Through the thawing Ice

[Viktor Maximus]

<sub>The cold winter breeze was still clinging to the mother earths ground as Viktor made his way down from the school to the Black Lake. He had always remembered the place for being a soft haven for those that could not live on land; but his most favored thing within the area was the giant squid. He remembered within his mythological muggle class that taught him the certain things that the wizarding classes would not; that most mythological creatures were real at one point or still are. When he came to the school six long years ago; he remembered he saw the Giant Squid and almost tipped the boat over almost taking out two others in a panic. Now, walking to the water’s edge with a steel pail bucket filled with prawn to the brim; he felt like he was a pet instead of a monster. When he got the bodily movement of getting close to it; the monster wrapped a tentacle around Viktor and tossed him high in the air that almost made Vik scream like a girl when he was a second year but then the gentle giant caught him before letting him hit the water with a splash.

Going onto some of the thick iced area’s that were thawing away; it did not take long for the squid to notice it had a visitor. Tapping some of the thinned ice away with his doc martens; Vik poured a large chunk of the bucket through a small hole that soon gurgled with bubbles with one of its small tentacles squeezing through the small hole trying to find the source. Vik laughed heart-fully as he pulled his long black sweater sleeves up and kneeled down in his slacks; his deep red kingsale cloak billowed around him as the wind picked up making his fair skin a tint of red as if it was summer.

“Knot yet genteel...” Vik cooed to the giant through his somewhat thick French accent that was slowly washing away. Running a free finger on the slick surface of the animal; its tentacle slapped the ice which made Vik run for edge for the little ice that was left soon shattered, splashing water onto his thin frame glasses. Viewing the beast as it took the pail underwater and soon tossed its empty remain back towards Vik; his mix matched eyes glistened in the sun as he wiped away the remaining water droplets.</sub>

[Sarah Turner]

The winter was never Sarah's favorite time of year. The world seemed to be covered in ice everywhere she went. The cold air, the cold water, the cold emotions going around the castle. From the months of November to March Sarah would've preferred the world to be dead. Wrapping her winter cloak tighter around her, the girl tip-toed through the snow and made her way down to the Black Lake. Her long light brown hair was billowing in her wake, giving her a winter-goddess appearance. Her over-cloak then flapped open only to reveal her house robe and uniform which consisted of a woolen sweater, skirt, and stockings with the Gryffindor emblem on the chest. Pulling her cloak back around her she stopped suddenly as she realized that someone else was down at the lake - correction, on the lake. Puzzled, Sarah continued her way down to meet him.

Just as she was approaching the lake she watched as the boy, now obviously older than herself run off of the ice. Sarah gasped as she saw what he was running from - a giant tentacle. With his back to her, the boy could not see Sarah's excitement at the site of the creature. Striding over to the boy she stood beside him and gazed out at the middle of the lake where the tentacle had once been. "Was that-" She began, "Was that the Giant Squid?" Sarah looked up at the boy, who she now realized was a Hufflepuff and quite tall.

[Viktor Maximus]

<sup>As his heart jumped back into his lungs; he noticed a presence next to him with the same look and smile with a wondering question. He had stepped back to grab the pail that lay within the melting ice that crunched under his boots; he finally slipped on his cleaned glasses to get a better look of the girl that had a voice.

“Oui Mademoiselle; I chome here often to feedz the squid… It waz the only way I was able to over come moi fear” he said with a roll to all of his r’s and tried his best to keep his French away from his English. Though his words of Madame and Mademoiselle was never going to come out of his language when speaking to a female.

“Would yuv like to pet, genteel?” Viktor asked the girl as he looked for a different path to get to the water’s edge. It was common for many students to back away in fear from the animal but Vik hoped he could change it slowly so they would not torment the beast. It was not a good thing to anger it.</sup>

[Sarah Turner]

Sarah smiled as the boy spoke. His French accent was hard to understand, but because her father was from France, she was able to understand most of what he said. When she heard him ask if she wanted to go pet it her eyes got wider and her smile got bigger. "I'd love to." She said, not at all scared of the creature that lived in the lake. "I'm Sarah by the way. Sarah Turner." She thought it polite to introduce herself to the boy, even though he had yet to tell her his name.

[Viktor Maximus]

<sup>Viktor smiled as she said her name; his hand went out in a shake but kissed the top of her hand out of habit. “Very nice tu meet you, Madmoiselle Sarah. I am Viktor, Viktor Maxeemus.” He said as he went a head from where the stood and found a hunk of prawn that were left on a piece of broken ice; he stepped lightly on the edge where they stood before placing his whole weight on the somewhat thining ice.

“Come this way,” he said with a bekon to his hand for where he stood and would be right on the edge of the breaking ice in case it did give way. He could at least push the girl out of the way and not in the ice cold water.

Placing some of the prawn on the edge of the water his hand went under with it; though painful it was worth it. The cold water rushed around his wrist but he knew what he was doing once again and felt the gust of water rush up a little through some of the cracking ice that was floating away. A small tentacle came up again but slowly around his wrist and up some of his arm wetting some of his sleeve; he felt the cold silky texture of the beast around it and he pulled his hand up with the tentacle still around it. Seeing that the animal was not as small as it seemed to giants, he was able to stand straight up without hurting it.

“Here… though it would be easier during the summer for when the weather is warmer…” he said with his wrapped arm out as if he was asking her to take it to be walked down an isle.</sup>

[Sarah Turner]

Sarah blushed slightly as Viktor kissed her hand. She had never had anyone do that to her before. Of course it was traditional in France for a man to greet a woman this way, but it still made her feel welcome. As Viktor motioned for her to follow him, Sarah stepped lightly on the ice, trying hard not to place all of her weight in one spot for fear of falling through. As the boy bent down, she waited to see what would happen, her heart beating excitedly the whole time. A few moments passed and the water beneath the ice seemed to shake. Startled, Sarah took a step back and watched as Viktor stood up. Her eyes immediately fell upon his arm as she saw a giant tentacle wrapped around it. "Oh my." Sarah gasped, a smile crossing her face. Her immediate reaction was to take a step back, away from Viktor and the body part of the dangerous creature, but Sarah merely laughed and took another step forward, reaching her hand out. The tips of her cold fingers touched the slimy tentacle and she pulled her hand away quickly, looking up at Viktor for reassurance. Then, knowing that it was safe, Sarah placed her hand back on the Squid and her smile grew. It was then that she realized that the creature was actually quite gentle. "This is amazing." Sarah whispered completely to herself but it was audible enough for Viktor to hear.

[Viktor Maximus]

<sup>As the blushing girl came on to the ice he made sure with guiding eyes that he would do to make her comfortable he gave a reassuring smile as she gave a look of acceptance; he watched her pet the tentacle that continually moved time to time on the tip around his arm or on his body.

He gave a soft chuckle as the girl was a bit enveloped like he was with the animal when he was young; the gentle giant gurgled underneath to the feeling giving a slight tug to Viktor that gave little change to his balance. The ice below them bubbled with water as she petted the creature and Viktor did the same as his hand kept cupped under it.

“It iz… it took me so long to get the gutz to be eeven in the water; I was just man enough to get in ze water and he snatched me up and tossed me into the air…” he told the girl with a laugh at the end. He could tell the beast was getting cold so he kneeled down and placed the rest of the left over prawn in the water that gave the que for the beast to let go.

“I think ‘e likes you…” he said with a jokingly smirk as he wrapped his hand around the bottom of his sweater to wipe off the water and warm his hand back off.</sup>

[Sarah Turner]

Sarah gasped as Vik told her his story. "Wow. Were you scared?" She asked, looking back at where the tentacle had come from. Sarah moved her hand up to her neck where a silver moon amulet hung. Grabbing it, she began to rub it, feeling the cool metal beneath her fingers and the etching of the moon's face.

When Viktor said that the creature liked her she blushed again. Wow, she was loved by a giant squid. "Well, I love him too." She said, laughing before moving the weight from her left to her right foot. She felt quite uncomfortable on the ice, but didn't tell Viktor that. He seemed very content at where they were.

[Viktor Maximus]

<sup>As Viktor made his way off of the ice due to the feeling that he heard some of the cracking when he stepped near the edge it was best for the best of them that they should get off before the Squid decided to take a good look at his feeders and greeters.

“I was,” he responded to her asking. “I made myself look like a fool. Screamed like a girl and tried to scramble off but then it got fun… after I was finish screaming and failing like a twit.” Taking a moment to wait; he kneeled down without having his pants hit the ground. He gave a soft chuckle to the girl’s words but went silent looking at her.

“Well that is good if he was human or you a squid,” he said softly to her. “What brought you out of the school walls, Mademoiselle Sarah?” he asked out of curiosity.</sup>