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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 21, 2014 14:24:21 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2014 14:24:21 GMT -7
One of the upsides to being half-giant is that you weren’t really cut out for riding brooms. It was possible to have one custom made, if you had the thousands of Galleons necessary, but generally speaking, it just didn’t happen. Which was fine in Carcer’s book; he’d been able to ride brooms his first year, being merely the size of a normal adult at the time, and he did not particularly care for the experience. Carcer was now too big for brooms or even the thestrals on the grounds. So ever since fifth year, he had been permitted to keep his two pet Abraxans on the grounds. Apollo and Diana were siblings, massive winged horses that could outstrip any broom when raised and trained properly. Apollo, the stallion, was thirteen feet tall, exactly the same height as Carcer himself, making the two a perfect fit as horse and rider. Diana, the mare, was smaller, only ten feet tall, but still big enough and strong enough to easily fly her master around. Like any pet, they required daily care, and Carcer did his best to fly them around three or four times a week. Sometimes, his brother would come flying with him, but usually Carcer had to fly them himself, one at a time.
Which was a shame, honestly. The siblings loved to fly around together, but it was just not possible for him to control them both in flight. Diana was much more tame than Apollo, but even the best-trained Abraxan has a curious streak and can be startled, and like any winged horse, they were really hard to find after they ran away. So it was just safer this way. He was just finishing brushing down Apollo. They were both already fed, watered and whiskeyed, and it had been nearly a week since he’d been able to fly them last. “Good boy, Apollo. We’ll get to the skies soon enough, just hold still a little while longer.” the sleek black coats on the two horses, transitioning perfectly into raven’s wings just behind the shoulders, made the pair of them the most beautiful Abraxans Carcer had ever seen. Normally, pure black like this went for absolutely ridiculous amounts of gold, but his mother had refused to sell them after she saw how attached Carcer had become. That was how he had obtained such valuable pets. Luckily, the Hogwarts grounds were safe, the stables were close to the Care of Magical Creatures hut, and Carcer was a thirteen-foot giant who could in fact be enraged if you messed with him the wrong way, so there had been no incidents of students attempting to harm the horses.
Carcer lowered the brush at last, patting Apollo on the flank. The stallion turned and bumped his nose into the Hufflepuff insistently, and Carcer laughed. “All right, all right, hold your hippogriffs,” he groused as he Summoned a pair of ripe pumpkins from near the door of the stables. Apollo crunched into his greedily, nuzzling at the other one before Carcer pushed him back and turned towards Diana, who always seemed calm and patient. “Alright, so which one of you gets to fly first today, hm?”
@alice
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 21, 2014 17:56:55 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2014 17:56:55 GMT -7
For a while now, Alice occasionally had been going down near the Care of Magical Creatures hut to the stables where her fellow Hufflepuff held his Abraxans. She had been doing this typically by herself. She figured Carcer wouldn't be mad if she just went to the stables every now and then and just cooed and talked to them. Alice loved animals, and she would never do anything to harm them. She knew Carcer loved animals too, but their schedules typically had never aligned for them to show up at the same time. So Alice just went to keep them a little company when Carcer couldn't. She enjoyed it, too. Of course she never got to really interact with them. She didn't want to without Carcer, as they were his, after all. She would just speak with them, as she often did with other animals.
Speaking to animals was something Alice had always done since a young age. Of course she couldn't really speak to animals. She had did not possess that type of magical ability. However, she did feel like she could read what they were thinking or feeling just by their actions. So, Alice interacted with them like they were just another conversation partner, often having full on conversations with her cat or her father's bat, Percival. Alice never really cared what others thought of her, as she was most happy whenever she was speaking to animals and being herself.
Alice had some free time today, and with no homework currently due in any of her classes she decided to go down to visit Carcer's Abraxans. She was fairly excited, as it was the first visit of the year. They were beautiful creatures and the only ones Alice had even personally met. She had read about them of course; what animal hadn't Alice read about? However, she figured she would be alone.
Alice entered the stable and was surprised to see Carcer, who appeared to just be finishing up brushing the male. She stopped, briefly listening to him talk to his Abraxans. Alice smiled at this, as she loved when she wasn't the only one who spoke to animals like they were capable of conversation. It looked very personal, the relationship he seemed to have with them. Then she heard Carcer mention something about flying. Now, Alice was never one for flying on a broom. She preferred to keep her feet on the ground. But she had never riden a flying creature before, and the idea intrigued her. She decided to take a step forward and make her presence known.
"Hey," she said. Alice's voice was never loud in casual conversation. She was rather quiet, actually, but the Abraxans were so interesting to her she couldn't hide the excitement in her voice. "I've never run into you here before," she made her way over to Carcer and the giant horses. "I hope you don't mind... I like to come talk to them sometimes," she shrugged sheepishly. Alice normally didn't speak to many others, but she found Carcer to be a good guy, for their similar interests. She seemed to have quite a bit in common with him and that made her think highly of him.
@carcerronaldhagrid
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 22, 2014 9:02:25 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2014 9:02:25 GMT -7
“Hey.”
Carcer turned around to see Alice Longbottom, a fellow Hufflepuff and animal enthusiast that he shared several classes with. They were in the same year together, so he knew her well. It honestly wasn’t that surprising that she’d found her way into the stables. Even students who didn’t like Care of Magical Creatures had asked him to see the Abraxans. Majestic didn’t quite do them justice as a description. He smiled at the blonde. “Hello, Alice.” She’d been here before—he could tell by Diana’s reaction. The horse was intelligent, and there was no wariness in her eyes. She trusted this one. “I've never run into you here before. I hope you don't mind... I like to come talk to them sometimes.” Carcer shrugged and smiled. “Not at all, I’m sure they’re glad for the company. I spend the time that I can with them, but things are getting busy this year, and then there’s…well, you know.” The death on the train had resulted in tightened curfews that were more strictly reinforced, as well as increased patrols by the teachers and the prefects. Carcer was one of them, which meant he needed to not break the rules, or he wouldn’t have the right to enforce them.
Diana chuffed, and Carcer turned to the horse and smiled. She wasn’t as insistent as Apollo, but she was now eyeing the pumpkin hungrily. Carcer grinned, but rather than hand the pumpkin over directly, he knelt down and held it out to Alice, his other hand touching her back, urging her forward without applying any strength—Carcer never liked hurting anyone. “Go ahead, you can feed her. They love pumpkins, so if you really want them to like you, bring along a couple whenever you come to see them.” Carcer didn’t keep the kind of strict diet control that his mother did for the horses she sold—she would never allow her horses to have treats. That was for after they were sold, fr their owner to do. Then again, his father was now probably helping with the breeding program, and Dad knew a lot about the effects of happiness on health. He might have been able to introduce treats to the breeding program, if he could prove the value of happier Abraxans outweighed any perceived short-term disadvantages.
Luckily, Carcer didn’t have to care about whether Apollo and Diana kept their coats as pristine as physically possible. He wasn’t going to sell his babies. Instead, he left Alice to pet Diana, which he felt confident would happen, seeing as both involved parties were partial to it. Instead, he made his way over to a massive cabinet in the corner, which he opened to reveal the saddles for the horses. He turned to look at Alice again, smiling. “I need to take them flying, they haven’t been in a few days. You up for it? Apollo’s a bit proud and too strong for you, but Diana’s just the sweetest girl, she won’t fight you.” He turned as he said this to watch. Carcer liked helping people and surprising them. He loved the way people’s eyes lit up when they were given something they wanted or needed, and he wanted to see it in Alice’s eyes now. With the way she loved animals, he had no doubt she’d accept the offer.
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 22, 2014 10:01:55 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2014 10:01:55 GMT -7
Alice's expression brightened as the female, Diana, reacted to her being there. She walked closer to Carcer and the Abraxans as the half giant spoke. "I spend the time that I can with them, but things are getting busy this year, and then there’s…well, you know.” Alice did know. It was tragic what happened, especially considering James, who had been the first to find the girl. Alice's smile faded momentarily as she watched Diana intently. "Yeah," she said quietly now. "I know." Alice knew strange and tragic things sometimes occured at Hogwarts, it was just nothing this bad had ever happened while she had been attending. It was weird for someone to be killed, especially on the train to Hogwarts. A young girl, no less.
Alice was brought out of her train of throught when Diana had chuffed at what Alice saw was a pumpkin. She watched Carcer, observing what he would do with it but was surprised when he knelt down to hand the pumpkin to Alice. She accepted it, never one to back down from interacting with animals. But she was surprised further when she felt Carcer urge her forward, gently touching her back. This surprised her, but she was much too distracted by Diana to think too deeply into it. If such a beautiful creature weren't in front of her, she probably would have blushed and hidden behind the pumpkin. Alice took a few steps toward Diana, slowly holding up the pumpkin for the horse to take. Alice's smile was bright and wide when the Abraxan happily accepted it. Alice had never been so close to such a large creature before. She normally stuck to smaller creatures, but she loved the big ones too. And these Abraxans were so exciting to be around. She trusted them, for she had been around them enough. And when Diana took the pumpkin from her, it only made Alice feel more comfortable. She watched eagerly as Diana ate the pumpkin in front her then her attention shifted from the horse to the half giant.
Carcer was walking over to a large cabinet, and Alice raised an eyebrow at him curiously as she watched him open the cabinet. The cabinet seemed to be housing saddles, which could mean only one thing. Was she up for it? Suddenly, Alice couldn't contain any of her excitement and was nodding very eagerly. "Oh, yes," she said, probably the loudest she had spoken since she had entered the stable. Animals really brought Alice out of her shell. And perhaps it was Carcer's equal love for animals that made her feel more comfortable around him. She looked back at Diana, still munching the pumpkin, then back at Carcer with a wide grin. "I would love to ride her," she said, dreamily.
@carcerronaldhagrid
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 22, 2014 13:38:59 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2014 13:38:59 GMT -7
As Carcer had suspected, Alice was only too happy to interact with the horses. She took the pumpkin without hesitation, and Diana was only too happy to eat out of her hand. Not that that surprised Carcer. In all honesty, it was more surprising he’d never run into Alice out here before. There was no doubt in his mind that she’d visited the stables often enough. Even Apollo was regarding her without annoyance, and he was a territorial little git. Carcer pulled the saddles from the cabinet and slung the larger one over Apollo’s back. Abraxan saddles were uniquely designed to allow humans to ride their larger frame. The saddle rested above the shoulders of the horse, instead of the middle of their body, and had a raised hump to sit on while folding the legs against it on either side. That way, humans could reach the neck to direct the horses and didn’t have to do the splits to ride. The saddles Carcer had were modified by his mother. They looked like normal saddles, but sized up to fit Abraxans, so that the Hagrids could ride them like normal horses, but they extended up to the horses’ necks with the typical human saddle as well, all in one big piece. It was a fairly impressive design, by any standard.
He finished strapping the saddles on and grabbed hold of one of the straps on the front of Apollo’s getup. The half-giant smiled over at Alice. “Rub her nose for a bit and she’ll follow you out.” He led the stallion outside and pulled his wand, expelling a thick rope that tied Apollo to the side of the stables, which from the outside was only the size of a two-story tool shed. Carcer waited a bit for the girls to join them, walking over to Diana and pressing his cheek to the mare’s thick neck. “Alright girl, looks like you’ve got another rider now. Shall we teach her?” He grinned down at Alice and, without warning, bent down and picked her up by the waist, lifting her up to sit on Diana’s saddle. He circled the horse for a bit, checking the straps to make sure the saddle was positioned right and Alice’s feet wouldn’t overlap with the wingbeat space. Satisfied, he nodded, noting that his housemate was now at his eye level. “Alright, the first thing you’ll notice is that there’s no reins. Mother trains workhorses to be harnessed to pull carriages, but she hates bridles, she says you should never train a horse to respond to pain in its mouth. I agree with her, but the point is, riding horses from Beauxbatons like this pair are trained to follow touch and voice.”
He took her hands and placed them on either side of Diana’s neck, near the base. “First, touch. Keep your hands on the neck, you can move them up and down, wherever’s comfortable. Once you’ve ridden her for a bit, you’ll be able to use one hand, but stick with two for now. You don’t have to use a lot of strength. When she feels it, she’ll respond. Push down on the neck from both sides and lean forward, and she dives. Pull on the neck and lean back, she rises. Push with the left hand, she turns right, push with the right and she turns left. Watch,” Carcer said, resting his left hand over Alice’s and pushing gently in. In response, Diana turned her head to the side, then looked forward, shaking her head. Both her front feet left the ground as she stomped and whinnied in anticipation, and Carcer laughed. “She’s eager. She doesn’t get to fly at the same time as her brother often. Now, you speak to change speed. To get her to slow down, you say lente. To get her to speed up, rapide. Diana’s good at responding to the urgency in your tone when she changes speed, but if she doesn’t speed up or slow down enough, just repeat the word until she hits the speed you want.”
Carcer walked over to Apollo and vanished the rope he’d conjured before stepping up into the saddle and walking him over to stand by his sister. The Hufflepuff took a deep breath and let it out, savoring the simple joy of being on the massive stallion’s back once again, and grinned at his housemate. “Ready to give this a try?”
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 22, 2014 18:07:52 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2014 18:07:52 GMT -7
As Carcer pulled out the saddles, Alice took note of the differences they had from regular horse saddles. Of course, the Abraxans were much larger so that was bound to be sort of a... challenge, but Alice was ready. She inhaled and exhaled quickly, determined to get up in the air with Diana today.
Alice watched Carcer lead Apollo out and did as she was instructed, rubbing Diana's nose. She was a beautiful creature, and Alice was glad that she showed no sign of aggression or hostility toward her. After all, she had never interacted with her this close before. But perhaps talking to she and Apollo all those times really helped with their interaction now. Alice looked back up at Carcer as he spoke to the Abraxan. It made her smile how he spoke to them. Until he then bent down and picked her up without warning. It was so sudden, Alice didn't know how to react. Looking back down at the ground, she was then thankful he had lifted her up, for she wasn't certain she would have been able to get up on her own. Alice watched Carcer, intrigued, as he observed the saddle positioning. It was weird to see him at eye level, as she usually was much smaller and closer to the ground than he was. As the half giant spoke, Alice nodded determindedly. "Touch and voice, got it," she said.
The half giant seemed to always be surprising Alice, for now as he took her hands to place on other side of Diana's neck, Alice could feel her cheeks go warm. She pressed her lips together as Carcer continued to speak. The instructions on flying seemed easy enough. To Alice, it sounded easier than being on a broom. As she was nodding, mentally repeating the steps in her head, she felt the giant's warm hand over her own. She quickly turned her head to face the opposite direction of Carcer's and pretended that she, too, had seen the response Diana had given and forced a laugh. Alice wasn't used to people she wasn't very close with being close with her. It was nice that Carcer was so comfortable around her, it was just a new thing for Alice.
"Lente, rapide; sounds excellente," Alice nodded, feeling the red in her face disappear now. She took a deep breath as Carcer had gone over to Apollo and returned to she and Diana's side, seconds later. She looked at him and nodded with a real smile. "Ready."
@carcerronaldhagrid
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 23, 2014 12:58:06 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2014 12:58:06 GMT -7
Carcer hadn’t noticed Alice blushing, for he was too focused on his horses. Once Alice gave the okay on the commands, he felt okay leaving the mare under her care. Even if she forgot, Diana was much too well-trained to do anything that would buck the girl off. So now he sat astride Apollo, once again towering over the girl next to him. “Ready.” He smiled down at Alice before leaning forward to wrap Apollo in a hug from behind. “I’ve kept you waiting too long, huh? Alright, boy, today you get to use up all that energy. Show Alice here what you can do. Rapide!” The massive stallion didn’t need to be told twice. He reared up, neighing loudly, before taking off in a full gallop. And don’t let the wings fool you—an Abraxan in a full gallop could keep up with unicorns on the ground. By no means did they need to go airborne to eat up the miles. In fact, that was one thing people liked most about the breed—they had massive stamina, so they could fly for hours, then switch to ground riding when the wings got tired and switch back as the legs tired out, over and over. Carcer kept one hand on the base of Apollo’s neck, the stallion respecting him enough to allow him to direct it one-handed, and pushed down lightly with the bottom of his hand.
Gigantic raven’s wings opened up on either side of him, flapping experimentally as they searched for an opportunity to rise on the currents around them. A moment later, the wings began to flap in earnest, and Apollo jumped into the air and did not come back down. And then they were flying past the castle ramparts, students from all the Houses waving, used to the sight after two full years of experiencing it, though there were some first and second years watching him go by with wide eyes. Carcer laughed, the sound swallowed up by the wind around him. For once, he wouldn’t be the strangest sight in the sky. As awkward as it was to watch him riding Apollo, he was at least proportionate to the horse. Many people were looking away from him, watching the sky behind him, where another massive winged horse was flying, but with a normal-sized girl riding it. “Bring me that view, Apollo!” he shouted, and the horse began to rise, up, up, farther up.
He kept rising until the peaks of the mountains were at eye level and Hogwarts just looked like a model. Finally, the horse stopped, using his wings to keep the pair of them slowly bobbing up and down in place. From here, one could see everything: The castle, the grounds, the Forbidden Forest. There was a section of the forest that looked as though it was frosted over—webbing, marking the home territory of the Acromantula. Wisps of smoke, invisible in the sky, could be seen against the green of the forest when viewed from above, signaling the current location of the centaurs’ camp. Hogsmeade bustled with the lazy activity of a weekday without students. Carcer grinned, looking over at Alice. “There’s not a tower nor a broom in Hogwarts that comes with this view!” Carcer had actually explored a huge amount of the land surrounding the school. The Abraxans had the power and speed to roam miles past the actual grounds and still bring him home in time for curfew. Carcer looked around, then pointed at the mountain that lay on the other side of Hogsmeade from the castle. “There’s something I want to show you on the far side of that mountain!” he called out to Alice. “Lead the way and look for what looks like a small cloud bank on the other side, that’s where we’re headed!”
He reached down and patted Apollo’s shoulder, feeling the smooth, fine hair beneath his fingers, and grinned over at Alice, entirely confident that she’d never back down from the offer to lead the way.
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 23, 2014 14:14:03 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2014 14:14:03 GMT -7
Alice let out a sigh of relief when it didn't seem like Carcer had noticed her blushing. She knew she had liked him for a reason; he was more concerned with the animals around him than he was the people. Many people might find such a trait offensive, but Alice admired it for she was the same exact way. Alice watched as Carcer leaned forward to hug Apollo and she smirked at his comment. Before she knew it, Apollo and Carcer were galloping away.
Wrapping her arms around Diana's neck now, Alice felt the adrenaline already coursing through her. "Ready, girl?" She asked the Abraxan, who stomped her right hoof on the ground in response. Rapide! Alice's eyes widened in excitement as suddenly, they too, were galloping fast. She kept both of her hands on Diana's neck, per Carcer's instructions and kept her eyes straight ahead on the half giant and his Abraxan in front of them. When she saw Apollo's raven wings open up, Alice lightly pushed down on Diana's neck as well. Her wings began to flap and Alice was grinning widely. They hadn't even left the ground yet and Alice was already feeling exhilerated.
Diana jumped into the air moments after her brother, and Alice made sure to direct her to follow closely behind Apollo and Carcer. As they flew past the castle, Alice looked down at her fellow classmates. It was such a different feeling being up in the air. Now she understood why the Quidditch players loved flying on their brooms so much. Alice noticed many people waving up at them, but she didn't feel brave enough to take her hands off of Diana to wave back at them.
Alice looked up suddenly and could see that Carcer and Apollo were rising, so she pulled on Diana's neck and leaned back so that they would rise as well. Before Alice knew it, she was at the same level as the mountains that surrounded the castle, which was now a tiny looking toy. When Carcer stopped Apollo, Alice followed suit once more, stopping Diana. Alice loved the feeling of being still in the air, Diana's wings still flapping on either side of her. She looked all around, never seeing anything like this view in her life. It was breathtaking to see the place she called home at such a height. Places she had never dreamed of entering, like the Forbidden Forest, were now no secret as she could see over almost the entirety of the dark forest. She could see the giant squid, peaking out of the water in the Black Lake. It was amazing to see it all at once. Alice's eyes finally moved back over to Carcer and she returned the grin he was giving her. "This is amazing," she said, a look of pure joy and amazement in her eyes.
“There’s something I want to show you on the far side of that mountain!” Alice looked out toward the mountain question. When Carcer led the way, she grinned and held on tighter to Diana once again. "Help me out, girl," she said to the female, her voice gentle. "Rapide!" And once more, they were off. Alice couldn't say no to leading the way, especially on the back of such a beautiful Abraxan like Diana.
What looks like a cloud bank. Alice looked all around her, but not before gazing at the beauty of the mountainside. It was such an experience, being so close to a mountain. In her amazement, Alice spotted what she thought looked like a mountainside. "Lente,", she said, slowing down to wait for further instructions from Carcer. She didn't want to get too far ahead, for she was dying to see what he had to show her next.
@carcerronaldhagrid
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 26, 2014 16:27:43 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2014 16:27:43 GMT -7
Alice did not disappoint, clearly eager to keep flying, and she took the lead after talking to Diana for a moment. Carcer grinned, following along in her wake as she directed the Abraxan with the confidence of someone who’d been flying her for years. It was impressive—Carcer was a natural with animals, he had no illusions about that. It seemed to be a trait in half-giants. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe being part human let him feel compassion while being part giant left him more in touch with his animalistic side, and animals picked up on it? It was hard to say, and he doubted he’d ever know the answer for sure anyway. Maybe it was just a coincidence that both his parents had been good with animals. But Alice was more than a natural. The way she interacted with animals reminded him of his dad. It was like she was more at home with them than people. Carcer knew he could get that way with his horses, and with animals he was attached to. But Alice got that way with any animal she met. Sometimes Carcer wondered how she’d react to meeting one of the children of Aragog. Not that he ever wanted to find out…though he supposed it would be safer if he was there when it happened, in case the spider needed to be squished.
He followed her as they left Hogwarts behind, flying over Hogsmeade, which looked like the picture of a postcard from this height. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought Alice’s eyes were roving all over the place. He couldn’t blame her, the view from up here was spectacular, even if he was used to it now. He’d never get tired of the mountainside sunsets, though. Ahead of him, Alice slowed down, clearly eyeing the wispy cloud below her. It rose lazily into the air, fading from sight once the mountain no longer provided a backdrop, as invisible in the sky as the centaur fires’ smoke had been. Carcer swooped past Alice, beckoning her to follow as he urged Apollo into a dive. The stallion knew this place well, and so needed little encouragement to fly down towards the cliffside, landing at a trot that slowed to a walk as they approached the area. “Welcome to one of the best-kept secrets in the region, Miss Longbottom,” Carcer said, miming a formal bow from atop the winged horse.
It was a hot spring. Water bubbled up near the top of the area, spilling out steaming hot water into the area. The water spilled out over several levels of rock, filling a dozen different pools at different heights in the area. Some of the pools were small but deep, sized to let one person sit in them comfortably. Others were larger and deeper, letting two or three people in them. At the lowest level was a massive pool of water, large and deep enough for Carcer to use it as a swimming pool. The water spilled out of this pool into a small stream, traveling along a few yards before disappearing into the rocks. A small grate was fitted into the rocks, placd by Carcer himself after he discovered the area. The place was quiet and warm, and lichen grew on boulders all around. “There are springs all throughout these mountains that feed into the Black Lake. I happened to find this one in my fifth year. Since it’s on the far side of the mountain from Hogsmeade and students aren’t allowed to fly out this far on brooms, nobody knows about it. It’s a great place to soak or take a swim, particularly during the winter. The water here’s really good for your health, better than the water in the castle.” Not that Carcer couldn’t just swim in the Black Lake during winter, what with being part giant, but hot water still felt better to him, and he didn’t want to break the ice when the lake was frozen. That was the only time his fellow students got to enjoy ice-skating.
“There’s a lot of secrets like this in the mountains. Maybe I’ll show you more the next time we fly. Or maybe you’ll discover some to show me?”
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Jul 28, 2014 13:43:59 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 13:43:59 GMT -7
As Alice awaited Carcer to appear next to her, she looked all around her at the view. She couldn't believe it was real. It was like she had stepped into a painting. The mountains were breathtaking and being so close to the clouds was an unreal feeling. Something was stirring in Alice. She knew it was adrenaline, of course, but a warm and happy feeling was resting within her as well. She couldn't help but grin widely at it all.
Finally, Carcer swooped back in front of her and she continued after him. As she saw Carcer slow down toward the cliffside and land at a trot with Apollo, Alice attempted the same with Diana. It didn't take much, and Alice was surprised that Diana responded so well to her. A part of her figured it was because she was following her brother, but Alice was proud nonetheless. Alice suppressed a giggle as Carcer bowed atop the Abraxan. She looked out to what was in front of them and once more, she was amazed.
A hot spring. Alice had never seen anything like it. Some of the pools were big, some small. Alice immediately noticed the swimming pool sized one and pictured Carcer in it swimming, as it seemed to be one of the only ones big enough to fit him. "It's amazing," Alice said breathlessly, staring all around. How something like this could exist so close to Hogwarts and no one knowing about happened, Alice wasn't sure. But she was glad she now knew.
"Maybe I’ll show you more the next time we fly. Or maybe you’ll discover some to show me?” Alice looked at Carcer now, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Is that you giving me permission to come to your secret spot?" She teased, though secretly hoping that it really was his way of offering her up the chance to visit whenever she please. How she had never really hung out with Carcer before was strange to her now, as they both had a lot in common and he was proving to be quite fun to be around. After all, he had just taken her with him on an Abraxan ride.
@carcerronaldhagrid
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 29, 2014 8:39:15 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2014 8:39:15 GMT -7
“It’s amazing.”
It really was. Carcer was an outdoorsman at heart. His talent lay in spellwork, in Transfiguration and Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts, but his heart belonged to animals and plants and the open blue sky that traveled on forever. That was why he loved this place. Here, in the mountains surrounding Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, he’d found a sanctuary, a place out in the wilds that would beat back the fury of winter and always provide warmth for those who needed it. Carcer loved flying out here just to relax and get away from his fellow students. He wasn’t quite the loner that Alice was—the half-giant did not actively avoid people—but every once in a while, he needed to get away from everyone. No pressure from work, no teachers asking how your studies are going, no students asking for study help. And, as a prefect, Carcer’s free time had been cut into even more. Alice’s father had specifically requested that he patrol the corridors more often, on the grounds that Carcer was probably the hardest student at the school to kill. Giant’s blood was so magically resistant that he, as a second-generation half-giant, could deflect tandem spells from multiple wizards that would be sufficient to bring a dragon down. Dad had said he did that once too, when some toad-looking bigot tried to arrest him.
She smiled at him. For some reason, this sent a shiver up Carcer’s spine. “Is that you giving me permission to come to your secret spot?” He chuckled, shrugging. It wasn’t as though he had a claim to the area, after all. Now that she knew about the place, he had no right to stop her coming here, though strictly speaking he didn’t have to show her, and she needed his horses to get out here. Unless she could see Thestrals? Carcer was pretty sure she couldn’t. Actually, that might not even matter. Someone like her wouldn’t let a little thing like vision stop her from interacting with animals. “I would never be so foolish as to deny Alice Longbottom such a prime place to get away from everyone,” he responded with another bow. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to come up here without him anyway, since the horses were the only way, but that was neither here nor there. He wondered vaguely if Professor Longbottom would approve of her being all the way out here. Eep, he might be in trouble now. The Herbology teacher was kind and helpful but he could become strict and authoritarian quick if the situation called for it. Carcer’s father had once told him that Professor Longbottom was one of the nicest people in the world, but he was not someone whose buttons you wanted to push.
Carcer looked around, rolling his shoulders. He wasn’t in any particular hurry right now, but he didn’t know how much free time Alice had, and he figured she would want to ride some more. Still, it wouldn’t do to just decide that on his own. “I actually freed up enough time to get both of my babies their exercise today, so I’ve got hours ahead of me right now. I have no idea how much time you have, so I don’t mind leaving the day up to you. We can go for a swim, keep riding, whatever you like. These two love flying together so much they’d even take us all the way to London if you’re of a mind to get expelled in style.” He eyed the blonde for a moment before shrugging and leaning forward over Apollo again, hugging the horse and running his hands soothingly over the feathers of the stallion’s wings.
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Jul 29, 2014 13:13:26 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2014 13:13:26 GMT -7
Alice scanned the pool filled area once again. She imagined it to be a quiet and peaceful place to just unwind and get away from it all. "Must be nice," she said quietly as she continued to look around, gently stroking Diana as she did so. "Coming up here and being alone, I mean," she looked back at Carcer. Alice valued her alone time. She preferred to be alone than around others. Aside from her closest friends, she was normally alone; walking to close alone and studying in the library alone. But one would never hear her complain. Alice liked it this way.
The Hufflepuff couldn't imagine she would be making any trips up to this special spot on her own. While the idea seemed nice, she felt for some reason that she was intruding in on Carcer's special place. But Carcer was a really guy, so Alice would not mind coming back to this place with him. Especially if Diana was involved again. “I would never be so foolish as to deny Alice Longbottom such a prime place to get away from everyone,” he had said, and at this Alice laughed audibly. "Why, thank you, Sir Hagrid," she curtsied from on top of Diana.
Alice thought for a moment. She really did want to keep riding, but a part of her, oddly enough, really wanted to dip her feet into one of those pools. She shrugged as well, turning back to Carcer. "I've got loads of time," she smiled widely. "Do you mind if I test the waters? You know, for future swimming purposes?" She asked keenly. Alice wasn't at all prepared to swim, but she thought just taking off her shoes and socks and dipping her feet in the warm water wouldn't hurt.
@carcerronaldhagrid
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Aug 2, 2014 14:37:39 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2014 14:37:39 GMT -7
Carcer had rarely spent much time around Alice alone before. Actually, had he ever? He could not recall having done so. They both tended to seek solitude, and perhaps because of that they were never around each other unless other people were involved. He found it surprisingly comfortable to be around her without others. Carcer was...not used to one on one discussion. Nobody was really afraid of him, but he was never really sought out as the friend, the one you go to for heart to hearts and stuff. He thought he could get used to this. “I've got loads of time. Do you mind if I test the waters? You know, for future swimming purposes?” “Not at all. Allow me,” he replied, pulling his wand and causing a staircase of rock to rise out of the mountainside. He hopped off of Apollo with ease, standing beside the staircase with his hand out to help Alice down if she needed it. He figured she'd prefer not to be picked up and put down like a child over and over.
And, oddly enough, the idea of doing it now made him more nervous than it had last time.
Once his fellow Hufflepuff was on the ground, Carcer reached around to the front of Diana's saddle, unlocking a small silver Beauxbatons crest on the front. He unlocked an identical gold crest from the front of Apollo's, and placed both against the staircase. He mimed the locking action, and though there was nothing to lock into, the crests stuck to the stone without hesitation. He glanced at Alice. “The crests have a permanent Tether Charm to the saddles. It'll keep these two from getting too far away. It won't yank them out of the sky or anything, just apply gradual force until they have to turn back. When we're ready to go, we can use the crests to...tug the leash, I guess, and get them to come back to us. It's...not much, really, but I hate to leave them tied up and standing around when I'm doing stuff, and they're too apt to go flying off on their own for a few days if I don't keep them in the area somehow. At least with these, they can fly around and enjoy themselves without stranding me four hours from Hogwarts on foot...again.” This last word was accompanied by a pointed look at Apollo, who was entirely unrepentant as he reared up and took off into the sky. Diana was a little slower to take off, regarding the pair before following her brother.
Carcer grinned and gestured to the pools. “Have a go, then?” He wasn't actually prepared to go swimming himself, at least not in the company of others. Of course, he supposed he could Transfigure a pair of swimming trunks, but he didn't know how Alice would feel about that, and he was not about to suggest she do the same. So he'd just let her take the lead once again. He stretched his arms high over his head, his back popping loudly, and sighed with relief. Yeah, that felt good. He pulled off his moleskin boots and the wool socks beneath, popping his toes on the ground beneath him, and waited for Alice to pick her pool first. Being the gentleman came easily enough—Dad had been extremely thorough in getting through to his children how careful they had to be with their strength, and how valuable manners and respect could be towards avoiding accidents. Not that Carcer was looking for a reason to show respect to people, but the fact remained that letting first years go before him made it loads easier to not accidentally hurt one by running into them. In this case, though...Carcer genuinely wanted to be the gentleman. “After you, milady,” he said with another grin towards Alice.
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Aug 2, 2014 18:17:19 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2014 18:17:19 GMT -7
Not one to really want to hang out with people outside of her immediate friend group, Alice didn't mind being around Carcer at all. They shared many similar interests; both having a strong love for animals and as far as Alice could tell, Carcer didn't seem to always go out of his way to seek the company of others. Alice was like that as well, usually letting her friends come to her unless she was in class with them. She had plenty of classes with Carcer, and she had spoken to him enough in the past to consider him at least more of a friend than she would most other people but she had never before spoken to him in an environment in which it was just the two of them.
Alice watched as the half-giant cast a charm toward the mountainside and a staircase rose out of it. She had taken note over the years that Carcer was a talented wizard, particularly in Transfiguration. It was hard not to notice, not because of his size but because of his talent in the subject. Alice believed Carcer Hagrid to be one of the most talented students of their year in Transfiguration. Alice wasn't bad herself, but she could not match her fellow Hufflepuff's skills. With a small smile, Alice accepted his helpful hand as she hopped off of Diana.
As Carcer reached around to Diana's and Apollo's saddles, Alice watched as he unlocked two crests and then raised an eyebrow as they appeared to lock onto the rock staircase. Carcer's explanation seemed rational enough. When it came to safety precautions, Alice completely understood having to tether certain creatures down. After all, who knew were two giant Abraxans could end up on their own and just who would see them. The pointed look that Carcer aimed at Apollo managed to get a giggle out of Alice, which was completely out of character for the girl but she hadn't taken notice of it herself. Perhaps it was the excitement still lingering after riding Diana and ending up practically in the clouds, but Alice really wasn't concerned with how she was acting. She was comfortable and that was all that mattered. "I take that as an indication that he has done it before?" She asked, watching as the silly Abraxan took off into the sky, with his sister in tow.
Alice looked around the immediate area, full of pools. She wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of swimming in front of a boy so unprepared, so she was silently hoping that she wouldn't have to actually get into the water. It was that she was insecure, rather she was just nervous about the thought of being less than modest around a boy she hardly knew. As Carcer took off his boots and socks, Alice followed suit taking off her black Mary Jane flats and her knee high gray socks. For some reason, the largest pool caught her eye so she nodded in the direction of that one. “After you, milady,” Carcer grinned at Alice and she found herself returning the grin once again. With a deep breath, Alice sat herself down at the edge of the largest pool and dipped her feet in.
@carcerronaldhagrid
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last online Mar 29, 2024 5:07:29 GMT -7
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Aug 4, 2014 11:41:56 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2014 11:41:56 GMT -7
Carcer was fairly certain he’d never heard Alice Longbottom giggle before. Then again, they weren’t often together outside of class, so maybe she did it more when she was relaxing? Either way, it was a pleasant sound. “I take that as an indication that he has done it before?” The half-giant couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the thought, following Alice over to the largest pool on the bottom tier. “Oh yeah. I used to not tether him. He romped and played but he always came back when I whistled. Then about a month before our OWLs, he decides to take off while I’m here and not come back. Now, a four-hour walk from here to Hogwarts sounds bad, but one of the perks to being part giant is that I can pretty much make that trip without taking a break. But starting that walk at six in the evening on a Tuesday night…well, let’s just say I was not looking forward to the end of the trip. Wasn’t even our Head of House to catch me either—your dad was searching for me, his bat…Percival?...saw me and got him. I never thought Professor Longbottom could be scary, but the look on his face when I walked up…well, I don’t think I want to make him that mad again.” It was a little odd to look at a teacher half your height and feel like a mouse before an angry elephant, but it had indeed happened.
As Carcer recalled, he’d nearly lost his prefect spot over that incident. And he figured it was one reason he hadn’t gotten the Head Boy position either, not that that mattered much to him in the long run. He lay back on the rocks, letting the warmth of the spring seep into his feet and calves, and crossed his arms behind his back, looking at the sky. He wondered what it would be like, to be that carefree? Must be nice to just be a cloud. “Hey look, a Blast-Ended Skrewt,” he said, pointing to one particularly deformed-looking cloud. Were Blast-Ended Skrewts even covered at Hogwarts anymore? His father had bred them on the Ministry’s orders to create beasts for the Triwizard Tournament, but Carcer wasn’t sure they had been allowed to breed after that year. Given the one his dad had kept at home until it died of old age, the world probably wouldn’t miss them much. They were mean and dangerous in every direction at the same time.
Thinking about pets brought another issue to Carcer’s mind. He glanced over at Alice. She loved animals more than anyone he knew, so maybe she could do it. “Hey, can I ask you a favor?” He chewed on his words for a minute, wanting to make sure he put it right. He didn’t want to make her feel like she had to do it, in case it would be a burden for her, but somehow he doubted Alice would mind at all. “When the Care of Magical Creatures assignment ends, would you…would you mind taking Quinn off my hands? It’s not that I don’t like having a pet, but…I mean, look at me. I’m appropriately sized to play with elephants, so it’s kind of hard dealing with a pet that’s small by anyone’s standards. I feel like she’d be happier with you. Plus she’d have another Pygmy Puff to play with.” The Pygmy Puffs seemed to enjoy playing, but that was hard for Carcer to do with such a small animal. It was just…awkward. Give him an animal he didn’t have to put the kid gloves on for any day. “I’m not trying to make you take her or anything if you can’t, I know a lot of students who would like a Pygmy Puff, but nobody would take care of her the way you would, so…” he trailed off, not really sure how to finish his thought.
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