21 Later that Friday
So she'd been wrong about getting in trouble at the lake. They most certainly did. Yet, Noelle thought to herself, they may not have had there not been an issue with the grindylows. Not only that, but the group had missed dinner and now sat in Professor McGonagall's classroom, dripping water as she looked down at them all.
Luckily no one had been seriously injured, just a few bruises here and there where they'd been tossed by the giant squid or grabbed by a grindylow. Noelle felt her pride more bruised than anything while her teacher showed her obvious disappointment in them all. Kade was the only one not among them as he wasn't in trouble for remaining on the docks.
"You all could have been killed! I hope you understand that there will be consequences to be paid." She pursed her lips. "All of the creatures are more aggressive since the past few years events. Does it have something to do with His return I wonder… They're lucky they weren't hurt." Noelle realized the teacher wasn't disappointed so much as she was worried about them.
"Yes ma'am." She replied, hoping to ease her mind somewhat and redeem herself as well. "We were lucky the squid saved us when he did."
She nodded emphatically. "Very lucky Ms. Lestrange. You all will spend the next week after classes helping Hagrid with whatever oddities he needs assistance."
Noelle didn't consider this to be much of a punishment, but she wasn't going to correct McGonagall when she looked forwards to working with the half-giant. And, judging from some of the stifled groans around her, apparently others did consider it be a bad thing. Still, they all nodded and agreed until she let them all go, dismissing them to their dorms.
Noelle left the classroom, wringing her hair out as she went and walking stiffly due to her cold, wet clothes. She planned on a long hot shower and a warm bed for the night after the evening's events. As she walked by a corridor, she felt a tap on her shoulder and she had to stifle a shriek as she realized it was Kade.
"Gosh." She put a hand to her head. "Don't do that after today." She admonished.
"Sorry! I just wanted to know what happened."
Noelle couldn't blame him. A lot had transpired since she'd left him on the docks. She looked around to make sure no teachers were nearby and then pointed out a bench in the corridor. Together they sat and Noelle regretted it, the cold of her pants sending shivers through her body.
"Let's make this quick. It's almost curfew."
He nodded. "So what happened? Are you in trouble?"
She shook her head and then nodded. "Yes and no. We're in trouble and being 'punished' if you will, but I suspect it's more to do with McGonagall being worried to death about her students safety, and by punishing us, she's inadvertently keeping us safe when we could be out getting into more trouble." She paused before continuing. "Anyhow. Under the water, everything was going great. We saw the giant squid and all the fish and everyone was having a good time. But then, one of the other girls got grabbed by grindylows."
"Those creatures you were talking about on our way to the docks?"
"Yeah. She was being pulled deeper and deeper and honestly? I don't know what would have happened to her if we hadn't been there. At least with the triwizard tournament the teachers would have pulled her out. But, Azraeyn, Yori, that other guy, and I all went after her and there was whole underwater battle scene playing out. Just as I thought we weren't going to make it, granted, not because we weren't kicking butt, the giant squid latched onto each of us in turn and threw us back at the docks, saving us. Hopefully it knew we could then stop ourselves before becoming human pancakes." She winded down, watching for his response.
He looked amazed. "I missed a lot."
She smirked lightly. "Glad you stayed on the docks?"
He nodded. "Definitely."
She stood. "Now, if you don't mind, I really need a shower and some sleep. I'm cold and exhausted and I have my lesson with-" She stopped, forgetting he knew nothing of her lessons with Queenie yet. When he looked at her strangely she rolled her eyes and laughed. "Right, forgot tomorrows Saturday. No lessons. But still, some rest would be nice. See you tomorrow!"
She felt him watching her as she went and she tried to ignore it, heading for the dungeons. Eventually she would tell her other friends about her legilimency, but that wasn't high on her priority list at the moment, and she still wasn't sure she was ready for the responses she might get.