#17 - Always In Patrol

Dinner had clearly ended, which meant it was now Curfew -- and the key timeframe when Prefects were at their busiest / most alert.

Kaspian in particular had to contend with a constant flow of Gryffindors headed up the Grand Staircase towards their Common Room. If he didn't know about the Fat Lady, and the entrance she guarded, before tonight... well, he knew now.

Amidst all the chatter and oncoming students, two 3rd year boys (Gryffindor and Ravenclaw) had stopped on a platform nearby and were arguing about something. It seemed to be getting rather heated -- so much so that some portraits had even turned to watch, some frowning at the lack of civility and some keen on absorbing the gossip. 

'Stop saying that,' snapped the Gryffindor., which earned a shouted response from the Ravenclaw but it was drowned out in the nearby chatter. 

The 3rd years were annoyed by the interruption, though the Ravenclaw boy spotted the badge on Kaspian's robes and realised who he was so quickly kept any attitude in check. The Gryffindor huffed, crossing his arms, but supposed they were at a stalemate anyway so some outside help might not be the worst thing.

Even if it was a Prefect who'd probably just boss them around anyway.

'Nothing nothing.' The Gryffindor grumbled, despite all evidence to the opposite. 'He thinks my sister's a liar, which she isn't.' He shot the Ravenclaw a glare.

'I didn't say that,' the Ravenclaw argued back. 'But you weren't there. You don't know what she saw.'

'I'm telling you, it was the giant squid, okay? It's real, and she saw it. And I've heard Jacob Thatcher talking about it too,' the Gryffindor's voice rose again. 'Stop saying they're wrong. It is real, right?' He shot Kaspian an angry look.

The look quickly dimmed as he remembered he was talking to a much older student who also happened to be a Prefect. But he was convinced his sister saw the squid, and his friend was convinced it didn't exist. Had Kaspian seen it for himself? went unspoken.

Eying the two argumentative boys, Kaspian tilted his head with interest. Had he heard them correctly? At the mention of a squid, they could've spotted a Kruitquid which was normally found deep in the Black Lake, but the prefect didn't know enough information to inform them either way. There was always the possibility that there was another creature lurking in those depths, far larger and much more dangerous. It'd be tough to determine what the boy's sister actually saw.

"There's a possibility that your sister spotted a Krutquid, mate. But I don't know how she would've seen it unless she'd gone for a swim." He glanced at the Gryffindor, shaking his head. "But it's cold out and the lake's frozen. Did she see it earlier in the year?"

Knowing how to diffuse a situation between two students was a crucial part of being a prefect, and this was the first time Kaspian found himself trying to mitigate and respond appropriately. He thought by engaging in the topic of their confrontation, by showing some interest, that it could hopefully steer their disagreement into a more civilized conversation. It was worth a shot.

"That's a deep, dangerous dive too. I don't even have the experience to go about finding a sea creature like that." Kaspian chuckled at his disclosure, hoping his moment of vulnerability would help ease the tension. But these boys looked determined, both digging their heels in and not wavering on their individual stances. And the longer they stood there on the platform, discussing the possibilities, the longer past curfew they remained out of bed.

"I'll tell you what. Why don't you both sleep on it, yeah?" Kaspian floated a gentle hand behind the two boys' backs, hoping to guide them in the direction of their common rooms. "First thing tomorrow morning, seek out Fairburn. She'll know best and can confirm or deny the possibility of a sighting. That'll determine the legitimacy of your sister's claim."

He glanced at the Gryffindor, giving him a small nod. It was impossible to say who he sided with, but Kettles didn't want to show house bias and tried to be sympathetic with the defensive boy. All he knew was that there were far better ways to approach a disagreement. Whenever he found himself in a similar situation, he was proactive about it. It was all about seeking answers and providing proof, not only making claims. Hopefully the boys would do that in the future.