CLASS: Winter Term -- Muggle Studies (Mimosa & Squid Boy)

Mercy wasn't coming back.

The realization had been solidifying slowly from the start of term but it had really hit home at the first match of the season. Seeing the reserve chaser fill on for her missing best friend had made Mimosa want to cry, blurring her vision as she flew up with the rest of the team.

That night, the fourteen year old had done something she never thought she would again. Perhaps it was because she missed the older Gryffindor too much, perhaps it was because her Jacques had just left, but she really didn't want to be in a crowd or alone. So on timid feet, Mimosa had made her way to the fifth year boys' dormitory and curled up in Squid Boy's bed. He didn't smell like her Jacques but at least he smelled like a boy. And later, when he came in and saw her, he had gotten into bed and cuddled her.

That had felt nice.

After that, she and Squid Boy had hanging out a lot more. The young witch didn't mind slipping her hand in his whenever they were out and she certainly didn't mind going to classes, prefect duties and Quidditch practice with him. To his credit, he didn't try anything other than hand holding which was also really nice because she didn't want to do anything else.

Except look around corners just in case Mercy decided to return.

But that hope was fading more and more as each day passed.

It was almost Christmas and the whole castle was busy. Fifth years were exempted from decoration duties because they had to study but fifth year prefects were not given such a privilege. it was for the best really as Mimosa didn't need to study, she was sill as smart as ever without even trying.

It was in the third week of December, one of their last classes for the winter term, that Catherine had come running to announce the guest professor for Muggle Studies had brought horses with him. The entire group of fifth year Slytherins trying to work out which classes to go to next week had sealed the deal right then. As a result, Mimosa, Squid Boy, Charles, Catherine, Constance, Ji Hyun, Karan, Lilac and the rest were all walking in a group down to the grounds where the little Muggle farm had been set up. For the first time in ages, Mimosa was excited. She had been riding the horses at the palace during summer and missed them now. This would be a good chance to demonstrate another one of her talents to her friends.

"Come on guys, we're going to be late" she encouraged, dragging Squid Boy by the hands as the rest of the group followed.

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CLASS: Winter Term -- Muggle Studies (Mimosa & Squid Boy) Rsz_mi10

CLASS: Winter Term -- Muggle Studies (Mimosa & Squid Boy) Rsz_ja12

CLASS: Winter Term -- Muggle Studies (Mimosa & Squid Boy) Rsz_rs13

Mimosa's mood had gone down hill throughout term. Mercy had not come back to school, that was all Nikolai had managed to get out of the younger witch. Whatever else had or had not happened was a mystery. But, almost a welcome mystery on the one night he'd found Mimosa in his bed. Nikolai had done what any other guy would have to have found Mimosa Harrington-Clement in their bed, he'd found himself with a smug grin on his lips.

The witch had been tired, though, and cuddly. Not usually a fan of cuddling, Nikolai had relented to the witch's needs -- the talk with his mum still fiercely present in his mind -- and let her cuddle him through that night.

Which had only worked to his credit with the other boys who kept happily telling everyone that he and Mimosa had slept together. Semantics only aided him for once, and Nikolai did not mind in the slightest.

As term continued on, Nikolai had already signed up for a number of classes, most especially Muggle Studies. It was an easy grade, Muggles were not difficult to grasp. Though, why the Muggle Studies temp professor had chosen to bring farm animals, Nikolai wasn't sure. Still, any sign of animals had the boy more than interested in attending the clas.

Heading down to the class, wrapped up fully against the winter breeze, Nikolai's hand had found itself around Mimosa's again. An occurrence that came more and more often of late. Though, like most of the girls, Mimosa was in a hurry to get to the class, because there were horses, and for the millionth time, they had to remember Mimosa was the best at riding horses, because she'd done so over the summer with her Jacques.

They arrived to the pens that had been set up. Some with horses, some with cows, and others with sheep. The cows had bunched together, confirming the expectation for rain later that day -- his mum always attested to that much -- but Nikolai's eyes turned to the professor.

A large man, Nikolai couldn't help but find him... odd looking. Whilst tall himself, the professor just... didn't seem rightly proportioned.

"Morning."

Nor, they found a moment later, was he British. Another yank. Nikolai waited patiently as the man introduced himself as Bo Miller, and then their task for the day. To learn how a farm yard worked. Starting, it was announced, with how to herd sheep. Nikolai couldn't help but look amused as his eyes turned to Mimosa. How was the Clement ward going to fair with chasing sheep around in to a pen?

"Ready to give this a go?" Nikolai asked, amusement still dancing on his features as he pulled Mimosa forward -- one of the first of the group to move to follow the professor -- towards the pen. This lesson, the boy decided, was already going to pan out much better than expected!

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"Sheep wrangling?" Mimosa asked, her facial features unsure for about two seconds before they transformed into a beatific grin. "I'm am so good at sheep wrangling" she exclaimed, using the American term that more befit their cowboy professor's vernacular. When questioned if she was ever on a farm that required the service, Mimosa proudly shook her head in a no.

"Even better, I once did a short ad with sheep in the Swiss Alps. I played a young Heidi My braids were adorable!"

This seem to satisfy everyone as she moved ahead with Squid Boy. There weren't too many sheep, maybe thirty five at most and Mimosa knew just hat to do.

"Ready to give this a go?"

"You just watch and learn," Mimosa teased, letting go of his hand and skipping to the middle of the free grazing herd. She moved lightly, almost dancing between the sheep until she cam to a stop beside a newborn lamb. Reaching for it, the girl picked the lamb gently up in her arms before flitting away again.

A moment of confusion dominated the group before a loud bleat broke through, the lamb's mother spotting her baby being taken and trying to follow Mimosa on her little sheep legs. The ewe was followed by a few more in confusion and, sheep being sheep, were soon enough in line following the ewe who was following the tiny human who had taken her tinier lamb.

Until Mimosa reached the pen and placed the baby in the middle, effectively herding all sheep into the fenced area with a triumphant smile lighting up her perfectly symmetrical features.

"Done and done."

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What Nikolai had expected from Mimosa was far from the reality that came in to being. His expectations had been for Mimosa to be her usual excitable self, yes, but he'd expected her to be slower to engage with the class. Especially with sheep. Sheep were known to not be the cleanest of animals, and Mimosa didn't really do dirty.

But expectations were made to be exceeded, and that was exactly what the witch did as she let go of Nikolai's hand and hurried forward. Nikolai started to follow, although a little more cautiously because he'd never spent much time herding sheep, and a few on the outskirts of the flock seemed a little skittish with their presence. Aware that spooking the whole flock would likely lead to them getting butted by the sheep, Nikolai moved with caution.

Quite the opposite of Mimosa.

It was almost in slow motion that it happened. The witch skipping happily in to the middle of the flock as if it was where she belonged. The sheep around them watched her with curiosity, trying to determine what she was going to do. Perhaps all of them were shocked as Mimosa simply moved forth and picked up the small lamb in the middle of the flock. Nikolai's eyes went wide at that, following Mimosa's darting movements with the small beast in her arms.

The flock -- headed by the ewe that Nikolai assumed would be the lamb's mother -- followed after Mimosa, bleating at her as she ran across the pen. One by one the flock assembled and followed one another. Nikolai could not believe his eyes as his feet worked on autopilot, moving him forth towards the pen to aid Mimosa.

"Jump over the side!" Nikolai called out to the witch as she moved to the far end of the pen, depositing the lamb in place. As the last of the sheep moved in to the pen, Nikolai pulled the gate closed, and wrapped the rope that had been put in place for them through the bars of the fence, tightly securing the sheep in to place.

The rest of the students seemed to be stood, watching in awe of Mimosa's achievement, or else not wishing to get close to the sheep.

Jumping over the fence of the larger pen, Nikolai moved back to Mimosa. Her coat was messed from the mud that had been on the lambs feet, but otherwise, the witch was unscathed by her antics. "Not sure how you managed that, but it was impressive!" Nikolai said with a small laugh, taking Mimosa's hand once more and drawing her back to his side as they waited for the professor to explain the next part of the lesson.

Probably in a much shorter time than he'd expected to be moving on.

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"Jump over the side!"

Mimosa complied without even thinking about it, relying on their teamwork practices from Quidditch training. As soon as she had cleared the fence, the ewe came rushing to her baby and coincidental, exactly where the younger Slytherin had stood not a moment ago.

Once all the sheep were in, Squid Boy closed the pen door and roped it up, making his way to her using the side channels. He was by her two minutes later, her small hand encased in his.

"That's some ingenuity," their American professor drawled before giving a short speech on how this could not have worked on a large number of sheep. Nonetheless, he awarded both of them extra points for their innovative way of tackling the situations.

"An' now, guys and dolls, the reason you came to this here class," And with that, the man lead them towards a sectioned of area behind the temporary farmhouse, an area that contained-

"Horsies" Mimosa exlciamed. She wasn't the only one though. Most of the girls were squealing at the beautiful mares and baby horses. The ones earmarked for riding were in a corner patiently awaiting their riders while a few expecting mares and tiny ponies occupied their own area. Ignoring the babies though, Mimosa walked right up to the largest horse of the groups, a dark stallion who looked non too pleased to be approached.

"Bonjour," Mimosa greeted softly, holding out her hand to lightly touch his nose. the horse reared back but it was a test. Her Jacques had taught her so. Not moving, she continued, speaking to the beast in soft French, telling him all about the fields and riding areas at the palace until it finally calmed down.

The witch took the opportunity to slip her foot into the saddle and then, with all the grace of a ballerina executing a spin, perched herself atop it's back.

"Come on up, Squid Boy," she called down to her watching companion, her brown braids swinging as she bounced on the horse. "I'll teach you how to ride."

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As the professor explained how under normal circumstances rounding up sheep would not be so easy, and how it would 'normally' be done, Nikolai couldn't help but feel almost... proud of Mimosa? It was an odd feeling, truthfully, but seeing her working with the animals so freely, and making it work as well as she did... he couldn't help but feel that way.

As the class moved on to their next sector, Nikolai was reminded quite sharply of why he felt so odd feeling that way. The shrill squeal of excitement that came not only from Mimosa, but almost every other girl in the class as they were introduced to the horses was the stark reminder he'd needed.

Mimosa, as she always did, moved forth towards the beasts without a second thought. Always so unaware of the danger she would put herself in, today was no different as she hurried forth to the stallion of the group of horses waiting to be ridden. Nikolai had never been horse riding in his life, and though he liked animals, those that were bigger than him, and as powerful as a horse was, were not ones he felt too comfortable around. Inching closer after Mimosa, the boy couldn't help but take a large step back away from both Mimosa and the beast.

Mimosa, though, was undeterred by the rearing stallion, and instead spoke in French to it.

Tilting his head curiously at the way Mimosa didn't flinch, but instead remained insistent on her presence before the beast. Still talking in French, until... Mimosa sat astride the stallion with a triumphant smile upon her lips, and a stunned look upon Nikolai's features was held in return.

"How did you...?"

"Come on up, Squid Boy, I'll teach you how to ride."

Nikolai just looked at the stallion nervously at that point, trying to decipher how he would gain his own seat with the witch. Moving cautiously around the side of the horse, not liking the twitchy reactions he was receiving from the beast, Nikolai moved to Mimosa's side. The witch gave instructions on how he would get up, moving her foot temporarily from the stirrup. The first attempt resulted in the stallion moving sideways away from Nikolai with a sound of discontent. Discontent that was met by Mimosa's reassuring words in the animal's ear before Nikolai tried again.

This time, rather shakily, Nikolai managed to push himself up with the stirrup on to the horse behind Mimosa. His hands, not having very much to hold on to, opted to wrap around Mimosa's waist. Heart pounding a little louder than necessary, Nikolai almost let out his own version of a squeal as Mimosa pushed the horse forth in to action, taking them off around the pen like the seasoned horse rider she was, Nikolai holding on tightly to her as they bobbed along with each step the horse took.

But... after a short while... a smile blossomed on the boy's lips.

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» Winter Term :Muggle Studies: Dominique
» CLASS: Spring Term -- Herbology (Mimosa & Squid Boy)
» CLASS: Winter Term -- CoMC (Nerisei & Dimitri)
» CLASS: Fall Term -- Potions (Mimosa & Nikolai)
» CLASS: Fall Term -- Flying (Mimosa & Dominique)