October 5th, 1889 — The Pumpkin Regatta

Narcissus was looking forward to this and had enjoyed working on the pumpkin with Clue. Between their niffler project back in September and now this, Narcissus had found his presence slowly orbiting Clue more and more. It was to a point where he was even slipping up and being overly familiar in speech and calling Clue by his given name, instead of his surname as was considered proper.

"You ready, Clue?" He asked as he waited for Clue to get into the vessel before launching it, being the more physically blessed between the two.

  

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Clue was beginning to suspect he’d made a friend, but he wouldn’t know; he’d never had one before. Narcissus Laurent behaved as if Clue was just… normal. Not some twisted spider trapped in the body of a forest sprite, but a person he could speak to and study with and — design giant pumpkins with.

That was how the blond pixie found himself seated in the enormous hollow vegetable, a flutter of a smile showing his amusement as Narcissus launched their unsteady ship into the Black Lake.

”Surprisingly, yes”, he replied as they embarked on their next adventure.

  

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Narcissus smiled as the smaller teenager confirmed that he was ready. "I probably should have asked this before - but any experience in rowing?" Narcissus had some thanks to summer hobbies and family summer events and such. He did not know if it would be similar for the other boy. Not that it really mattered, in the end, he supposed. They - or at least he'd - had fun growing and preparing their vessel.

  

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”Well, I’ve read about it in books”, Clue replied a little defensively; for he knew full well that reading about a physical activity was hardly tantamount to practicing it. But he was keen to learn by doing. Narcissus brought that out in him.

  

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Narcissus chuckled a little when Clue said that he had at least read about rowing. "Then you know the basics, at least. Just follow what I do for the most part," Narcissus suggested as they settled into their pumpkin craft. With their artistic skills combined, the pumpkin looked rather gorgeous but then again, he was also very biased.

  

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Clue blinked impassively as Narcissus chuckled. It was funny; the things about Clue that everyone else found odd, Narcissus seemed to find... cute?

He nodded obediently as they boarded their craft. They didn't have much room, and Clue blamed the older boy for that — he was much bigger. Clue looked at him expectantly; "so... what do I do?"

  

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"Put the paddle into the water and begin doing this," Narcissus said as he demonstrated how to start paddling. "Or you could jus sit there, looking pretty while I row. We didn't get a large pumpkin."

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Slightly alarmed at being called pretty, and blinking a few times to get through the surprise, Clue regathered himself swiftly enough and at least made an attempt at rowing. He did okay given his physical frailties, but there was no point; Narcissus was far stronger, so when they both paddled together their pumpkin veered off to the side. They would move much more effectively if the older boy took both sides, switching between them. So Clue stopped, glancing off at the far-off bank and seething under his breath; "I don't see why we can't just use magic..."

  

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Clueless (haha) to the other boys reactionto his words, Narcissus focused on doing his part of the rowing. Their pumpkin bobbed along awkwardly, the difference in their rowing power painfully obvious. When Clue stopped, Narcissus reached over to take his oar in hand. "It's against the law for students and I supposed they wanted things to be fair," Narcissus said, unable to help being just a small bit amused at how petulant Clue currently seemed. Rowing both sides now, he couldn't help but also be quietly amused at how they now looked much like one of those couples that often occupied the Padmore Park pond with the gentleman rowing and his lady simply holding her parasol against the sun.

  

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Clue quirked a sceptical brow, not at all believing that it was against the law for them to use magic here — they were still on school grounds, after all. But... he did vaguely recall that it was against the rules of the regatta for magic to be used in the piloting of their vessel, so he accepted that the core of Narcissus's point was very much correct. And, also true, it would not be fair for this pair of older students to be using more advanced magic than some of the younger competitors.

But without magic, Clue was no use at all. Narcissus had all the muscle and was rowing on his own. "Alright then, I'll inspire you", he opted for a new role. Sitting up like a pirate captain with a sharp eye on the horizon, he pointed ahead as if he had a sword in his hand. "Fly! Onwards and yonder! For Slytherin House!"

  

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"All right, then," Narcissus said with a laugh when Clue said that he would inspire him. He had to admit that he was curious as to how Clue would do so.

Another laugh came out of him as Clue imitated a pirate captain. "Aye, aye, captain," Narcissus declared as he kept rowing. One of the other pairs seemed to be trying to sabotage another pumpkin so Narcissus did his best to outrow them so that they wouldn't think to come after theirs.

  

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Verily elected the eyes and muse of the vessel, Clue looked out at the approaching horizon, though was distracted as a fellow duo of pumpkineers jabbed their oar at a competitor. Clue agreed with Narcissus that it was best to stay out of it, but he also wanted to delay the saboteurs. "Look, a professor is flying in to tell you off", he yelled across at the saboteurs, pointing over their heads to a non-existent broomstick as he and Narcissus zoomed on ahead.

  

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Narcissus laughed as Clue tried to throw the saboteurs off of their game. Not that it would do them much good as better rowed vessels than their own had already approached the finish line. Most of them fully grown men so it was hardly a surprise. "We gave it a good, hard try. What do you think should be done with the pumpkin now that its had its maiden - and probably final as well - voyage?"

  

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As their vessel glided towards the bank and finishing line, far from first place but at least pretty-looking — and mercifully in tact — Clue had to admit this had been... fun.

And he couldn't imagine it being that way with any other partner-in-crime than Narcissus Laurent. In fact, Clue wouldn't be doing this at all if it weren't for his suggestion.

Climbing nimbly from the pumpkin onto dry (albeit squelchy) land at last, Clue regarded the crowds of onlookers and participants, many of whom were laughing, cheering and chatting, having also enjoyed the day (just to a much louder extent than Clue). He thought a moment, then replied to Narcissus; "Bonfire? Though I would like to think of a way we can preserve the design..."

White swans and black crows taking flight together, as one flock, staying above a decoration of rising waves below. A perfect pumpkin design for the Slytherin pair.

  

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Now back on dry land, Narcissus took a moment to stretch out long limbs for tall folk were evidently not built for manning pumpkins. Everyone seemed to have a good time though some more than others.

He nodded at the suggestion of a bonfire which others were likely to join them in as they had their own pumpkins to dispose of. "We could cut out the part of the pumpkin our design is etched in," he said in thought as Clue spoke of wanting to preserve the design. "Then we could ask Professor Yi if there are any spells that would preserve it or have him transfigure the pumpkin into wood for us. Then a bit of wood polish and varnish and it would keep forever."

  

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Clue nodded with a flicker of a smile — this was a very good idea from Narcissus. Their unexpected adventure could therefore be memorialised in an item they could display in their dormitory.

Their... us... — these were not words Clue was used to thinking in.

As they ensured the pumpkin was safe and sound on dry land, Clue caught sight of something just behind Narcissus. A small group of students were ushering him over; "Laurent!" The group included two girls who were looking at the part-Veela with a kind of abashed thirst. Privately, Clue could see why; the way the sunlight hit him made him look like a sculpture in a museum.

Why on Earth was he spending his time with the likes of scruffy, strange little Clue Leverett? He could tell the girls were thinking the same.

"Erm, you can go and join them if you'd like".

  

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