5 ∆ i solemnly swear you are a blast-ended skrewt ; ( dictated )

[toerags]

[ James is in the laundry room, doing his laundry. Surprisingly, this is one of the few Muggle things he knows how to do, courtesy of one Miss Lily Evans (and his mum had a fondness for them). He also does it quite well. When he folds his clothes, he folds to impress (and like a boss

Comments

[wittybaudelaire]

Did you mean out past the bounds? [It's rare that she speaks into the book, but she's currently welding. Yes, there are faint sounds of a blow torch.]

[toerags]

Yeah. I haven't looked at a map, but where all the trees and bushes are. You familiar with it? [ Curious sounds, by the way, Violet. James raises you a loud washing machine. ]

[wittybaudelaire]

I am. I went out there during the expedition. [She stops to hammer two pieces together.] There are enormous blue horses and giant parrots. The Flora is pretty interesting as well.

[toerags]

[ James will ... come back to what you are saying ] What are you doing?

dictated

[delincuente]

[Alex has never been to the forest, so she's completely useless for James' purposes. But she just has to ask.]

So is a hippogriff like a flying hippo?

dictated

[toerags]

[ James may actually laugh. ] Flying hippo, that's a good one.

It's half eagle, half horse. Front end is an eagle while it's got the backside and legs of a horse. And a really bad temper. It has a thing about manners.

[delincuente]

Yeah, pretty sure we don't have those in my world. I know some giants, though.

[toerags]

Really? I've never met one. [ Sans Hagrid, but, you know, that giant likes to keep his secrets, so cue James being oblivious to that. ] What were they like?

[haruno]

Which forest? Right around the castle, pretty standard birds and the like. You get the not-buffalo past the mountain ring, and then various dangers in the woods fringing the Live/Dead Zone border, if not as much the forests within the Live Zone.

Unicorns and hippogriffs are new to me.

[toerags]

... Huh. Maybe I should really take a look at a map. [ a beat ] I was thinking near the castle. As much as I want to see what's out there, I think I'll stay close to ... [ not home ] this place.

They're from home. Hippogriffs, though, you got to watch yourself with them. If you're not polite, they snap at you.

[haruno]

Around here, past the normal things, I think it just -- depends.

Really? I know a lot of people back home who'd probably not do so well with them. Or here even.

[toerags]

[ James laughs ] I dunno why, but from what I remember from stories, you have to approach them slowly, like you're not going to attack it, and then bow. And then, I s'pose it just kind of judges you and then either snaps at you or lets you pat it.

Though, I know books and stories can be wrong. But it's what my dad told me. I don't know if he's ever met one, though.

[stalkershiki]

Um... I'm sorry, but... what's a hippogriff?

[toerags]

A half eagle, half horse creature. It's very big on being polite. I dunno why, the mere sight of it is rude. [ James thinks they are ugly, especially the drawings Peter used to make. ]

Think the head of an eagle, plus the wings, and the arse and legs of a horse. Then multiply that by intensely ugly and that's a hippogriff.

[stalkershiki]

...Can I assume that you really don't like them?

[A little bit of a giggle in her voice.]

[toerags]

I've never really met one, but they don't seem very nice. You have to approach them in a certain manner for them to accept you. It sounds like it requires a lot of patience [ which James doesn't have ] and I've got things to do, you know?

[walkinthruwalls]

I haven't seen any creatures. [ Not that she knows what a hippogriff is anyway ]

[toerags]

So you've been out to the forest?

[walkinthruwalls]

Yeah, I train there with Alleyne.

[toerags]

Is it safe?