Boys Will Be Boys || Damian/Seth/Asric

It was half-term break and Damian was glad to be staying at Hogwarts for it. Christmas hols had been dreadful, if only because he had to listen to his parents talk about him when they thought he couldn't hear them. Not to mention the stupid neighbors who kept gossiping right on the front walk.

Seth was around somewhere, he knew, though Damian hadn't seen his friend within the past hour. He mused that perhaps exploring the forest would be even more enjoyable if his fellow apprentice was there to share in the activity. Too bad there wasn't a way to call for the other boy without having to track him down. Maybe he should go to the owlry and send a note with Maximus?

Damian sighed. After climbing all those stairs, he probably wouldn't be in the mood for exploring anymore... outside, anyway.

Seth had been wandering the grounds of Hogwarts for their Half-Term when he came upon the forest. Not daring to enter it. at least no without someone else, he just walked the edge of it wondering what creatures and evil lurked within.

As he was walking he noticed someone standing near the forest a ways. Upon venturing closer he noticed it was Damian. He was glad that Damian had decided to stay instead of going back home.

Walking up to Damian he said, "Hi Damian, what's up? as he peered at the forest some more.

Damian turned while Seth was still quite far off, though, with their hearing, it was plenty near to hear the other boy. "Hey, Seth!" he greeted. He gestured at the forest, a mischievous grin making him look every bit a boy of eleven. "Wanna go exploring?"

Seth looked hesitantly at the forest for a few moments before replying to Damian. He couldn't say no because then he would look like a wimp in Damian's eyes. There was no way he was going to ruin his friendship with Damian just because he was slightly..no strike that VERY scared of what could be in the forest.

"Ummm sure why not," Seth said; uncertainty in his voice but hopefully not enough to where Damian could detect it.

Damian nudged Seth playfully with his elbow. "Don't worry, Boomer -" he had taken to occasionally using his friend's middle name, "- I'll protect you!" Still grinning impishly, he started into the woods.

"C'mon!"

"Oh shush you, he said scowling and sticking his tongue out, "I don't need protection"

Damian started into the woods and told him to "C'mon".

As Seth entered the woods behind Damian he could sense the change in the atmosphere. He looked around at all the huge trees and felt so small.

"This place is huge, and kinda creepy as well," Seth said. He could hear other creatures making noise all over and could sense an underlying quietness like something could happen at any moment. Seth realized it was because he had better hearing. He had the earplugs in still and could hear stuff just as well.

Standing there behind Damian he absentmindedly fingered the charm Ric had gave them. "So what now Barty," he said.

Damian laughed, sticking his own tongue out in turn.

He moved eagerly through the trees and brush, listening to the world around him. "It is a bit spooky," he agreed cheerfully. Small animals scurried to their holes as the boys entered their abode. The boy wrinkled his nose a bit at the partial use of his middle name, but didn't say anything. It was only fair, after all.

"We look around, dummy," Damian teased. "I heard there are centaurs and werewolves and stuff here. There was even a giant, at some point. And don't forget the acromantulas - probably'd be better if we don't run into those, though. Maybe we'll see a unicorn."

Damian ducked under a low-hanging branch. "I think this place is brilliant. Hear that?" he paused. "Sounds like water - bet there's a stream. Let's go see." And then, he started downhill, expecting Seth to follow behind him.

"I can think of only one thing I would want to meet on that list of yours and that is the Unicorn. Though if I remember don't they hate male humans?" he asked.

Seth followed Damian with the sound of rushing water in his ears as well. Seth watched as a small stream came into view as they leveled out from the hill. "Now this is cool," he said. Walking up he saw the water was clear. "I wonder where this leads," he said wondering.

Damian nodded in response to Seth's question. "They do, but some of the younger one's don't mind, yet."

He grinned as they came upon the stream. The boy toed a rock into it, watching the water flow around the new obstruction. Gazing as far along the streams path as he could through the foliage, he turned back to his friend.

"Let's find out!" he suggested, already following the water before he had finished speaking. Damian loved exploring.

Seth watched as Damian started off without him. Following he could hear all kinds of things he never would have before his near hearing.

They followed the stream for quite awhile when Seth asked "Where in the world does this end? It seems like it goes on forever. I wonder how far we are from the school now."

Damian shrugged. "Dunno. It's gotta end somewhere, though, doesn't it?" he reasoned. Along the way, he had picked up a stick to idly poke at brush or anything of interest he happened to pass. They did seem to be a bit far from the school, but Damian was sure they could find their way back. He'd paid extra attention to where they'd started following the stream so he would recognize it, later.

"So, are you going to stay with Chaos over the summer, then?" Damian asked his friend. "I want to, but Theo wants me to go home. She our parents miss me." He grimaced. "I'll probably have to listen to the stupid muggles next door talk about me, again, though."

"I supposed so," Seth said and stared around thinking for a few moments

"Now that I know I don't have to go back I won't. My parents don't do anything for me so I am left to the mercy of the bullies there. Which they don't have any of. Please stay here. It was s boring without you here. Nothing is fun without you now." he said kicking a rock absentmindedly

"Of course it isn't," Damian grinned back at his friend. "Who else is going to drag you off to do the fun stuff?"

He hummed thoughtfully. "I probably will stay," he said uncertainly. He hated the thought of disappointing Theolynne, though. The boy still more or less idolized his sister. "It's certainly more interesting here. Muggles are so dumb and boring - they have no idea what they're missing. I'm lad I'm not a muggle. Wouldn't that be horrible?"

"Well I have no clue who else would," he said smiling, "I certainly don't want anyone else doing it. You are way more fun then anyone I know around here."

Yeah I know what you mean," he said looking at Damian, "being purebloods is so much better. None of that scrutiny from others about your blood allegiance. I hate muggle borns..to think they have stupid parents that can't do magic yet their kids can. I certainly am glad we aren't muggle borns. That would suck."

He glanced back out over where they were and hummed as he kicked another rock into the stream.

Damian halted abruptly, his jaw clenching and one hand curling into a fist.

"What's wrong with being muggleborn?" he asked without turning around, his tone perfectly normal. "They've still got magic, no matter who their parents are."

Without turning around and still staring out at the stream he replied, "Well is there a difference really? I don't think muggleborns are any better then muggles. They still taint the blood of wizards."

He leaned down to pick a twig up and then stood there.

Teeth gnashing together so forcefully Damian could hear his teeth grinding, he whirled towards the other boy, face red and blue eyes chips of ice.

"You take that back, Seth Forsyte!" he snarled, fists clenched at his side.

Seth turned to see an angry Damian. He had no idea what he said to upset the kid but he was not backing down from what he believed.

He flinched and eyes narrowed backed up a bit before saying, "What got into you? I am not taking anything back. Muggleborns are not as good as wizards and never will be. I never take back what I believe."

Damian struck out with his fist with a speed acquired only by a boy who'd spent a significant amount of time fighting with his fists. He launched himself at the other boy, sending them both to the ground.

He continued to throws punches. "Stupid pureblooded prat!" he shouted. "Fight back, if you're so good! Or can't purebloods fight without magic??"

Seth was so surprised he didn't even noticed he was hit until he was on the ground with Damian throwing punches at him. He could feel warmth on his face so he knew that Damian had given him a bloody nose. He started to fight back throw punches where ever he could but Damian was bigger then him and evidently more experienced at fighting.

"I can fight," he yelped as Damian punched him in the eye. That was going to leave a mark no doubt. He jabbed Damian in the stomach hoping he lost his breath for a few and then threw him off and jumped on him. He figured that Damian could throw him off but he could at least get a few in before he did.

Damian grunted as Seth landed a hit to his gut, the wind knocked out of him. The other boy jumped on top of him, but after a moment, Damian threw him over, the motion causing them to roll down the bank into the shallow stream, where they continued to grapple.

Hitting, punching, pulling hair - Damian hadn't spent a year defending himself to learn to fight fair. Damian Gray fought dirty. Likely, it was the only way he had survived some of the fights he'd been in.

Grabbing Seth by the shoulders, Damian attempted to submerge his head under the water. "TAKE IT BACK!" he screamed.

Seth was thrown off of Damian just like he imagined he would be. They tumbled down until the were by the stream.

Next thing he knew he was being forced under the water. He wondered if this was how he was going to die. He heard Damian yelling at him to take it back but he had no chance to respond before he was thrown back under the water. It was getting harder to breathe and he was getting dizzy. He couldn't do anything though as Damian had him down good.

He looked up in his office as a weird feeling crossed him. A feeling he did not like at all. He got to his feet and realised his apprentices were in trouble, but not from a large predator or another more experienced wizard but from each other. He growled snapping the quill that was in his hand before apparating to the place he knew the boys would be.

He landed by the stream with an ear deafening crack, he wanted the boys to hear and he wanted them to know how angry he really was. "Oi!" He shouted storming his way froward to grab both boys by the back of the robes before throwing them both down onto land. "YOU WANNA FIGHT LIKE ANIMALS, FIGHT ME. I'LL SHOW YOU A REAL FIGHT!" He growled his eyes now turned to the yellow of his animagus form.

"I'M WAITING!" He said stowing his wand away, because he wouldn't need it even if they used theirs.

Though startled by the sudden appearance of their master, Damian was still too furious to simply do as he was told.

"He said I'm no better than a muggle!" he declared, pointing an accusing finger at Seth. "I told him to take it back and he wouldn't!"

Seth wasn't sure if she should be happy, or ashamed that Asric had shown up. He backed up and wiping some blood from his still bleeding nose sat there.

He didn't know what to say. He was still trying to get over the fact that Damian has just tried to drown him. He saw Asric and knew he was pissed beyond anything he could imagine.