The Igloo

[potterobsessionist]

Banner credit: Suziella

Behind the Groundskeeper's Hut, right at the edge of the Forbidden Forest towers an igloo. A spell keeps it from melting during the warmer seasons and despite some protest from the Groundkeeper’s side, the students are welcome to enter. This is where Mr. Baldvinsson likes to retreat when the Scottish summer gets too warm or when he needs to reminisce of his many years as a ranger on Svalbard.

Since the Igloo is completely made of ice, inside and out, you’ll notice it’s a clever idea to borrow one of the fur coats provided by Mr. Baldvinsson. Please leave the coat (undamaged, thank you) by the entrance for the next student to use.

Inside the Igloo are several ice statues in the shape of both magical and non-magical creatures that Mr. Baldvinsson found an interest in back home. A large sofa with a warming fur throw is located at one side of the room where you may take a seat and flip through one of the books on how to lure a polar bear, using snow patterns to track down a wolf pack or the quickest way to locate a hot spring. In the evening, a beautiful display of the northern lights is shown with green and blue lights dancing across the icy ceiling.

Any use of heatening charms such as Chaudensis or any fire spells are strictly forbidden, for obvious reasons. Please make sure to leave the Igloo as you found it and don’t let the northern lights make you forget the time for curfew. Mmhm.

[Ginevra]

Daisy had just started to feel confident but that confidence was fading because it seemed that her owl was leading her back to the Forbidden Forest. Surely, her compass was broken or maybe the owl had a vendetta against her. However, just as Daisy reached the edge of the forest, the owl nipped her very softly as if telling her to stop. She looked around and spotted the igloo. Making her way into the igloo, Daisy gave a little shudder as the owl ruffled its feathers. Soon the third gold star appeared on Daisy's map so she quickly exited the igloo.

"Here you go," Daisy said to the owl as she fed it a couple of treats. Now where to next? Daisy set off.

[Birchwoodmom]

It was time for location number three. The map and compass were starting to become easier to read as the task went on. She was also becoming more comfortable with Oly the owl. Those darn professors, they did seem to know what they were doing. As she tried to work out where the next location would be, she realized she needed to head back towards the Forbidden Forest. That was the last place she wanted to visit.

Moving towards the forest, and angling towards the Gamekeepers Hut, she caught sight of the Igloo. “The Igloo!” she cheered to Oly as her pace quickened. Oly hadn’t pecked her, so she knew she was on the right path. Her awkward jog would have looked rather silly to anyone nearby, but she didn’t want to jostle Oly too much.

Just as they arrived to the Igloo, the golden star appeared on her map. “Three down! We are halfway there.” She cooed to the owl, handing over another treat. She was really warming up to the creature and it made her want to go and visit her owl in the owlery more often. That thought would have to wait for another time. She still needed to find three more locations before heading back to the class site by the barn.

[Dokimoto]

Kye left the pathway, and after one very very light peck from The Navigator, she found herself going towards Professor Baldvinsson's hut... Okay maybe not. She had stopped near it, and gotten another little peck. She should have realized they wouldn't be asked to all go tramping over where he slept! How rude of her! Tiptoeing away, Kye ended up heading back to the outer grounds, which confused her. She hadn't reversed or anything right? Because she had already gone out here. Shouldn't the map be leading them closer to the professors again? Was the next star in Hogsmeade or what? She was heading back toward the Forest and apparently no, that was not her destination because The Navigator gave her a little hoot and pecked her. He was definitely making sure to be nice now, and for that Kye was grateful. As she changed direction, she offered him another treat. Seriously, could she keep him? Were they going to be allowed all this bonding time and never get to see them again?? Looking up, Kye realized they were getting close tot he igloo. She looked at her map and compass, and confirmed her instinct here. She headed straight ahead of her to the igloo, and a bounce started in her step as she watched the star appear. "YES, way to go bud!" she cheered him. She stopped to consider where the fourth location might be, feeling the sharp cold coming from inside the igloo. One particularly strong gust made The Navigator hoot with indignation. "Sorry sorry, we're moving I promise!" and they were off again.

[Bazinga]

She had moved slower this time, because every time she moved she was being pecked, it was like the thing knew she was just trying to follow people. "OKAY, OKAY" Pulling out the items the professors gave to navigate Zita looked at them and followed until she made it to the igloo.

She really hadn't been here at all this term and looking around she realized why. It wasn't all that impressive and not a very happening place. Though maybe it would be in the daytime, but anyway this wasn't the place to just hang around and even being near it made her cold.


Turning she headed to the next location.

[RachieRu]

Harriet left the pathways behind, and continued to use her map and compass to follow the path. She must have been following it a bit better, for it seemed that she wasn't being pecked that much. She wondered if it was her skills at map reading, or just that she really knew the grounds. She did spend most of her time out here, so she knew she was pretty used to them. But it did feel good to not be totally pecked all the time. She wasn't a piece of food for the owl to eat. She noticed as she was walking that she was coming to be at the igloo. She'd spent a bit of time here recently but not much.

She was feeling a bit tired. So once the star had appeared on her map, she stopped for a few minutes, wanting to rest a little. She was more likely to make mistakes if she rushed on whilst she was tired. and that would lead to more pecking, and she did not need that. After about two minutes, she looked at her map again, and then set off to the next location. Three down, three to go.

[Lislchen]

....at first Cam had thought that he was reading the compass wrong again. But since The Owl hadn't flown at him to kill peck him again, he had come to realize that he WAS in fact walking in the right direction. They were heading BACK to.......the Igloo? Somehow this was starting to feel like they were going in circles. And apparently they were a they now. Him and The Owl. Alright then. He really should have named her. Or him. He hadn't even checked that. Not that it MATTERED.

He really should focus on the task at hand again.

Cameron stopped outside the igloo (they weren't supposed to go INSIDE, right?) and looked around for a moment. Was there a point to this exercise really? Peering down at his map again, he found his next destination. After then consulting his compass, he tuuuuuuurned and after a quick glance at the owl who was eying him he kept on tuuuurning until he felt he was now walking the right direction.

Yes? Owl?

[Lissy Longbottom]

Scarlett had started going the wrong direction, earning her QUITE a few little pecks from Sebastian as she had gone towards the greenhouses, but then she realized she had been reading the map upside down. HEADSMACK. Once she got that figured out, she realized that she was supposed to be heading back to the igloo.

She wasn't sure why they had an igloo on the grounds, quite honestly - but ah well. She smiled as a star appeared on her map and she gave her owl buddy another treat before heading off to the next stop.

[PhoenixRising]

As soon as Skylar started down the pathway she was feeling this familiar sensation in her stomach. She hadn't been to the igloo in like two years and and for good reason. She loved the igloo; everything about it from the ice sculptures to the fur coats and the coziness. It was the perfect place for a date and really it was little wonder why it also happened to be the location of Skylar's first kiss.

So when it was determined this to be her next destination, she walked slowly toward it, feelings flooding from her head to her toes, making her go numb as if she were actually inside the igloo. Willing herself to walk faster until the map lit up, she turned and headed off and way, much quicker than her arrival at the frozen shelter.