On the shores of the black lake, before the ground became rocky leading to the mountains, sat a willow tree. Not murderous, unlike its infamous cousin, this willow faced the castle and had branches that cascaded down to the water's edge, a canopy of green. Today, Barty watched as sunlight dappled the ground around Regulus, who sat in the grass, hunched over a book. Regulus would look up every once in a while at Pandora, who was wading in the shallows, robes hiked up over her knees and a grin on her face. Barty, meanwhile, was lounging on a thick branch above both of their heads, enjoying the cool breeze on this hot autumn afternoon.
"Oh, Regulus, look!" called Pandora, "Gillyweed!"
"No way," Smiled Regulus, "That shouldn't be growing this shallow."
"Must somehow have washed up here."
"Gillyweed," Barty mused, "The stuff that turns you into a fish, right?"
Pandora looked up and caught his eye, "Been reading up, have you? Yeah it is."
"Very cool." Barty swung his legs to dangle over the branch.
"Undoubtedly." Agreed Pandora, "Now, are you going to help?"
Barty nodded, "Look out below!"
Regulus tipped his head back to watch Barty as he pushed off the branch and dropped down to the grass, he frowned, "You're going to break your legs one day."
"Well Pomfrey can just fix 'em, can't she?" Barty shrugged and kicked off his shoes. He ran over to Pandora, kicking water everywhere and leaving Regulus grumbling on the bank.
"I found some spawn over there. Need your help figuring out what species, though." Pandora pointed to a patch of pondweed then passed Barty the jar she was holding, full of the mysterious slimy eggs. He examined them.
"Yeah, that's toad spawn."
"Well that's good," said Pandora, "But are they common or natterjack? Slughorn says they have to be natterjack or it won't work."
"Umm," He looked closer at the faintly wriggling bodies, "I think we're in luck? They look like natterjack to me."
"Go check for adults where you found them." Called Regulus from by the tree, "Can't be too careful."
Barty met Pandora's eyes and he smirked jerking his head towards Regulus on the shore. Pandora grinned and nodded.
"Uh, I can't remember the difference between the adults. Can you check for me?" Barty called back playfully and Regulus scowled, "I'm not getting my robes wet."
"Bo-ring!" Pandora replied. Regulus glared again but he carefully marked his page and stood up anyway. He didn't kick his shoes off like Barty had, instead he took the time to untie them, because of course he did. Regulus was nothing if not proper. Barty rolled his eyes and ran back to him, "Come on, Reggie!" He said and grabbed his wrist, pulling him along into the water.
"Barty, hey! Stop splashing!" Regulus whined but he didn't look mad anymore. He may have been proper, well-mannered and well-bred, but Barty was the one who could make him feel like a kid, the two of them raced over to Pandora, getting slower as the water got deeper. When they got to the weeds, Regulus leaned in to search for the toad. Barty stood back with Pandora, chuckling slightly. He knew they were natterjack eggs, he knew instantly, but watching Regulus wade around in the lake, scouring the plants for toads amused him. Pandora laughed too, even harder when a large toad leapt at Regulus, startling him so he fell backwards into the lake.
"So much for not getting your robes wet." Barty giggled and Regulus grimaced, "Help me up, would you?" He reached his hand up. Barty grabbed it but suddenly felt a jerk and then he too was face-first in the green water. Pandora at this point was in hysterics and wasted no time in setting the frogs spawn on a rock to join them.
That's how they spent the afternoon, all thought of Slughorn's natterjacks forgotten, splashing and swimming in the shallows of the Black Lake. Emerging only when they noticed the sky turn purple. Barty and Pandora meandered back up the hill, jostling and giggling with one another.
"Come on, guys. It's freezing!" Regulus complained, twenty paces ahead and shivering.
"It's September!" Barty replied, "It's like twenty degrees out here." but they walked more quickly all the same.
They'd missed dinner, of course, which left Barty grumpy and swearing a lot. Pandora promised she had cauldron cakes in the dormitory, however, so the three of them descended the stairs to the dungeons.