SUMMER FOREVER Etta was warmly dressed as she made her way down the pathway, the snow crunching lightly under her feet.. but the layers of clothing didn't make a difference at all. It was still extremely cold.. the chilly air making her cheeks turn red. She could never get used to winter. Never. She continued walking slowly, her eyes on the ground, making sure she didn't trip unexpectedly and end up hurting herself. That would be just her luck.
All of a sudden, she found herself right next to the stone that stood in front of the whomping willow. She came to a abrupt stop and stared at the massive tree.. her eyes filled with wonder and confusion. Firstly, what did she know about the whomping willow? It was very violent, of course. It attacked anyone or anything that came within the reach of it's huge branches. Second of all, it was very old and rare. Thirdly, she also knew that it was planted to hide an opening to a secret passage that led to Hogsmeade.
A frown settled between her brows as she stared at the branches extending from the Willow, thinking something was off. She couldn't exactly point out what it was.. except that the tree or rather, it's branches, looked way too still. Was it because of the cold or something else? To find out, Etta had to move closer to the Willow but she hesitated. What if she was wrong, though? What if she risked getting hurt? She pulled out her wand and took a step forward. Oh, well. There was no point in thinking too much about it.
The only way to find out was to take a closer look. She casted a feather-light charm on herself first before she took a few more steps towards the Willow, her eyes completely focused on the branches for any sign of sudden movement.. and even if there was, she would be ready for it. But, something was not okay.. she could feel it.
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