Climbing Tree
 

https://i.postimg.cc/bwZ7jyTm/climbingtree.jpg
Graphic credit: Felixir

Standing squarely in the middle of an otherwise featureless lawn is an immense oak tree with sprawling, high-reaching branches, its foliage thick and rich with natural colour, depending on the time of year. The tree is taller than it has any right to be, and seems ideal for climbing. That is, indeed, what your benevolent groundskeeper had in mind when he grew it.

The very lowest branches jut out six feet or so above the ground, but if you can't reach or haul yourself onto these, there are little nooks and conveniently located knots in the trunk to get you started. Up in the higher branches, you'll find platforms and maybe a basic treehouse structure or two, but the real fun to be had is in traversing the tree itself.

Climbing tree though it is, this area also serves as a pleasant meeting place, the vast canopy of leaves providing plenty of shade in the summer months. A plank swing dangles from one of the lower branches, and a tyre swing from another.

It's pretty difficult to confuse this tree with the Whomping Willow. For starters, you're in an entirely different part of the grounds. Not to mention, the climbing tree is an oak, and (presumably) won't maim you for trying to climb it. All the same, you're expected to treat this place with respect. Don't act like a fool, especially when you're high up in the tree. If you do happen to fall, the slowing and softening charms in place around this area will kick in, and you will come to no great harm.

Do as you please here, as long as its within school rules. Relax. Have fun. Go wild.

But maybe not too wild. Javier doesn't have any medical training, after all.

anyone!
 

^ hello, pls notice him
 

For Jenn and mentions of the others
 

She had told Maya that she’d meet her by the Climbing Tree. She leaned against the trunk of the tree, reading her book and waiting for her sister. They had to meet here. That’s what she had told Maya because it was her SECOND favourite place in all of Hogwarts. Once they met up, then they’d have to climb to the treehouse.

As she waited for her sister arrive, she watched a few students pass her and begin climbing and doing their own thing. She did spot Valentina on the swing and a new person (Edric) who was failing majorly at swinging. Lisa couldn’t help but giggle at it. He looked rather silly but it was endearing.

She returned back to her reading.

Shan/Lisa + hi others :D
 

As a general rule, Maya avoided the tree. Just in case anyone hanging on a lower one swung into her by accident or if someone came tumbling down from above landed on her. It was simply a little too chaotic for herself. For that very reason, she suspected that was why Lisa loved the tree so much. Never would she be able to sit and read under the tree the way Lisa currently was without the constant worry of someone hitting her.

As she approached the tree, she smiled at the sight of her sister who still looked so little leaning against the trunk. Over the last few years they had both grown so much - as people and in height. And she was still taller. She passed by Valentina and gave the elder girl a little wave.

Following that, she couldn't help but let out a little giggle at the sight of the younger Slytherin, Edric, struggling. That was a rather comical sight, wasn't it? But choosing not to say or help, she instead went over to hug her younger sister. "Hey Lees, are we settling into the dorms alright?"

That and she needed some information about everything that had gone down at the Slytherin table at the feast.

"WOOOOO!!"

Valentina was busy swinging herself up and down happily - not too fast ( because that was scary ) but still fast enough for her to enjoy. She happened to notice Lisa and Maya nearby, offering them a bright smile before turning to curiously look at a younger boy who was trying to climb the tree but every attempt seemed to be unsuccessful. She frowned a bit as she slowly came to a stop and jumped down, walking over to where he was.

"Hi!!"

Sometimes Noah swore that Lisa should have been a Gryffindor. She was definitely chaotic by nature. And here she was casually reading and not worried about someone dropping something on her. She had her book to defend her and she could use a defensive spell too! She knew how to do those know.

She turned the page and then noticed Maya. Lisa smiled. “Settling alright into the dorms but last night was eventful. I didn’t know your house was so dramatic… well I knew V could be but this was a whole ‘’nother level of drama.” And Lisa LOVED DRAMA! And liked being at the centre of it but not when it hurt FRIENDS! She sighed, closing her book before pinching her forehead. “I haven’t seen Serena since.”

Maya peered over at the pages of the book that Lisa was reading, curious as to what the subject was. "Dramatic? My house?" Maya was certainly amused by that statement. "Says the girl who went to theatre camp," she teased, nudging her younger sister slightly. She did frown though seeing Lisa obviously distressed or just stressed about not seeing one of her friends since the feast.

"What was she upset about? Do you want me to talk to her?" Maya asked. She was sure she would run into the younger Snake in the common room at some point. Maya had not yet reached the point where she had arguments with friends or were concerned with potential fall outs so she was curious as to what the whole thing was about. "Is she mad at you?"

For Tadhg/Stella!
 

As agreed Dahlia was waiting for Tadhg at one of their favorite spots outside. She had lost count of how many times they had climbed up into this tree and sit there together for hours and hours. The view was absolutely gorgeous, the air was fresh and sweet and the day was perfect. All that was missing was the boyfriend.

Sitting up on the lowest ledge, feet dangling down and swinging gently back and forth. Brushing her hair back off her face which allowed Sir Frederik to be able to see from his perch on her shoulder, she hummed softly to herself. Now where was that boy?

She was reading a romance novel that she had pinched from Eomma’s side of the library at home before heading to Kings Cross. “Its a fantasy romance novel…” Her cheeks were bright red as she explained that. Lisa chuckled at her sister’s teasing. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. She knew what Maya meant. “I like being involved in fabricated make believe drama but when it involves me and I can’t just observe it…I want to be far away..” she explained as she shut her book a little too forcefully.

“I think it’s what V said. Because Daniel and I are close, she asked if Daniel and I were a thing. Alfie joined in and then Serena caught the tailwind of our conversation… Though to be fair we did talk about her and Jasper… being friendly like V and Daniel. So it’s either Serena likes Daniel or Jasper…”

Or me.

She shook her head at the offer to talk to Serena. “Maybe? But I wouldn’t bring it up in conversation. I should talk to her. She’s my best friend and I’m hers… i just don’t want to upset her more cause maybe it’s something I did, y’know?” Lisa sighed loudly before opening her book to find her own list for fun.

“So i think I just need to talk to her and stop pouting… on a happier note.. i have my E-list if you have yours if you wanna compare?”

A fantasy romance novel?

Not too different than what Maya had been reading then. Though all of hers were borrowed from her friends from muggle school or the library. She had been good about sending them back to make sure they didn't pass the deadline and Eomma had been discreet about it too. "Is it... uhm... any good?" Maya asked, trying to see the words on the page. Maybe she'd be able to borrow it afterwards? She smirked at the little chuckle Lisa let out.

Everyone in the family knew the dramatic one was definitely Lees. "You can... kind of observe it? I read somewhere that you can extract memories and watch them... it's with a..." Maya closed her eyes trying to remember what exactly it was. "A pensieve!" Where they would find one was a whole other mystery. But surely one existed within the walls of Hogwarts somewhere. It was Hogwarts after all - home of ghosts, deadly plants, a giant squid, etc.

As Lisa explained the whole situation, Maya's brow furrowed as she tried to follow along. Merlin.

What a web these third years had spun themselves into. "So... V thinks you and Daniel are dating. And everyone thinks Serena likes either Jasper or Daniel. And V might like Daniel too?" This was... complicated. "But you like Jasper so how does Alfie fit into it?" Was he just an instigator?

Maya wrapped her arms around Lisa to give her a hug. Giving the younger girl a little squeeze before releasing it. Was it awful that in her mind she was grateful her life was not nearly as complicated? It paid off knowing less people. "Maybe you should make her a cake to try to amend things. Sweets are always a hit."

A twinkle appeared in Maya's brown eyes as Lisa pulled out her list. Smirking, Maya reached into her pocket and pulled out a neatly folded piece of parchment. "I've got my E-list and I think we have some updating to do." And from her jacket pocket, she pulled out a pen and clicked it. "Who do you have at the top of the list?"

“It is. I spent an hour reading it on the train before Atlas joined my compartment.” He had entered right as the charming prince was about to profess his love for her and after the whole adventure all he had said was “hey”. Lisa had been OUTRAGED by that simple word but then she realized that it wasn’t the Prince with swoopy hair. It was Atlas. Her brain had read what was being said instead of the words in the book. She smiled at their conversation and how he helped calm her. “You can borrow it if you’d like,” she mentioned. She didn’t like when people peered over her shoulder. It wasn’t like she was hiding something… then again maybe she was!

Her eyebrows raised as she listened to her sister explain some type of magical tool. A pensieve? “Wasnt that the big goblet thing in one of the History of Magic textbooks? Where you dump a vial of … memories or something in there and you can live through it?” But where could they find one. “Didn’t the Headmaster have one when Harry Potter was a student?” She could have sworn she read that somewhere? She gasped. “Maybe OUR headmaster has one. Maybe we could ask him!”

As Maya repeated back the drama to her, Lisa found herself nodding at it. She did restrain the fact that Atlas and Remy fit into it too. She’d keep the current drama explanation as simple as possible. “Well we don’t know about Serena but I’m thinking it has to be one or the other. V doesn’t like Daniel or so she explained to me… but I think she might be jealous cause she asked the question. Alfie is both Daniel and my friend. He doesn’t like V or Serena particularly. So instigator slash relationship supporter. He said he could see Daniel and I dating.”

She was very happy to be embraced by her older sister so she just burrowed herself into the embrace. Lisa felt safer in her arms and all her worries disappeared from her mind. “I can make her a cake or cookies.” Jasper, after all, said she made the best cookies so maybe she could make some for Serena. “Have you ever had this happen?”

The E-List was a happier topic. So pulling a pen out of her bag, she looked at the list in front of her. “Valentina. And you?”

Maya's brow raised at the mention of Atlas. "I could've sworn I saw you with Ja-" Her brow furrowed. At the food trolley, had Lisa not been with Jasper? Perhaps they were all sitting together? Merlin, Maya could not keep track of all of the people Lisa knew as hard as she tried. She did note the smile that crossed her sister's face at the mention of it as well. Odd. Perhaps Lisa's crush list was just growing? It was just a crush so Maya wouldn't press it. At least not in the way that Evan or Noah would. The two would probably have a heart attack just knowing Lisa had a crush on someone.

"Exactly!" Maya exclaimed, nodding her head. That had definitely been where she had read about it. That and a book about various magical objects. "It would make sense that there is one still here... but we would have to learn how to extract the memories first, wouldn't we?" She wasn't entirely too sure how keen the newly appointed headmaster would be about two students asking if he had a pensieve and if they could borrow it. Maya was a bit hesitant to reply to her sister but remembered - this was Lisa Nam. And no one said no to her. "I think it's worth a shot!" What was the worse thing that could happen anyways?

And then Lisa continued to explain the drama. Should a diagram be drawn out? She nodded slowly as Lisa explained, trying her very best to connect the dots. "But Alfie only thinks you and Daniel could date because you guys aren't actually dating right?" Maya did need confirmation at the two were not dating or she would reach the level of overprotectiveness that their brothers had. That and because Lisa would tell her if she were dating someone, right????

A soft smile crossed Maya's face when Lisa burrowed herself in her embrace. She pat her sister's head gently, stroking her hair the way Eomma would. "Cookies would probably be better because with a whole cake, she'd have to eat it all at once or it might go bad," Maya said with a nod of her head. Unless Lisa opted for cupcakes which was a different story. At Lisa's question, Maya shook her head. One, Maya just wasn't even half as social as Lisa was. And two, she just wasn't one to get into tiffs with others. Had she read about such complications in books? Absolutely.

"Valentina?" Maya asked, glancing over at the Gryffindor who was a safe distance away and couldn't hear their conversation. "I still think Jude..." Maya replied, looking down at her own list. "Where do you have him on your list? Valentina is second on mine."

For Kath and Cooper
 

"I was.. He bought me snacks and we talked. What a gentleman.... Before that, I was with Atlas.." she explained. She couldn't help it if she was SO POPULAR, right? She also had an extensive crush list but Jasper was at the top. He was just... ahjfdhfhghgjhfjkshdgag y'know?

"We would..." She paused. "How do we learn how to do that?" Did Maya know how to!!?

Lisa listened to her sister mentioning Daniel and Alifie and her. She nodded. "Yes... I think so.. He looked quite happy by it." Lisa had to do a double-take. "We're not dating. I don't think he likes me like that."

"Cookies...Cookies yeah?" she said with a smile. "What kind of cookies?"

She looked at her list and flipped through the options. "Jude is third because I don't know if Evan likes Jude like that."

Maya perked up when Lisa said that Jasper had bought her snacks, reminding her that Apollo had done the same for her. It had been so sweet when he had done it too even though she had been against it. Swoon. "You've got quite the string of gentlemen, don't you?" Maya teased, nudging her ever so popular sister slightly. "Did you and Jasper share a compartment the rest of the trip?"

Hmmm... Maya shrugged her shoulders. "The library? Or perhaps the headmaster might be open to teaching us?" she asked. Then a lightbulb flashed over her head. "Oh! Or Professor Amstern? Maybe Kimmie could ask him to help us?" she asked, wide eyed. Honestly the last one might be their best bet.

"What if... Alfie likes you and was trying to see if you and Daniel were dating so he could make his move?" Maya asked, thinking out loud. Was this a new candidate for the Lisa ship list? Maya would have to watch her fellow Slytherin around just to see if he was worthy. "I think you and Daniel would make a nice pair though... he seems nice." At least from what she had seen, he seemed nice. And her sister definitely deserved someone nice and levelheaded.

Maya nodded in regards to the cookies. "Maybe sugar cookies? You could ice them all pretty and put some smiley faces on them to cheer Serena up." It was a bit childish but sometimes that was what did the trick.

Pursing her lips, and then twirling her pen between her fingers, she looked through her list, wondering if what Lisa said should bring Jude down to second place. "But maybe Evan just doesn't like Jude like that right now but he does two months from now?" Jude was staying at the top of her list. "Who do you have as second if you have Jude as third?" Maya asked. Because on her list she had Ivy, Margaret and Kinsay. She was curious to see if Lisa had the same.

“Friends...” she added preemptively as she tried to her best to avoid a Maya inquisition. She smiled coyly as she inquired about Jasper. “No... we spent some time together and then I met up with other friends. I have a very demanding social life,” she teased as she flipped her hair sassily. “I did see you with Apollo. Still tutoring him or are you and he... special friends?” Two could tease each other.

Heh.

“Asking never hurt anyone!” Lisa was a fan of questions because that led to expanding her knowledge and intelligence. And her knowledge was a far greater asset than any other trait. Well perhaps kindness was tied... And creativity... It was hard to rank those three. Professor Amstern was a good option. “Do you think he realizes that we’re the sisters of the guy that broke one of his granddaughter’s hearts? Rather tragic, don’t ya think?” Lisa hadn’t spent time with the new COMC Professor as she missed her ProfesSAUR! But then again maybe she could call him PROFESSAUR 2.0! She ought to give him a chance. He seemed quite lovely.

Lisa’s eyes WIDENED. “W-wh-what- what do you meeaaaan?” she asked as she blinked rapidly. “I don’t... I don’t think he likes me...” Oh dear Merlin. Another person to worry about.. Had she been too kind? Did she need to start being mean to grow the distance more between her and her friends? What was the right thing to do?

“Sugar cookies... That could work... Make them quidditch themed.” She nodded. And if Serena didn’t want them, then she knew another Quidditch obsessed third year who’d happily devour them and keep her company if she were SAD.

The mention of Jude caused her to freeze a little. She felt bad for him... Their summer interaction had started off rocky but had turned around once they agreed not to talk about her brother. “Jude seemed ... upset with Evan. And I didn’t think Evan liked Jude like that. He went on a date with Valentina. Speaking of which - do you know how the date went?”

?????

UM WHAT

Her eye WIDE, Valentina simply stared at the boy for a long moment as she tried to figure out what was happening. It wasn't like he had fallen down from a great height so how had he passed out?? Maybe he was ill or something.

She bent down, looking at the sprawled figure with concern as she poked him in the waist. "Hello?? Are you okay?"

As always Tadhg promise his little brothers to spend some time with them every day or almost every day if he wasn't busy. He waa glad they were here, but a part of him wasn't seeing how the last couple of years went here, he was worried about their safety. Although he knew it wasn't going to be like that anymore, no more rooms and bread that made you forget things or whatever it was. Pushing the thoughts out of his head, he headed towards the climbing tree one of his favorite places in all of Hogwarts. He could spend hours up here with Lia just talking about things.


As of right now that's what he was going to go do, spend time with his girlfriend and talk about things. Climbing up the tree he seen her and smiled. [B]" Hey Bubbles, sorry I hope I'm not too late, I was spending time with Aiden and Axel as promised." Climbing up more he sat down beside her and kissed her cheek. "Hope I didn't make my beautiful girlfriend wait long, I'll feel terrible if I did."

Friends? Maya smirked. For now she had added in her head. "You do have a very demanding social life. Thank you for accommodating me in your busy schedule," Maya joked. That was definitely a quality of Lisa's that she admired - being able to make friends so easily. It was not something that came as easily to herself and she was not as gifted as Evan in the art of small talk. Her face tinged a slight pink at the mention of Apollo. "We're just friends. I shared a compartment with Ash for a bit too," she answered, trying to veer away from prying questions regarding the relationship that did not exist.

That was true though. What was going to happen if they did ask? Detention? "We could ask Professor Amstern and if he doesn't know and won't help us out, we could ask the headmaster... and then we can go from there." She made a little hmm sound, leaning back against the tree at Lisa's question. "Do you think Kimmie would've told him?" Were they close like that? Maya wouldn't even tell their parents if anything of that sort so she couldn't even begin to think what an awkward conversation that must be with grandparents.

Maya giggled at Lisa's reaction. "All I said was you guys would make a nice pair and that he's nice. I didn't say anything about him liking you." She smirked. "Do you want him to like you?"

Sugar cookies were always a safe bet. That way they wouldn't have to worry about potential nut or chocolate allergies. "Quidditch cookies would be cute. Might just take a little more time but I'm sure she'd appreciate the effort." Even if they turned out awful, it was the thought that counted anyways.

"Did he?" Maya frowned, wondering if she ought to put Jude lower on her list. But she was a sucker for rooting for the underdog. "I still think it could happen though." Maya was patient and this was a long game. "I... don't know. Should we ask her how it went?" Maya asked, shifting her gaze from her list to the blonde not too far from them.

As per usual, Lia's smile widened when her eyes fell upon Tadhg. The customary greeting of her tackle-hugging him wasn't going to happen while they were both in a tree so she settled for a simple, "TADDDD!!!" To which she laughed and waited for him to join her before saying anything else.

"That's okay, where are my little brothers?" Axel and Aiden weren't her brothers, they weren't family at all but they were Tadhg's brothers and knowing him for as long as she did the boys had been just little babies when they met. So she had been there for everything like a sibling. In a lot of ways they all felt like one big family at times since they both had lots of siblings and did lots of outdoorsy things with their families.

Slips her hand into his. "Where's Shadow and Flora?" Tilts her head at him looking over his shoulder at his hood to see if either of them are inside it like how Sir Frederik does to her.

Pacify the Whomping Willow and use its secret passage. That was a thing that Celyn heard about and she wanted to see if it actually worked. She added it to the list. It seemed a little dangerous, but she could take the necessary precautions and...

....was that a little bird singing to her? The seventh year paused in her writing and looked up and around the branches surrounding her. She didn't see anyone, but perhaps if she answered back. Celyn pursed her lips and let out a similar whistle, mimicking the bird she thought she heard.

And then paused. And looked again. This time she happened to catch sight of Cooper. "Oh, Cooper! Hi!" she greeted him with a bright smile as she peered down through the leaves, her leg tightly gripping the limb so she wouldn't fall as she angled herself to see him. "What are you up to?"

AaaHHh.

That was how Edric felt the poke. AH. Frightening. Delightful, in a way.

But no, the poke was mostly frightening. He made a :whaa: face and everything, though lying facedown in the grass as he was, no one could see it.

"Mm?" That was the most Ed could muster at the moment, his fists moving slowly in a frightened clenching of the grass. Maybe if he felt her presence receding, he could slowly army-crawl away.

“I’ll always pencil you in,” she winked with a smirk as she shifted her gaze to watch the people around them. Family was important- even if she made it sound like they weren’t. She arched her eyebrow at her sister’s reaction to Apollo. She had her suspicions for sure about the two of them. “Oh? How’s Ash?”

Professor Amstern… it was worth a shot? “I know Noah met the parents but I don’t know about grandparents…” she said before becoming silent. Then again Amstern seemed rather helpful with things so he’d probably help her out.

“You like Alfie? I didn’t know you knew him… but you are the same house.” It made sense really. “Remind me.. who’s he?” She had a lot of friends and admirers.

Lisa nodded. “Okay… could you help me.. maybe? You’re so good at designing. ” Maya was just good at everything aesthetics. Lisa…. Not so much.

“REALLY?” She paused, debating it. She didn’t think Evan liked anyone that way- boy or girl. He had gone on a date prior but Jude… Jude. Nooo. Speaking of Valentina, “We could… who would have better luck? You? Or me? We don’t want to bombard her.”

Valentina looked visibly relieved when he responded. Phew. SO, he was fine. Why was he just lying down though?? Maybe he'd gotten hurt somewhere? Didn't seem like it. She hesitated for a moment before reaching for his hand, giving it a light tug.

"Do you want to.. get up, maybe?"

Tadhg knew how Lia was, if he wasn't climbing up the edge to join her, she would've tackled hug him. Chuckling softly he smiled at her. " Hey there my beautiful girlfriend, how is my Lia doing?" Looking at her he laughed. "Okay... now I'm up here you can tackle hug me." He knew it was going to happen, it does every time she sees him it was her custom greeting. He didn't mind it of course, he thought it was cute and adorable.

"Axel said he was going to hang out with Keighley who he calls his Energizer Bunny." Chuckling at the thought of his little brothers wanting to be like him. "Aiden said he went with his friends to board so yeah.." He liked to keep track of where his brothers were, even had something like him and Lia have to know if they're okay. He knew how much his little brothers were like little brothers to Lia as well, she was there to help him raise them.


Just as Lia talked about Shadow, she popped her head up from his hood part of her masters hoodie he was wearing. "She's keeping herself warm, she doesn't really like the cold and Flora is in the middle pocket, you know how she's always on my fingers."

She s-s-she TOuChEd him. On the hand. :whaa:

Edric cleared his throat and sat up suddenly, struck (as though by lightning) but really just struck by the touch of her hand (which felt like lightning to someone he'd never been touched by before). He sat up so fast he might have, in fact, knocked into her.

"I'm sorry I'm fine, I'm just...." He started scuttling backwards on his hands, like an odd little gangly crab. "I'm just sc---"

He was scared, he admitted it. Or thought he did. The words might have been stuck in his throat.

"I'm doing absolutely amazing! How are you?" Lia giggled happily. At being told that she could now tackle hug as she normally did, the fourth year consider it for the briefest moment before shaking her head. "I think that can wait until we are back on the ground." No chances were going to be taken while up in this tree. What she was going to do though, was fling her arms around him in a normal hug for the time being.

She smiled. "I love how they're great friends too!" Her cousin and his brothers being friends was perfect. Being able to all hangout in a group was much easier when everyone got along.

"Oh! Hello there, Shadow. Maybe she needs to wear a little sweater." Dahlia giggled at the thought. "I do and she needs to stay warm as well so I won't go bothering her right now."

Maya giggled, amused by her younger sister's reply. "That's awfully kind of you. I'll make sure my assistant reaches out to your assistant," she joked. And by assistant, she meant she would simply refer to her planner. Maya didn't miss the look that Lisa gave her after she mentioned Apollo and herself were just friends. But that was what they were even if she wanted it to be something more. "Ash is... good? I think?" It was always hard to tell with Ash but the good thing was that Ashley normally just said out loud how she was feeling. It made it much easier for Maya that way.

Hmm. "We're also not Noah... so I doubt the professor would hold us accountable for anything No did." Because that would be the mature, adult thing, wouldn't it?

Maya shook her head. "No, no. Daniel. Daniel seems nice," she laughed in amusement. It must be hard keeping track of everything considering all the drama that had already happened on the first day.

"Of course," she said in response. Maya had found that baking was rather fun and relaxing the same way origami had been. She supposed it was something about following steps that just made it... easier? "After classes, we can find time to bake some cookies. Or the weekend..."

She shrugged in response. "Valentina would probably tell you." But only because Lisa seemed to have a way with everyone. Lisa was just much more social than herself and Maya had a feeling if she were to ask the older Gryffindor, she'd just embarrass herself and Evan along the way.

WOAH

Val fell on her backside abruptly ( so RUDE, hello), staaaaring at the boy in confusion. What had she even done??? Raising her eyebrows, the blonde got to her feet quickly. UM. Didn't he like that she touched his hand or something??

"... scared? Why?" She looked down at him, feeling concern now. "Sorry if I scared you in some way."

For Jess and Apollo
 

It wasn't that he didn't like it. He just didn't know what to do with it next. AN OLDER GÖRL (woman?!!) WAS TOUCHING HIM!!! WHY!!!! HOW!!!! What did he do NeXT?!

He scuttled away like a crab, still, or tried to, but then she was hovering over him, which was even MORE intimidating. Edric's mouth popped open and gaped like a fish.

"....!" She was very petty from this angle, didn't she know that? It was too much for him. He was completely overwhelmed and feeling a panic attack coming on.

You didn't need to tell Apollo twice to get outside on the rare sunny days. Especially with a kneazle cradled in his arms that he recognized as having belonged to Isabella. Whatever the creature was doing outside the slytherin common room, the fourth year had zero idea but yet cats were funny like that.

Now - where to find Isabella Connolly? He needed to put a tracker on the bestie, except it would infringe on privacy and Apollo was not about that life. He just needed to think like her, which wasn't terribly difficult when one had been friends for so long. Trekking to the library first, with no avail, he finally settled on the grounds when he saw the sunlight seeping through the windows. Left .... right... oh... up... He grinned when he saw her sitting in a tree, reading a book {which he would have definitely cringed if he saw it was a history of magic book} but alas, instead he held up the kneazle toward her.

"Missing something?"

*_________*

Val was so CONFUSED. It obviously seemed like he was scared but WHY. She took a couple of steps closer, watching the younger boy simply stare at her with his mouth open.

She raised her brows, tucking her hair behind the ears somewhat self-consciously. "Do I have something on my face?"

In typical Cambridge fashion, he found himself replying before he really thought through what he was saying.

"Yeah, your nose."

Heh.

Heh.

Geddit? Her nose was on her face.

Why'd she have to tuck her hair behind her ear like that? It made him feel all... butterfly-y and nervous again. He caught himself hyperfocusing on it, staring at her shiny hair with his pale blue eyes. Wow. At least he was breathing normally again; that smart remark had made him feel better, and he was sitting up like a proper human instead of a crab. "I'm Ed, by the way, Edric Mason Cambridge."

See, that wasn't too hard. Now they weren't strangers as much.

Her nose.

HEHEHEHEHEH. Val couldn't help but grin widely, feeling quite amused. "That's funny." Also? Did he just speak to her?? Wow. Finally. But then, she caught him staring at her again. Maybe she did have something sticking to her face. Or hair.

"Hi, Edric. I'm Valentina Nichols." She smiled, extending a hand.. wait, was he going to be weird about touching her hand or something!? UM.

Celyn hadn't expected Cooper to join her up in the tree, especially as he was on his morning jog, but she was quite pleased when he almost immediately hoisted him up onto the nearest supporting branch. She watched him through the leaves, her head tilted, then straightened up and leaned back again as he found a seat on his own branch beside her.

"Hi, again," she said with a smile, her head still leaning against the trunk turned towards him. "Of course I don't mind, silly." He should know he didn't have to ask her that. He was always welcome company. "I'm just adding to the Hogwarts bucket list. Want to help?"

If there was an opportunity for Edric to be weird, he was going to be weird.

So, naturally, he played up the weirdness. Maybe he was emboldened by her laugh, maybe by the fact that she'd reached out a hand.

"Hi," he replied dramatically, taking her hand and brushing his lips to it in what he hoped was a gentle little kiss. He hoped he wasn't tugging on her hand too hard to make her fall into him or anything?!! (Though would that be a problem?!)

UMMMM.

Wait, did he just- what just- she was so CONFUSED. What, even? Why the hand kiss? Is it something that he usually did or-? She had so many questions but ended up staying quiet, offering him a somewhat (awkward?) smile.

Anyway. "You can call me val."

Celyn casually watched him as he got situated. Cooper was adorably ridiculous at times, (or was it ridiculously adorable?) but she appreciated his need for respectfully asking permission. Even though she always welcomed his company, it was nice for him to make sure she didn't prefer to be alone as people sometimes did.

"Yes, I suppose that we do," she mused as she lowered her eyes to her list. It really was growing and if they didn't get started soon to do at least some of the things, they'd run out of time to cross all the items off. "Oh! I thought it might be fun to see if there really is a secret passage underneath the Whomping Willow," she grinned showing him that addition to the list. "What do you think?" Dangerous, but they could be careful.