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*****

 Finally, after about ten minutes, the "culprit" of this gathering finally set the "table."

 - All is ready. We can get started," Astoria reported, standing in front of me like some kind of soldier.

 - Well done. It's immediately obvious that she thought about everything in advance," I said with a slight grin, looking at her through slightly squinted eyelids.

 Gringras did not react to my teasing, only her ears turned slightly red. However, only I managed to notice this, and then a moment later my long hair covered these "evidence".

 "Then get started, while I'll do something else," I said, stepping slightly to the side and picking up the wand.

 - And what are you going to do? — Astoria asked, watching me with a close gaze. Neville also nodded interestedly, only Luna continued to glance sideways towards the black lake.

 "Now you'll see," I said, smiling slightly.

 A slow wave of the wand and the earth took on the shape of a barbecue, another wave and it became metallic.

 I won't tire of repeating, transfigurations are a convenient thing. I could actually create this metal device out of thin air, but why show something out of scope? Knowledgeable people already know what exactly I can do, but others are not supposed to know.

 Two more swings and five skewers appear next to the grill, glistening with a metallic sheen in the sunlight.

 Astoria and Nev closely watched my actions, not quite understanding why I was doing this. Well, you can understand them; all your life you will eat what house elves or family cooks have prepared for you. They simply don't know how to prepare shish kebab. And yes, that's exactly what I'm going to cook.

 No, of course they tried this dish, perhaps they even knew how to theoretically prepare it, but alas, this is not how it happens in reality.

 - And what is he doing? — Astoria asked Nev, puzzled, as I moved closer to the Forbidden Forest and began to collect dry wood.

 "No idea," Nev answered, also puzzled. - Maybe you know, Luna? — the guy decided to ask the second girl present here.

 She, taking her gaze away from the dark surface of the lake, looked around the structure, and then again turned it to the black water.

 — Apparently he is going to make barbecue. My father and I once made it when our whole family was traveling around the world.

 While three people were discussing my actions, I just managed to collect a decent pile of dry wood and started lighting the barbecue. True, for a magician this task is very easy. Just put the wood in a pile, point the wand at it and say:

 "Flamma* (* flame)," soft tongues of flame escaped from the tip of the stick and fell onto the firewood. A few moments later, all the wood crackled merrily in the fiery embrace.

 - Why did you get up? "Come here and help," looking at the frozen "aristocrats," I said an open container with marinated kebab (magic is an amazing thing. As soon as I corrected the house elves last night to persuade the meat, he did everything. Ideal servants created with the help of magic).

 After ten minutes of humorous skirmish, as well as the best help of my comrades in the fight against the "enemy," the first batch of shish kebab was carefully prepared over the coals.

 I don't know why Astoria and Daphne started this, but such a vacation will definitely benefit them. Look how Nev, Astoria and even Luna look expectantly at the pieces of meat that were being cooked on the heat of the coals. Haha, like little children. Although they didn't go far.

 - ABOUT! "Sister, how unexpected it is to meet you here," the playful voice of a small snake distracted me from cooking.

 Easy to pass.

 Looking in the same direction as Astoria, I saw Daphne steadily walking towards us. Apparently this time she is on her own, since her "escort" (and I'm talking about Draco) is nowhere to be seen. True, in the distance, as if by chance, a couple of senior students from Slytherin were walking, who were definitely not here before the arrival of one person. How "ordinary" this is, and also "not suspicious", it makes me laugh.

 "Hello Daphne," I nodded to her in greeting. The others greeted her along with me. "And we're having a barbecue here, the main thing is to smile like a fool." They are always underestimated.

 - Hello Calder. Do you mind if I join your little company? - straight to the forehead, even without foreplay. Oh, how not beautiful, Ice Queen.

 "If the others don't mind, then why not," I "threw off" this "responsibility."

 - I don't mind! Luna too - who would doubt that Astoria would be the first to agree. Nev just shrugged his shoulders indifferently. Well, that's great.

 "Thank you," the girl nodded aristocratically, and then carefully sat down next to her sister, who immediately began to whisper something to her.

 Time flew by unnoticed while cooking and talking about nothing. Incredibly, the soul of the company was not the ever-positive Astoria, but the "shy" Neville. His funny stories from life (for example, how the devil's snares stole her grandmother's favorite hat and so carelessly left it on a chair in the greenhouse. Hmmm, plants really don't like her after all) entertained the audience well.

 While cooking, I also had to keep an eye on Luna, who, like a small child, was always trying to make her way to the lake. From these scenes, Astoria and Neville laughed out loud. What can I say, even Daphne with her always icy expression on her face laughed a couple of times. And her laugh is really beautiful.

 Finally, when everything was prepared and laid out, we began to eat, continuing to communicate with each other.

 "... that's how my uncle found out that his animagus form is a toad," Neville finished another story. - And there were so many conversations. Grandmother remembered the salamander for a long time.

 "Ha ha ha, I can imagine," Astoria laughed. The one who was definitely having fun here was her. An interesting person, a storehouse of contradictions.

 - And, in my opinion, toads are cute. Especially Trevor," Luna said without looking up from her food. "Their skin feels so cool to the touch." Like some kind of slug.

 "Fe," Astoria shrugged her shoulders in disgust. "Only you might find them cute."

 "It's possible," Luna confirmed, putting on a serious face. True, it didn't turn out so well with my mouth full.

 "Pf... ha-ha-ha," the snake couldn't stand it first and laughed, followed by Nev. Daphne and I just smiled from this picture.

 Finally, when most of the food was eaten and the children had laughed it off, I decided to get down to the main thing.

 "And yet, Daphne," I drew the attention of this person. - Why are we gathered here? What secret did you want to know or tell us? - well, it's more like me, but let's skip this insignificant fact.

 An ice mask fell on the girl's face again, although this time it was not as "impenetrable" as at the beginning, but it was a fact.

 "I had no doubt that you would guess," she said, nodding at something.

 "Oh," I said meaningfully, glancing sideways at the snake. "I'm very quick-witted," I grinned slightly. Astoria blushed again at my words, but still did not look at her sister. She also didn't look at her, so my message went unnoticed. Well, okay, I didn't really want to.

 — I'll answer, perhaps, in order. Why exactly "picnic"? The answer is simple. "In Castles, especially magical ones, there are always a lot of ears," she pointed to her ears. "Sometimes too much," Daphne added barely audibly. - And about the topic of conversation... "I came to ask you to look after my sister," she stunned me at the end.

 - What?! — Astoria exclaimed in surprise at her words. It seems that Daphne did not inform her sister about the topic of today's conversation. Curious.

 - Is she in any danger? - I asked. - And what makes you think that I can take care of her? If you haven't forgotten, I'm a sophomore like you. The most ordinary one, not "standing out" in any way - here he still bent his heart. Anyway.

 - The most common? Is that you? - she asked skeptically, adding such skepticism to her voice that even a deaf person would understand. - Someone, but not you, should talk about this. Why exactly you... you have such a low opinion of your abilities. Last year's snow battle clearly showed how much you are progressing compared to others, what can we say about your studies.

 - Battle? What are you speaking about? — the snake picked out from the conversation what interests it.

 "Then I'll show you the memories," the sister waved her off.

 "I want it too," Luna whispered quietly. In an instant, the youngest of the sisters was next to her and began to whisper something in her ear, and she only nodded to her words.

 - And why do you need memories of this? — I asked a little surprised. Of course, I understand that I showed quite a lot back then, but everything was within the limits...

 — It's quite interesting, you know, to watch how literally six months ago a child who knew nothing about magic copes with a crowd of "opponents" using only magic. Of course, this fits into the framework of the descendants of very noble and powerful houses. But you're not one of them," she hammered the nail into the coffin. Mine. Damn, why do I always focus on strong personalities in development? Fucking empathy. That's how hard it hits my brain that I only now noticed what Daphne told me about.

 "Hmm, yes," I feigned confusion under the gaze of the two sisters.

 "About the threat," Daphne didn't dwell on it. "It just so happened that a certain group of people decided to teach a lesson to one person, which violated unspoken traditions," Daphne continued in an icy voice that chilled to the very bones.

 - Aristocrats - Slytherin, servants - the rest? - Neville, who had been silent until then, asked her.

 Looking at him in slight surprise, Daphne nodded.

 - Yes. Not everyone liked that Astoria didn't come to us. And after she started communicating with you, they decided to teach her a lesson. "For an aristocrat to communicate with a mudblood... This will not happen!" - she said, obviously parading one jealous ferret. "That's why I want you to look after her." Moreover, if anything, you can convince other students from your house to look after Astoria. They will listen to you, because you are in good standing.

 This means they have ears in our faculty too. Expected what you say here. There are too many aristocrats in our house. At least more than the Lions and Badgers.

 "Okay," I nodded to her, under her gaze. - If anything, I will look after Astoria to the best of my ability. But you yourself understand that I am not omnipotent and omniscient.

 "I don't need more," Daphne nodded with relief.

 At this point our conversation somehow faded away. After sitting for about twenty minutes more, we began to get ready.

 What did I take away from this conversation? Ho, this is all pretty interesting. Daphne's request. To look after the daughter of one of the large and ancient clans... Very funny. Especially if you remember at least three "defenders" from our faculty, who are unobtrusively located next to Astoria. No, there's something else here.

 The whole conversation today was about one thing - to warn me. The advocates of blood purity, whose circle includes Draco, decided to teach a lesson to one arrogant boy who so carelessly communicates with one of them. I don't think it's worth talking about where these ideas came from, right?

 Eh, who would have thought that Malfoy was such a jealous ferret? Yes, and decided to act like a true Slytherin - to "eliminate" the obstacle with the wrong hands, those whom you don't feel sorry for. These are vassals of vassals, as well as simply magicians in the nth generation. Well, at least those who ardently support the "correct and faithful" traditions.

 What does this mean for me? Be more careful and finally complete mastery of the second stage of invisa. I feel like this will be useful to me.

 Hah, how tense, but also intriguing. What else will he come up with? Let's see.

 Having collected our things, we headed to the castle, leaving the black lake behind.

 And on the shore of the Black Lake, a girl sat in the rays of the sun, dipping her feet in this water. Her never brown eyes became much darker, almost like dark waters. But it was not ominous, but rather fascinating. A pool in which you can literally drown.

 Right now, her eyes were following the ball of black water that hovered above her hand, without the aid of her wand. The water flowed from one position to another, constantly moving, changing its shape without stopping. Her gaze burned with joy and delight. She was alive and happy.

 Glad she's doing well. It was worth it.