Chapter 1: Grudges and Bludgers
On a Hot summers day in June, Agitha Kuioph (or better preferred to be called Aggie) lay
on her back in her worn old bed staring out the window at a bird sitting on a distant branch. The
Place were she lay, she wished to be home, but unfortunately Happy Acre Falls Boarding School,
where she was confined to live during the summer was not her normal home. But a place her
parents sent her when they went on their journeys to castles, shipwrecks, and many other exciting
things that she was unable to attend because of her current age, Only being 11. Aggie was short
for her age, and many of the people at Happy Acre's were tall and teased her about her size.
Usually referring to her as, "short stuff" or "shortie" but she never revolted, as the Headmistress,
Mrs. Wannameger was mean and would expel her the minute she attempted to punch or in any
shape or form, harm them. She had long brown hair streaked with blonde, and wore hazel, square
glasses in front of dark blue eyes. At the moment, she was lost in though, wondering where her
mom and dad could be now. Although they sent letters periodically, they had no time to come by
for a cup of tea or to watch Aggie preform in plays or sports. They did love Aggie and did care
for her health, but had to make a living, and writing and traveling seemed to be their profession.
Suddenly someone burst in on her thoughts by coming into the girls dormitory.
"Hey, Aggie, were all going down to the pond for a bit of fishing, wanna come?" Said the
voice of one of her best friends Clowey Larson. Aggie who was anxious to do anything besides
laying on her bed all day, stood up.
"Sure," She said quickly putting up her hair into a pony tail. Clowey streaked out of the door.
Aggie ran out the door after Clowey.
"Hey, wait up, I'm not as fast as you!" Aggie yelled to Clowey. Clowey was one of the
fastest girls on the Happy Acres Track team. She was tall, with long red hair, that streaked out
behind her as she sprinted down the hallway of the school. She slowed down and waited for
Aggie, who was panting to catch up with her. Just as she was about to turn the corner of the hall,
she ran head-long into her other best friend, Piper Sybil. She, like Aggie, was short. But she had
thick dirty blonde hair.
"Oi! There you are Aggie! Been lookin' all over the school for you!" Piper said rubbing
her arm.
"Me and Clowey are going down to the lake to go fishing," Aggie replied "Wanna come
too." she said.
"Yea sure," Said Piper. The three of them headed down the long hallway talking and
laughing. They were about to exit into the entrance hall, when Mrs. Wannameger, A tall
menasing lady with jet black hair In a bun on the back of her head. Came out of her office, as if
expecting them.
"And where are you three going?" She asked as though each of them were about to rob a
high security vault at a bank.
"To the lake," Clowey said simply.
"Oh." She said scathingly.
"Aren't we allowed?" Asked Aggie sarcastically.
"Yes. Just don't stay out after dark," She said coldly turning her back on them and
walking back into her office. Aggie checked her watch and found that it was only 12:00pm.
"Oh, yes, I'm quite sure we'll be out there long after dark. As its only 12:00." She said
dryly. Piper and Clowey laughed. And opened the front doors to the school and exited into the
hot, muggy day. They made their way to the ground keepers shed and knocked on the peeling
wooden door. Aggie expected that at one time, the place used to be painted red, but most of the
paint had been peeled off by the many storms the place experienced. Inside the shack, they could
hear the scraping of a lock, and the door slowly opened to reveal an elderly man with a kindly
sun-burned face. He was wearing a floppy Khaki hat, the sleeves of his red shirt was rolled up to
his elbows. He was mopping his face with a rag from his back pocket . He was amongst the only
kind people in all of Happy Acres Boarding School. But the kids never learned his full name.
They only knew him as Mac.
"Oh 'ello there girls! Come to rent a fishing pole have you? Yup, loads of kids have
already rented them only got a few left." Mac said smiling at them.
"Thanks, we'll take three then," Said Aggie smiling. Mac retreated into the darkness of
the shack and returned a moment later with three shabby worn fishing poles and a box that
obviously held bait and the other necessities needed to fish. He handed the poles to each of them.
Clowey took the tackle box.
"That there is the last tackle box. Evry' ones cleaned me out. Oh wait! You'll need a net
won't you!" Said Mac scurrying back into the shack to retrieve a net.
"Well I suppose we'll be here all day won't we," laughed Clowey. Mac returned. The
smile on his face wider then ever. He handed Piper the net. They all waved at Mac calling their
thanks. Mac went back into his shack and shut the door tightly.
"So what do you reckon we'll catch today?" Piper asked them.
"Well I dunno, but I don't think much with all this lot here!" Said Clowey motioning to
the kids all gathered around the large lake. They stopped at the top of the hill and looked down at
the kids swimming, fishing, and making makeshift canoes to race across the lake with. Every kid
knew about the once a year there was a big canoe race in which kids craft a canoe from the things
they could find around the school. The runner of this race was of course, Mac, because
Wannameger would never allow such a thing to happen to the students of her school. And if it
wasn't for Mac, the students of the school would spend all day in school and would get no
outside interaction. Aggie, Clowey, and Piper all made their way down the sloping hill to the
lake. They found a comfortable patch of grass and loaded up their fishing rods and cast them into
the lake. They sat for many hours catching fish and laughing at the canoes people were
attempting to sail into the lake. In one case, one boy made it into the center into the lake, then his
large friend climbed into the canoe. But unfortunately, the canoe was unable to contain his
weight, so it rapidly began to fill with water. Both boys abandoned the sinking canoe and swam
to the shore. The one boy yelling at the larger boy. Curse words and insults floated across the
lake towards them. The girls successfully caught four fish. But since they were not allowed to
keep the fish, they had to return them each time they caught them. They returned their fishing
poles to Mac after they were very sunburned and were tiered of fishing. They made their way up
to the school to wash off, and get ready for dinner which was going to begin in 20 minutes.
"Wonder what's for dinner tonight?" Aggie asked.
'Hope its not that disgusting soup we had last night," Clowey said making a face
"I think mine had clam shells in it," Piper said as though she would rather not recall it.
"Well whatever it is, it has to be better then that meatloaf surprise we had that one night,"
Aggie said. They had just entered the school and was about to go up the stairs to the bathrooms
when they heard Wannameger's voice ring though the noisy entrance hall.
"Kuioph! Sybil! Over here now!" all of them stopped.
"Wonder what we've done now," Said Piper coldly
"Well I know I haven't done anything since that rubber chicken in her desk drawer,"
Aggie said smiling grimly.
"Well I'll see you in dinner then?" Clowey said waving
"See ya," Clowey And Aggie said together. They wove their way between the students
and came up to Wannameger who was looking rather ruffled.
"Do you know what these are?" She asked them coldly holding up two letters. In which
emerald ink glittered in the evening sun.
"Well to me they look like letters. But I may be wrong," Piper said trying to sound
clueless.
"Well of course their letters. What I'd like to know is why they were delivered by owls,"
Wannameger said coldly. She was obviously thinking that this was one of Aggie and Pipers
jokes. But they both stood there exchanging quizzical looks.
"I dunno," Said Aggie stupidly. "I don't know who delivers letters by owls," She said
thinking for one wild moment I might be from her mom and dad. But then, why would she be
sending a letter to Piper too? Sine Wannameger was unable to find anything wrong with the
letters, she handed them to Aggie and Piper. Written on the front of the letters was,
Agitha Z. Kuioph
784 Happy Acre Boarding School
Floor 4, Dormitory 2, Bed 5, Surrey
Aggie looked over at Pipers envelope and saw that hers was just as exact, but with her
name and bed instead. The entrance hall slowly emptied as Aggie and Piper ripped open their
letters. On the back, Aggie noticed a crest which was am H surrounded by a lion, badger, snake,
and raven. She ripped it off and pulled out yellowish parchment. She opened it and began to read,
Dear Miss Kuioph,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardy. Please notice the enclosed list of supplies needed for the upcoming
term. Term begins September the first, and will end June the 21st.
Sincerely,
Minerva M. McGonnagal
Deputy Headmistress
Aggie stared in bewilderment at the letter and re-read it several times. She looked over at
Piper who looked just as bewildered as she was.
"What do you think it could mean?" Piper asked. Aggie shrugged and pinched herself just
to make sure she hadn't fallen asleep by the lake and was now having a bizarre dream. It hurt
quite a bit, so she knew that she was indeed awake.
"I know what it means," Said a voice coming into the now empty entrance hall.
"Mac?" Aggie said looking up. "You know what it is? Is it a joke letter?" She asked him.
"I always knew you had it in you. The both of ya," He said laughing and coming up to
them. His hat now off revealing a large bald spot on the top of his head. "Yup, gotta letter just
like that some years ago. 'Round 11 just like you," Aggie and Piper stared at him. Neither of
them not having an inkling of what he was talking about.
"What are you talking about?" Aggie asked him. "You got a letter like this too?" She
said waving her own around.
"Yup. One just like that," he said.
"So what does it mean?" Piper asked him.
"It means, that both of you are going to the best school for witches and wizards in the
country," Mac said. They both gaped at him.
"So that means me–us–are–are witches?" Aggie gasped. Her eyes widening.
"Now yer startin' to catch on," Said Mac smiling even wider then ever.
"So that means, you, are a wizard?" said Piper hardly unable to believe it.
Mac, slowly stuck his hand into his pocket and withdrew a long piece of wood that could be
nothing but a wand. Aggie and Piper both stared at it as though it were some magnificent piece of
jewelry.
"Telligan!," Yelled Wannameger's curt voice For a second Aggie wasn't sure who she
was talking to. She looked wildly around the hall but saw no one else. The suddenly realized that
Wannameger was talking to Mac.
"Mr. Telligan put that thing away!" Yelled Wannameger as though Mac had just
withdrew some sort of deadly weapon and was about to murder the school with it.
"It's ony' a wand Shardy. Won't do anything 'till I tell it to," Said Mac soothingly
slipping it back into his pocket.
"I though I told you when you came to this school, that you were not allowed to show
anyone that! And especially showing it to them!" She said wildly pointing to Aggie and Piper. "Well," said Wannameger snottily, "You are in my care and therefore, I can rightfully say you are definitely not going."
"Says you," Piper said as she turned around and said over her shoulder as she walked into the hallway, "I'm going and if you have a problem with that you can kiss my—" SG stepped out in the hall with Piper and kicked the door closed before Piper could get her last word in.
Aggie retreated back up to the dormitory reading the letter over an over again. And as if in a dream-like state, she plopped back down onto her bed where she had been several hours before. After a while she seemed to have dropped the letter and was lost in deep though wondering why no one had ever told her before that she was a witch. Clowey came into the dormitory after dinner.
"Hey, Aggie, why weren't you at dinner," Clowey asked sitting on the corner of her bed.
"Oh, sorry!" Said aggie quickly sitting up suddenly "Is suppose I just forgot about it!" She said suddenly realizing that she was extremely hungry.
"Forgot? How could you forget about it?" Clowey asked raising her eyebrows. Aggie picked up her Hogwarts letter off the floor and handed it to Clowey. She scanned it quickly and handed it back to Aggie.
"And Piper got one too! Were going to Hogwarts together!" Said Aggie bouncing excitedly on her bed.
"Oh, yea, that's great," Clowey said with something of a grimace etching across her face.
"What's wrong? " Aggie asked suddenly frowning.
"Well its obvious isn't it?" Said Clowey coldly standing up suddenly.
"No, its not obvious. Sorry." Aggie said slowly.
"Well, that's always the way isn't it?" Clowey said. Now quite Hysterical. "You and Piper always going off on grand adventures. And me. Me Always getting left behind to watch your back or cover for you! And who's the one that always gets caught and thrown into detention? Me! While you and...and Piper, go and have fun laughing and joking!" Clowey yelled, her face now as red as her hair.
"Hey! Its not my fault that me and her got invited. Its not like I said, 'hey, make sure you don't invite Clowey!' " Aggie yelled back at her standing on the opposite side of her bed.
"Well I suppose you did didn't you?!" Clowey yelled.
"WHY ARE YOU BEING SO IDIOTIC?" said Aggie now absolutely screaming. " I NEVER SAID ANYTHING LIKE THAT!"
"FINE!" Clowey bellowed at her "GO OFF ON YOUR GRAND ADVENTURE ANS LEAVE ME HERE WITH WANNAMEGER!" And with that Clowey stomped out of the dormitory and slammed the door after her, making a painting of a previous headmaster fall to the floor and land face down. Aggie muttering furiously, picked the painting up,and chucked it out the opened window not even bothering to notice the loud cursing as the painting fell onto Wannameger herself as she roamed the grounds looking for straggelers.
On a Hot summers day in June, Agitha Kuioph (or better preferred to be called Aggie) lay
on her back in her worn old bed staring out the window at a bird sitting on a distant branch. The
Place were she lay, she wished to be home, but unfortunately Happy Acre Falls Boarding School,
where she was confined to live during the summer was not her normal home. But a place her
parents sent her when they went on their journeys to castles, shipwrecks, and many other exciting
things that she was unable to attend because of her current age, Only being 11. Aggie was short
for her age, and many of the people at Happy Acre's were tall and teased her about her size.
Usually referring to her as, "short stuff" or "shortie" but she never revolted, as the Headmistress,
Mrs. Wannameger was mean and would expel her the minute she attempted to punch or in any
shape or form, harm them. She had long brown hair streaked with blonde, and wore hazel, square
glasses in front of dark blue eyes. At the moment, she was lost in though, wondering where her
mom and dad could be now. Although they sent letters periodically, they had no time to come by
for a cup of tea or to watch Aggie preform in plays or sports. They did love Aggie and did care
for her health, but had to make a living, and writing and traveling seemed to be their profession.
Suddenly someone burst in on her thoughts by coming into the girls dormitory.
"Hey, Aggie, were all going down to the pond for a bit of fishing, wanna come?" Said the
voice of one of her best friends Clowey Larson. Aggie who was anxious to do anything besides
laying on her bed all day, stood up.
"Sure," She said quickly putting up her hair into a pony tail. Clowey streaked out of the door.
Aggie ran out the door after Clowey.
"Hey, wait up, I'm not as fast as you!" Aggie yelled to Clowey. Clowey was one of the
fastest girls on the Happy Acres Track team. She was tall, with long red hair, that streaked out
behind her as she sprinted down the hallway of the school. She slowed down and waited for
Aggie, who was panting to catch up with her. Just as she was about to turn the corner of the hall,
she ran head-long into her other best friend, Piper Sybil. She, like Aggie, was short. But she had
thick dirty blonde hair.
"Oi! There you are Aggie! Been lookin' all over the school for you!" Piper said rubbing
her arm.
"Me and Clowey are going down to the lake to go fishing," Aggie replied "Wanna come
too." she said.
"Yea sure," Said Piper. The three of them headed down the long hallway talking and
laughing. They were about to exit into the entrance hall, when Mrs. Wannameger, A tall
menasing lady with jet black hair In a bun on the back of her head. Came out of her office, as if
expecting them.
"And where are you three going?" She asked as though each of them were about to rob a
high security vault at a bank.
"To the lake," Clowey said simply.
"Oh." She said scathingly.
"Aren't we allowed?" Asked Aggie sarcastically.
"Yes. Just don't stay out after dark," She said coldly turning her back on them and
walking back into her office. Aggie checked her watch and found that it was only 12:00pm.
"Oh, yes, I'm quite sure we'll be out there long after dark. As its only 12:00." She said
dryly. Piper and Clowey laughed. And opened the front doors to the school and exited into the
hot, muggy day. They made their way to the ground keepers shed and knocked on the peeling
wooden door. Aggie expected that at one time, the place used to be painted red, but most of the
paint had been peeled off by the many storms the place experienced. Inside the shack, they could
hear the scraping of a lock, and the door slowly opened to reveal an elderly man with a kindly
sun-burned face. He was wearing a floppy Khaki hat, the sleeves of his red shirt was rolled up to
his elbows. He was mopping his face with a rag from his back pocket . He was amongst the only
kind people in all of Happy Acres Boarding School. But the kids never learned his full name.
They only knew him as Mac.
"Oh 'ello there girls! Come to rent a fishing pole have you? Yup, loads of kids have
already rented them only got a few left." Mac said smiling at them.
"Thanks, we'll take three then," Said Aggie smiling. Mac retreated into the darkness of
the shack and returned a moment later with three shabby worn fishing poles and a box that
obviously held bait and the other necessities needed to fish. He handed the poles to each of them.
Clowey took the tackle box.
"That there is the last tackle box. Evry' ones cleaned me out. Oh wait! You'll need a net
won't you!" Said Mac scurrying back into the shack to retrieve a net.
"Well I suppose we'll be here all day won't we," laughed Clowey. Mac returned. The
smile on his face wider then ever. He handed Piper the net. They all waved at Mac calling their
thanks. Mac went back into his shack and shut the door tightly.
"So what do you reckon we'll catch today?" Piper asked them.
"Well I dunno, but I don't think much with all this lot here!" Said Clowey motioning to
the kids all gathered around the large lake. They stopped at the top of the hill and looked down at
the kids swimming, fishing, and making makeshift canoes to race across the lake with. Every kid
knew about the once a year there was a big canoe race in which kids craft a canoe from the things
they could find around the school. The runner of this race was of course, Mac, because
Wannameger would never allow such a thing to happen to the students of her school. And if it
wasn't for Mac, the students of the school would spend all day in school and would get no
outside interaction. Aggie, Clowey, and Piper all made their way down the sloping hill to the
lake. They found a comfortable patch of grass and loaded up their fishing rods and cast them into
the lake. They sat for many hours catching fish and laughing at the canoes people were
attempting to sail into the lake. In one case, one boy made it into the center into the lake, then his
large friend climbed into the canoe. But unfortunately, the canoe was unable to contain his
weight, so it rapidly began to fill with water. Both boys abandoned the sinking canoe and swam
to the shore. The one boy yelling at the larger boy. Curse words and insults floated across the
lake towards them. The girls successfully caught four fish. But since they were not allowed to
keep the fish, they had to return them each time they caught them. They returned their fishing
poles to Mac after they were very sunburned and were tiered of fishing. They made their way up
to the school to wash off, and get ready for dinner which was going to begin in 20 minutes.
"Wonder what's for dinner tonight?" Aggie asked.
'Hope its not that disgusting soup we had last night," Clowey said making a face
"I think mine had clam shells in it," Piper said as though she would rather not recall it.
"Well whatever it is, it has to be better then that meatloaf surprise we had that one night,"
Aggie said. They had just entered the school and was about to go up the stairs to the bathrooms
when they heard Wannameger's voice ring though the noisy entrance hall.
"Kuioph! Sybil! Over here now!" all of them stopped.
"Wonder what we've done now," Said Piper coldly
"Well I know I haven't done anything since that rubber chicken in her desk drawer,"
Aggie said smiling grimly.
"Well I'll see you in dinner then?" Clowey said waving
"See ya," Clowey And Aggie said together. They wove their way between the students
and came up to Wannameger who was looking rather ruffled.
"Do you know what these are?" She asked them coldly holding up two letters. In which
emerald ink glittered in the evening sun.
"Well to me they look like letters. But I may be wrong," Piper said trying to sound
clueless.
"Well of course their letters. What I'd like to know is why they were delivered by owls,"
Wannameger said coldly. She was obviously thinking that this was one of Aggie and Pipers
jokes. But they both stood there exchanging quizzical looks.
"I dunno," Said Aggie stupidly. "I don't know who delivers letters by owls," She said
thinking for one wild moment I might be from her mom and dad. But then, why would she be
sending a letter to Piper too? Sine Wannameger was unable to find anything wrong with the
letters, she handed them to Aggie and Piper. Written on the front of the letters was,
Agitha Z. Kuioph
784 Happy Acre Boarding School
Floor 4, Dormitory 2, Bed 5, Surrey
Aggie looked over at Pipers envelope and saw that hers was just as exact, but with her
name and bed instead. The entrance hall slowly emptied as Aggie and Piper ripped open their
letters. On the back, Aggie noticed a crest which was am H surrounded by a lion, badger, snake,
and raven. She ripped it off and pulled out yellowish parchment. She opened it and began to read,
Dear Miss Kuioph,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardy. Please notice the enclosed list of supplies needed for the upcoming
term. Term begins September the first, and will end June the 21st.
Sincerely,
Minerva M. McGonnagal
Deputy Headmistress
Aggie stared in bewilderment at the letter and re-read it several times. She looked over at
Piper who looked just as bewildered as she was.
"What do you think it could mean?" Piper asked. Aggie shrugged and pinched herself just
to make sure she hadn't fallen asleep by the lake and was now having a bizarre dream. It hurt
quite a bit, so she knew that she was indeed awake.
"I know what it means," Said a voice coming into the now empty entrance hall.
"Mac?" Aggie said looking up. "You know what it is? Is it a joke letter?" She asked him.
"I always knew you had it in you. The both of ya," He said laughing and coming up to
them. His hat now off revealing a large bald spot on the top of his head. "Yup, gotta letter just
like that some years ago. 'Round 11 just like you," Aggie and Piper stared at him. Neither of
them not having an inkling of what he was talking about.
"What are you talking about?" Aggie asked him. "You got a letter like this too?" She
said waving her own around.
"Yup. One just like that," he said.
"So what does it mean?" Piper asked him.
"It means, that both of you are going to the best school for witches and wizards in the
country," Mac said. They both gaped at him.
"So that means me–us–are–are witches?" Aggie gasped. Her eyes widening.
"Now yer startin' to catch on," Said Mac smiling even wider then ever.
"So that means, you, are a wizard?" said Piper hardly unable to believe it.
Mac, slowly stuck his hand into his pocket and withdrew a long piece of wood that could be
nothing but a wand. Aggie and Piper both stared at it as though it were some magnificent piece of
jewelry.
"Telligan!," Yelled Wannameger's curt voice For a second Aggie wasn't sure who she
was talking to. She looked wildly around the hall but saw no one else. The suddenly realized that
Wannameger was talking to Mac.
"Mr. Telligan put that thing away!" Yelled Wannameger as though Mac had just
withdrew some sort of deadly weapon and was about to murder the school with it.
"It's ony' a wand Shardy. Won't do anything 'till I tell it to," Said Mac soothingly
slipping it back into his pocket.
"I though I told you when you came to this school, that you were not allowed to show
anyone that! And especially showing it to them!" She said wildly pointing to Aggie and Piper. "Well," said Wannameger snottily, "You are in my care and therefore, I can rightfully say you are definitely not going."
"Says you," Piper said as she turned around and said over her shoulder as she walked into the hallway, "I'm going and if you have a problem with that you can kiss my—" SG stepped out in the hall with Piper and kicked the door closed before Piper could get her last word in.
Aggie retreated back up to the dormitory reading the letter over an over again. And as if in a dream-like state, she plopped back down onto her bed where she had been several hours before. After a while she seemed to have dropped the letter and was lost in deep though wondering why no one had ever told her before that she was a witch. Clowey came into the dormitory after dinner.
"Hey, Aggie, why weren't you at dinner," Clowey asked sitting on the corner of her bed.
"Oh, sorry!" Said aggie quickly sitting up suddenly "Is suppose I just forgot about it!" She said suddenly realizing that she was extremely hungry.
"Forgot? How could you forget about it?" Clowey asked raising her eyebrows. Aggie picked up her Hogwarts letter off the floor and handed it to Clowey. She scanned it quickly and handed it back to Aggie.
"And Piper got one too! Were going to Hogwarts together!" Said Aggie bouncing excitedly on her bed.
"Oh, yea, that's great," Clowey said with something of a grimace etching across her face.
"What's wrong? " Aggie asked suddenly frowning.
"Well its obvious isn't it?" Said Clowey coldly standing up suddenly.
"No, its not obvious. Sorry." Aggie said slowly.
"Well, that's always the way isn't it?" Clowey said. Now quite Hysterical. "You and Piper always going off on grand adventures. And me. Me Always getting left behind to watch your back or cover for you! And who's the one that always gets caught and thrown into detention? Me! While you and...and Piper, go and have fun laughing and joking!" Clowey yelled, her face now as red as her hair.
"Hey! Its not my fault that me and her got invited. Its not like I said, 'hey, make sure you don't invite Clowey!' " Aggie yelled back at her standing on the opposite side of her bed.
"Well I suppose you did didn't you?!" Clowey yelled.
"WHY ARE YOU BEING SO IDIOTIC?" said Aggie now absolutely screaming. " I NEVER SAID ANYTHING LIKE THAT!"
"FINE!" Clowey bellowed at her "GO OFF ON YOUR GRAND ADVENTURE ANS LEAVE ME HERE WITH WANNAMEGER!" And with that Clowey stomped out of the dormitory and slammed the door after her, making a painting of a previous headmaster fall to the floor and land face down. Aggie muttering furiously, picked the painting up,and chucked it out the opened window not even bothering to notice the loud cursing as the painting fell onto Wannameger herself as she roamed the grounds looking for straggelers.