The Tower Patch

[MunchyBubbles]

At the top of the north tower some ways down from the Astronomy classroom is a large rooftop garden that has been expanded in memory of the late Marion Burbage, substitute professor of Astronomy. Lush green hedges and flower beds line the perimeter of the area and a large fountain greets you towards the opposite end. Located to the left of the fountain is a stone plaque engraved with words from former Headmistress Truebridge herself which reads :

Rest in peace old friend, beloved wife, renowned stargazer, and special professor. Always in our hearts.

Beside this plaque lays another plaque placed in memory of another professor who gave their life while in service to Hogwarts. The plaque reads :

In Memory of E.M. Forrester, a brilliant space scientist, educator, and Slytherin Head of House. He will be missed.

Comfy benches and tables are scattered throughout the patch for students and professor alike to lounge, read a book, complete homework tasks, and just generally hang out. Positioned at each of the four corners of the Tower Patch are topiary depicting each of the four house's mascots crafted by Hogwarts students themselves - a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake- that have been proven sturdy enough to climb upon.

OOC: for more information on the events that took place in this thread, please read Term 32 of Hogwarts, a History & What in Merlin's Beard Term 32. For information on Professor Forrester please read here. For more information on the topiary look here.

•Description by sweetpinkpixie

[kayquilz]

It had been...an interesting beginning to term. The scandal at the feast with Hawthorne being let go...that dictator of a man taking over...that first morning job that he skipped out on that left his head with those..awful boils on his head. Which was unfair because Lucas PLANNED on going after that first day...it was just HARD on the very first morning of school.

NO matter. He was dealing with the matter by hearing a beanie almost always...which he would probably get in trouble for soon enough. But he had a black one on currently over his cherry red hair. And he needed a space where he felt...at peace. And safe. Besides his dorm...he felt very few places like that at Hogwarts still. It wasn't like he was miserable or anything just...he kinda' missed how the school had been last term. Even WITH the inferi attack before they broke for summer.

He sighed as he sprawled out some books on this beautiful rooftop garden, making sure not to disturb any of the plants as he began a reading for Defense. No way was he going to make the Headmaster displeased. Nah uh!

[Erindipity]

It wasn't often that Penny ventured to the upper floors, but she had been feeling a bit like a stroll, as it were. Not really having a destination in mind she was a bit surprised when she found herself at the tower patch. And even more so when she marched right in, paying no mind to the boy who was already there. If spending time with Benji had taught her anything, it was that she could spend time around other people and not feel awkward about it. Especially considering she didn't have to bother him anyway.

When she had found a spot she liked she glanced nervously at him, chewing the inside of her lip. “Scuse me… erm… do ya mind if I sit here? I won't be any bother. I'll not even talk to ya if ya dun want,” she explained before folding herself down on the floor. If he minded she'd totally vacate, but she truly hoped he didn't!

[kayquilz]

Lucas noticed the girl as soon as she entered the space but didn't really pay her mind. He liked having people around even if he wanted quiet. So he never really minded. "Oh...not at all. I like company more than being alone anyway." He smiled over at her. "I hope you don't mind that I'm here either...I've never been up here before to just sit and do homework and relax." He glanced around. "And no...no professors up here being up our behinds." He could breathe.

"I'm Lucas by the way. 6th year." He stretched out his hand for her to shake if she wanted to.

[itsjustjesse]

The small slytherin girl wasn’t usually found SO high in the school…no, truly this wasn’t her normal location – really, it had only been near the end of the year that she happened to start venturing here. The light, the air, the odd beauty of the tower garden made her feel like life was better, like life could be better.

It wasn’t that far into the year but she was ready, she was going to face it…she was going to politely rebel. If. That were even a thing that is. Taking the notepad in her hand she began jotting down the things she wanted to change.

No forced running – obviously, everyone treated fairly…oh what else? Really she needed other people’s ideas. She wanted to do this intelligently - she needed a team. Tucking her quill behind her ear Beth simply lay back in the grass and looked up at the sky above her head. ”I need ideas” she muttered to no one in particular.

[aRogueOne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Optimist.Prime

The small slytherin girl wasn’t usually found SO high in the school…no, truly this wasn’t her normal location – really, it had only been near the end of the year that she happened to start venturing here. The light, the air, the odd beauty of the tower garden made her feel like life was better, like life could be better.

It wasn’t that far into the year but she was ready, she was going to face it…she was going to politely rebel. If. That were even a thing that is. Taking the notepad in her hand she began jotting down the things she wanted to change.

No forced running – obviously, everyone treated fairly…oh what else? Really she needed other people’s ideas. She wanted to do this intelligently - she needed a team. Tucking her quill behind her ear Beth simply lay back in the grass and looked up at the sky above her head. ”I need ideas” she muttered to no one in particular.

His hood up, head down, Ewan couldn’t help but feel at ease. Being alone was normal for him these days. After all, it was so much easier. You didn’t have to pretend to be okay. Not really knowing where he was going he continued to look down.

Looking up now, it took him a few seconds to adapt to his environment. Green Hedges. Flower beds. A large water fountain. Huh, he had made his way to the astronomy tower. Closing his eyes now, he listened to the sound of nature and felt the cool breeze lightly across his face. And then, he heard a sound. Someone else was there with him. Turning now, he looked around, a slightly unease expression on his face. Unsure of if to run and hide or stay and find out who was there with him, he eventually decided to stay.

That was until his eyes caught sight of who it was. Slowly, he walked backwards. He was not ready for THOSE inquisitive eyes. She would see right through him without a blink of an eye. And yet... she was his friend? That was open for debate. Staring now, he couldn’t help notice her expression. It was deep in thought. What was she thinking? Before he could stop himself, he called over, “What’s up B?”

[itsjustjesse]

It wasn’t like she tried to see through him…it just came easily to her. Button pushing that was – really, it wasn’t like shew as truly seeing through him but more that she called people out on things they tried to hide with the ease of a dramatic chicken in a dramatic fashion. A pointed look, a s t a r e, and well placed pregnant pauses with what words she chose to say.

Sitting up as she heard him calling over to her all Beth did was tip her head at Ewan for a moment. Why is he just standing over there?...he’s not afraid of me is he? she wondered for a moment before simply giving him a slight head nod.

”come on over, I can’t exactly yell what I’m thinking around here…my head of house may hear” she added as she wrinkled one nostril in distaste. Such a subtle move. She had to keep composure for…reasons.

[aRogueOne]

Rolling his eyes at her stare, Ewan walked over to a couch near Beth. With a small jump, he landed on it causing a slight mushroom cloud of dust to ascend into the air. With a small chuckle, he turned to face Beth now, a somewhat bemused expression on his face which was unusual for him lately. “What do you mean, your head of house might hear?”, his voice lower so as not to be over heard.

Laying back now, Ewan couldn’t help but close his eyes and enjoy the sun on his face. It was not like he wanted to be alone all of the time. Just. You know. Most of the time. What with the goings on at school and his general lack of... caring, he wasn’t sure how long he could last this term. “Ughhhhhh”, he mumbled, his mind playing over all of the new rules put in place. “How do you feel about the new rules Annabeth?”, forgetting that she doesn’t like to be called that. “I mean, are they really necessary?”, he finished, coughing slightly now because of the nuclear dust bomb he’d let off.

[itsjustjesse]

Tipping her head to look at him she just grinned. ”oh - that’s…nasty” the blonde just laughed as the cloud of dirt and dust ploomed into the air. Really, one would think that being outside would recuse it of dust, but no, it was dusty…dusty.

Why was she grinning? Oh right, she had questions to answer. ”oh – Professor Vance retired” she frowned and reached her hand up to her eye to brush the dust and what every well could have been a tear from her cheek. ”may she rest in…not here, she’s not dead I’m just d r a m a t I c” she grinned over to him coughing slightly still from the previous dusting.

”my head of house as of this term is Kalen Kennedy” she admitted with a shrug, ”so he VERY well may hear what I talk about here” she nodded and grinned at her…friend? Friend.

Ewan’s questions about the rules got a cool crinkle of her nose in disgust. ”we can’t even…for fawkes sake we can’t even comfort our friends when they’re sad? It’s outrageous – and and I’m sure they’ll fire ANY and every professor that stands up to them.” she growled slightly at the end, the ever present anger at the subject of this term’s new year just bubbling up again. ”they’re…not, nothing in necessary – rules about wearing clothes to class are necessary because who wants to sit in any seat after someone else’s naked bum sat in it? Its gross…and unsanitary – the running is a joke.” she added the last bit with a huff before looking over at him and furrowing her brows at him.

”why do you ask?...’cause” she paused, tipping her head toward him and allowing a small smirk to form on her lips. ”I have been debating rebelling…y’know quietly in the least publicly defiant way possible…I still want to get points but to find a way to discredit Scrimgeour and get Hawthorne back that’d be…perfect” she smiled and leaned back against her elbows into the grass. Her eyes tracking back to the clouds once more.

”you ever look at clouds and wonder what it would feel like to be one?”

[aRogueOne]

Chuckling loudly now, he covered his mouth and nose so as to not inhale anymore of the dusty dust. It was a vicious cycle of laughing because of the dust inhale and inhaling the dust because of too much laughter. After finally suppressing his laughs, he focused on what she was saying.

“Gheez, could you be any more DRAMAtic Annabeth?” he replied with a playful mocking like tone. “Although…” sitting up now, he couldn’t help but consider everything that’s happened so far this year. “Hmm… I can see why that might be a problem”, he murmured, his voice slightly lower now. “I mean, ever since Professor Stewart had left, the feeling in the common room hasn’t been the same”, he continued, running his hand through his hair, dust flinging everywhere. He hadn’t had much to do with Kalen Kennedy so far this term. This would most likely change.

Ewan could tell by the crinkle in her nose that Annabeth’s disdain for the new rules was legit. “I just don’t understand it all. I mean, you’d think they would have learned that this sort of thing doesn’t work at Hogwarts”, his mind running back to the extract he’d read about the Ministry interfering with Hogwarts in previous terms. “Honestly… “He whispered, leaning in closely to her now, “these rules won’t stop me”, a small smile spreading across his face. “I mean”, he continued “I don’t mind the jogging in the morning…” Pausing now before looking down. “But the whole no holding hands or anything like that? Uh uh. Nope. Not happening”. Quickly, tacking on at the end, “NOT that there’s anyone that I can do those things with, but you know. For other people…” He stopped then, face slightly red.
Feeling a slightly cold breeze on him now, he was slightly relieved. At least it would blow the dust away and relieve the redness of his face. Ewan’s mind couldn’t help but wander to the conversation he’d had with a certain young badger about rebelling at the time. “You know, I would be down for that” a different type of smile on his face now. A reckless one. “Quiet? Not quiet? It doesn’t matter”.

“Huh? Uh… No. I haven’t”.

“I think I’d rather be a bird and fly through the clouds”

[itsjustjesse]

Dust and laughter were not, in any way shape or form, a good combination. Coughing lightly Beth couldn’t help but smugly grin as Ewan sassed her about her dramatics. With a slight nod she just grinned, ”Yes, yes I could be” the words came out with such a force. The not exactly pint sized Blonde was determined. Very determined.

Beth’s face fell at the mention of Professor Stewart, ”I’m worried - you know…that the other Professors will be replaced as well” she added with a sigh, her little heart was aching at the thought. ”I especially don’t. want Professor Wayland to go, he’s nice…I - I actually told him what happened with Professor Stewart.” she explained with a dramatic and rather harsh sounding sigh.

”how…how has it changed?” she asked as her nose crinkled in distaste yet again. Hopefully they could still be creative…for a moment she considered asking if her sister was alright, but she didn’t. Honestly, she cared more about how Dizzy and Runa were doing. They were the important ones. They were the ones that had always accepted Beth into their fold, they hadn’t pushed her away like she were the weaker of a litter. She wasn’t though, she had never been weak.

Flicking her eyes back towards him, and away from the clouds she watched – with a slight air of confusion plaguing her features, as. He leaned in to whisper. Lowering her own voice she responded in a similar whisper ”I don’t mind it either – but I don’t believe it should be forced the way it currently is.” her eyes tracked across his face as she tried to really listen to what he was saying, body language was important…wait hand holding? her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he went on to say he wasn’t n o t going to hold hands…who was he holding hands with.

Eyebrow raised Beth just looked at him. ”me thinks you protest too much” the corner of her lip dipped into the slightest of Kowalskian smirks. ”you TOTALLY like someone…m’just not sure who yet? For all I know it could be me…but eh, it could be Dizzy. She’s very loveable and part-Veela…or it could even be a guy like…like Daniel or Drew – they’re both rather loveable…like puppies” she just shrugged her shoulder and nodded at almost every name she dropped, save her own. Really, she doubted it would ever be her. Who would like the person that constantly threatened them to stop saying jokes?

Wait…wait, why was he brushing at his hair? Ooooh that was something Dizzy said all the people that tried to court Freyja did! ”ooooooh you do like someone! I knew it – the hair thing. It’s a tell…according to Dizz and Ru – people that like my Oma ALWAYS nervously ruffle their hair” she nodded after all she was good at reading people. It was one of the things she had learned from the Luijendijk clan. With a pause she added, ”but I get it…not for the hand holding part, but for the wanting to comfort friends and not even being allowed to do it? Like, hello? If people get hurt I kind of always want to offer a hug…I mean,” she paused for a second before adding ” ‘cause who knows? Maybe if I’d nice to them they’ll do the same in the future?...or I’ll learn information I can exploit – but obviously. I wouldn’t exploit friends…like – like even if Chase were hurt I’d never exploit that. He…he doesn’t know it yet but we’re friends.” Hell – he’d even asked her if she was okay on the train after she had screamed…when the little twerp found out about Tea.

Glancing at him again she furrowed her brows. ”yeah, but unlike Prichard I don’t want to lose 108 points ever…I am determined to gain as many points as I can – truly.” she nodded affirmatively like this was set in stone. She was going to earn points even in the worst of times.

”like an Animagus or…just someone transfigured you into a bird…cause I’m sure we could work that out – you being a bird.”

[aRogueOne]

Despite his own worry for the other professors, Ewan did not share his thoughts out loud. Not that he didn’t think Beth could handle it, it’s just he really didn’t think it would make a difference right now. Only time would tell because one thing is for sure, Scrimgeour’s will seems to be taking over the school like a plague. Although, he also knew Annabeth, and her determination was also something to behold.

With a small sigh, he couldn’t help but consider her question. “It’s just…the whole aura has changed. There’s no spark. No fun. Just doom and gloom. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed a difference?” a small frown across his face. Looking around now, he couldn’t help but admire the effort that someone had obviously put into keeping this garden looking pristine.

Moving a little closer to hear her whisper now, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes at her next statement. “Me? Protest too much?” a small laugh escaping his mouth. “You? Dizzy?” Without saying anything, he just looked at her. “Does it really matter?” tilting his head somewhat sideways to look at her and judge the weight of his words. He knew she was trying to get a reaction out of him by naming people but he wasn’t about to rise to it.

And then she had to go and notice his blush. He wasn’t blushing because he FANCIED anyone. He…he wasn’t sure why he blushed. Freezing, his hand in his hair, he couldn’t help but laugh now. How had they even got on to this subject? “Gheez snake girl, why don’t you go and slip Daniel a confidence potion already. Or do you not fancy him anymore?”. He knew she’d see through his distraction but he couldn’t help it. “Look, I just meant” he continued, hand still running through his hair, “It sucks for other people, you know?”

“I guess. I mean, I see what Cal is doing but we need to find a better way of doing it”. Pausing for a second, he continued “more of an impact”. He didn’t want to lose any points on purpose but at the same time, he knew something had to be done.

“I think I’d like to be an Animagus. I mean, there’s no guarantee that I’d be a bird but you know. It would be pretty cool”. Closing his eyes now, he relaxed back onto the ground and looked up, his mind picturing what it would be like to have the freedom of a bird. To be able to escape the rules and regulations of the dictator that was their new headmaster and fly freely.

[itsjustjesse]

It was sad, knowing that the spirit of Ravenclaw had changed. ”there…isn’t much of a difference in Slytherin? I guess, most of my housemates are the type that try and bend the situation to their will?” she shrugged, ”I do too but it’s different. I try and bend things so that it helps more than just me out?” she shrugged before biting down on the edge of her lip. ”Headmaster Scrimgeour is a nutter – I mean, why do you want silence and to be ignored in class when its proper and polite to actually greet a Professor?” she asked rolling her eyes for effect.

When he commented on the Protesting she just chuckled, ”yep, you do” she grinned and shook her head ”no of course not, we’re like…what? 12? You should know nine-tenths of the time I sass, and I sass hard.” Reaching over Beth simply swatted at Ewan at his comment about Daniel.

”excuse you he’s just my best friend, really. That’s all it is.” she informed with a nod of her forehead. ”besides…everyone not everyone but like some select few people know who I really had - well…have? a crush on.” she admitted with a little smirk and nodded her head. ”and we can’t comfort our friends…like you – you sort of look sad some of the time…maybe I should slip you a glee potion or something?” she asked while arhcing her eyebrow at him.

Right Cal, ”more impact, less detention seeking.” she offered her voice raising as if she were asking a question.

[aRogueOne]

With a slight frown now, he looked at Annabeth closely. It was strange for her to admit that Slytherin’s try and manipulate others. I mean, generally, people don’t admit to that type of thing because…well they’re trying to get you to do something for them. Maybe she was playing him now, or maybe that was her way of being his friend. You know, by warning him that she’d do the same to him too. With a small shake of his head, he continued to listen intently.

Ewan could see her point, but he just shrugged his shoulders, “who know why he does the things that he does”. The headmaster did seem a little strange but he did have a big agenda, one that most likely comes from the Ministry. “I mean, if his instructions come from the ministry, who know why these things are happening”.

All this talk of who fancied who was giving Ewan a migraine. “Uh… okay, whatever snake girl”. He knew she loved to sass but lately, he was not one that really tolerated sassing. “Look…you know I missed a lot of school last year so I’m not exactly up to date with things”, his eyes looking down at the floor now. “So I don’t exactly know who you have a crush on or anything so”. Looking away now, he couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed. It wasn’t exactly his fault he had to leave and it was stupid that he was being sassed for it.

Pausing for a second now, considering what he meant for a second. “I want to make a bang. I want to make a difference, you know? Something that’ll shake the headmaster to the core”, his eyes bright with passion now. “If I’m getting expelled or detention or losing points, it won’t be for the sake of not wearing uniform”. Laughing slightly now, he couldn’t help but smile. The Ewan of last year would not have done this.