Frozen Reputation

Truly, the uses and practical applications of magi were quite infinite and limited only by one's perceptions and ability to think in and out of the box. Back hoe, magic was so woven into daily life that Vash had ceased tof ind it strange, using the powers he had inherited to make chores go faster and farmwork easier; how many others could say that shepherded flocks of sheep and goats while riding a broom? Classes were long-since dismissed for the day, and Vash was, as per what seemed to be his norm, on his own. He didn't mind. Being here and surrounded by hundreds of other magically-endowed students around his own age while being thousands of miles from home and trapped in a hidden castle that refused to let his headphones work? That was usually what threw him off. Especially the "surrounded by hundreds of other magically-endowed students" part. There were more students and staff here than the whole village nearest him Nan's home that was so neatly tucked away on the mountain above them. It could be seen as an exciting change, or just plain annoying, as his mirthless glare often reminded even the most determined (annoying) Gryffindors to leave him alone.

The late afternoon sun was low, and the smell of dap grass surrounded the young blonde as he crouched through the field, looking slowly and carefully, being mindful to not move too much lest he scare his prey. Many students wondered why the pissy Swiss had been sorted into Gryffindor by that reepy old hat and wondered if it were going senile; seeing Vash in the field by the castle with his wand out, apparently hunting something might not have been helping his case. Vash shook his head to himself, glad that nobody was coming up to bother him right now. They'd never really get what he was doing, even if he explained it, knowing that even the simple truth was sometimes too much for people to wrap their heads around. It was funny how in a place almost run entirely by magic and where a simple vacuum cleaner was a strange and fascinating wonder that people could still be so closed-minded, seeing only what they chose to see and understanding only what they could relate to. Vash's reputation labled him as a bully and a pest, and scary as hell while being entirely antisocial and trouble waiting to happen, even if he had gotten better about not going off on people or explaining himself with his fist. That was how people saw and would probably always see him. On top of that, he was a boy who, at the moment, was hunting for mice in a field around when they woke up to go eat, Vash armed with his wand to do so since there wasn't anything so convenient as a pet store to sell frozen whole mice. He was a boy with a pet python whose food supply had run out, and knew that few things were less pleasant than a disgruntled, hungry snake.

Even with Milka being a secret, simply having her would really do nothing to help him since most of the students had an annoying fear of snakes. Dumbasses.

Green eyes widened, pleased as Vash held his breath, his arm raising ever so slightly. There was a mouse in sight, and a nice fat one, too. He'd catch a few tonight if he could and then he wouldn't have to worry about Milka's food supply for a few weeks if he kept the mice more or less frozen alive. They'd certainly be fresh, and she seemed to be enjoying having live prey now more than her once frozen morsels. "Petrificus totalus," came the urgently whispered command, power seizing the large brown field mouse and redering it completely stunned. The ghost of a satisfied smile twitched at the corner of his mouth as Vash tucked his wand into his sleeve before reaching to grab the mouse and toss it into a charmed clay pot. "One down... Let's see if I can get two or three more."