back, relaxing on the surface.

Ashley shrugged and floated on her back also. "What about your other training?"

Lily would frown. "What other training? I spent our whole last session trying to get my emotions under control..."

"You didn't get to spying techniques?" Ashley asked, disappointed.

Lily would shake her head. "No...why, what did you learn?"

"Not much, honestly. We talked about disguises, which is useful but not in our case. We're going to have to go as ourselves anyway to these meetings."

Lily would nod. She had figured as much. She would splash some water as Ashley, grinning.

Ashley ducked underwater, then kicked a large splash of water at Lily's face.

She would get a facefull of water. "Hey!" She would jump on Ashley, attempting to force her under the water.

Ashley would be forced underwater, but, grinning, she used her arm to sweep Lily's feet out from under her and unbalance her.

Lily would see Ashley trying to trip her, and jump over the arm, but she when she landed, she would slip and trip back into the water anyways.

Ashley laughed. "I wonder what the oldies do for fun. Like Kinsel and Brandon and Euclide. Bet you they don't go swimming."

Lily would laugh, sitting in the water where she fell. "I bet not...but Euclide has a wife, so he has to spend some time with her I suppose, and Brandon has all his family. I wonder what Kinsel does..."

"Didn't he used to have a wife?" Ashley asked. "I thought I heard some kind of rumor about that...."

"No clue...I thought he used ta'h be an auror...but I don't know anythin' about him other than that..."

"Well, he certainly knows how to keep his past to himself," Ashley countered. "Maybe I'll ask him someday, assuming we get out of this hell."

She would nod. "Than again....maybe we dont' want to know...I wonder if he would even tell us."

"Well, he can't curse us just for asking." Ashley dived under the water and kept her eyes open, looking at all the seashells under her feet. She grabbed a pretty golden-red one and broke the surface. "Reminds you of Gryffindor, doesn't it?" she asked, handing it to her.

She would nod. "It does." She would take the shell. "I wonder if we could find enough shells to make something..."

"Well, there are plenty of shells down there... just not a lot of real pretty ones." Ashley dived under again, looking around until she spotted something she hadn't seen in years. She picked it up and broke the surface again. "Ever seen this?" she asked Lily, holding up the object. It was smooth, green glass.

Lily would frown. "No...what is it?"

"It's called sea glass. It's basically a piece of glass that's been in the lake for years and years, so it's gotten warn down by the water. It's not even sharp. Clear is the most common, brown and green are in the middle, and blue is rare. I used to collect them when I was younger."

"Huh...I've nev'ah heard of it."

Ashley smiled. "Well, here's your first piece of seaglass," she said, handing it to her.

Lily would take it. "Thanks Ash." She would put it on the shore. "So...how is your trainin' goin'? You gettin' Occlumency?"

"It's going pretty well for the most part. The first time, I forced Sabrina back quick enough, but I still can't seem to push it out and keep my footing at the same time."

Lily would nod. "Yeah...I ended up sore all over from hitting tha' ground too. I still wonder if Sabrina is really on our side."

"I think that you were right with your first assumption: she's on her own side. She'll help whichever side, whichever one benefits her most."

Lily would nod. "I just hope she ends up helping us...or at least not hurting us. ...though I guess I'm greatful she's teaching us."

"I can't imagine anyone better to teach us," Ashley agreed. She looked around. "This reminds me of when I went into the lake with Albus... though of course he's ancient history now." Ashley went back to floating on her back, watching the clouds.

Lily would frown. "Oh yeah, I forgot about him...whatever happened to you two?"

"He had to transfer schools, so I broke it off. I don't do long-distance relationships, and right now I don't want a relationship at all. Too much stuff going on... and I know I'd be tempted to talk about the Order, which I can't."

Lily would nod, thinking about how much she would like to have a boyfriend.

"Do you like anyone right now?" Ashley asked.

Lily would blush a little, then shrug and shake her head. "No, not really."

Ashley gave Lily a little splash. "Come on, there's usually *someone*," she said, smiling mischievously.

She would blush again. "Well, I DO think Maurice is pretty hot...but he's a little old for me I think..."

Ashley laughed. "I knew it! But he can't be *that* much older than you... maybe early 20s, if that."

Lily would smile shyly, then look fierce. "You can't tell ANYONE...alright?"

Ashley laughed. "You know me." Ashley's face suddenly darkened. "Do you think that Kinsel's been able to do anything about James with everything going on?"

Her face would darken too. "I don't know. I would hope so...but with everything going on I guess it's probably too much to ask of him. Maybe we could ask Prof Euclide though..."

"Yeah, he would probably tell us what's going on." Ashley dived under the water again, and let herself sink until she was lying on the seabed. She closed her eyes and slowly breathed out to compose herself, bubbles rising to the surface.

Lily would dive under too, watching Ashley. It was so peaceful under the water. Lily wondered if maybe people could live under the water, like the merpeople, and have this...tranquility. Then she would frown, realizing they would just mess it up. She would head back to the surface with a sigh, letting out the rest of her air.

Ashley's face broke the surface. "I guess we'd better get out before we miss dinner," she said.

Lily would nod. "Yesh...this was nice though ya'know? Well...back t'ah school I guess...an trainin'."