The Forbidden Forest

[Lissy Longbottom]

Graphic credit: Felixir

At the very edge of the school grounds lies the Forbidden Forest, huge and sprawling, as seen from the vantage point of the castle. While this place has its uses, its intriguing secrets, and is called home many creatures and beings, it is also dangerous. You should safely assume that all the rumours you've heard about the Forbidden Forest are true, and keep a safe distance from the treeline. Who knows what may be lurking in the shadows? The place has an ominous and foreboding aura about it, not that you should be getting close enough to truly feel it.

In case the name is too subtle a hint, the Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits to all Hogwarts students. No student is to enter the Forbidden Forest without staff accompaniment. That is a firm school rule. And no, before you ask, Professor Hernandez is NOT going to be swayed otherwise.

Students lurking at the edge of the Forest should be prepared to be treated with the utmost suspicion by any staff member who happens to spot them. Those with anything resembling good sense will give the entire area a wide berth.

[kayquilz]

Arden had been here only two weeks, and she was unable to stop staring at the Forbidden Forest whenever she was on the grounds. Her curiosity and boldness was getting the better of her, but she DID have a fear of actually entering the forest. She was only eleven! She wouldn't be able to defend herself against ANYTHING in that looming place.

So she perched herself pretty far from the edge of the forest, but she made herself comfortable on a big, fluffy blanket while she attempted to concentrate on her History of Magic reading. Homework was hard when her mam wasn't there to keep her engaged. She also may have forgotten to take any of her designated potions today, so her brain was rattling around with so much momentum and very little in the way to stop it.

The words on the page swirled together, and Arden would look up at the trees gently swaying in the distance at every sound of ANY bird nearby.

The first year was no destined to finish this reading today.

[Lady of Light]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayquilz

Arden had been here only two weeks, and she was unable to stop staring at the Forbidden Forest whenever she was on the grounds. Her curiosity and boldness was getting the better of her, but she DID have a fear of actually entering the forest. She was only eleven! She wouldn't be able to defend herself against ANYTHING in that looming place.

So she perched herself pretty far from the edge of the forest, but she made herself comfortable on a big, fluffy blanket while she attempted to concentrate on her History of Magic reading. Homework was hard when her mam wasn't there to keep her engaged. She also may have forgotten to take any of her designated potions today, so her brain was rattling around with so much momentum and very little in the way to stop it.

The words on the page swirled together, and Arden would look up at the trees gently swaying in the distance at every sound of ANY bird nearby.

The first year was no destined to finish this reading today.

Valentina almost never ventured anywhere close to the forbidden forest. There really wasn't any reason to and ALSO, it scared her a little bit. The forest looked so dark and scary but.. here she was. The fifth year stared at the trees for a few moments with her hands tucked deep inside the pockets of her robes.

Noticing a little girl sitting nearby, val walked over to where she was - wondering why she was studying here of all places. "Hi!"

[kayquilz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady of Light

Valentina almost never ventured anywhere close to the forbidden forest. There really wasn't any reason to and ALSO, it scared her a little bit. The forest looked so dark and scary but.. here she was. The fifth year stared at the trees for a few moments with her hands tucked deep inside the pockets of her robes.

Noticing a little girl sitting nearby, val walked over to where she was - wondering why she was studying here of all places. "Hi!"

The older girl’s greeting made Arden flinch just a little bit, but she soon smiled at her. “Oh, hi!” She waved. “I didn’t think anyone else would bother me. Oops. But that’s okay, this was getting boring,” she said as she held up her book, having spent the last ten minutes on the same paragraph.

“How old are you? A fifth year? Sixth? You look older. Anyways. Is the forest scary, or cool? Have you gone in? TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!” She said as she sat up suddenly. Her questions fired one after the other with very little room for breathing or thinking - that was often the Arden way. No time to think or breathe.

[Lady of Light]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayquilz

The older girl’s greeting made Arden flinch just a little bit, but she soon smiled at her. “Oh, hi!” She waved. “I didn’t think anyone else would bother me. Oops. But that’s okay, this was getting boring,” she said as she held up her book, having spent the last ten minutes on the same paragraph.

“How old are you? A fifth year? Sixth? You look older. Anyways. Is the forest scary, or cool? Have you gone in? TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!” She said as she sat up suddenly. Her questions fired one after the other with very little room for breathing or thinking - that was often the Arden way. No time to think or breathe.

Valentina blinked a little at her enthusiasm. Ooookay. She paused for a moment as she glanced towards the trees before looking at the younger girl again with a little smile. "I'm a fifth year." The blonde responded as she moved to sit beside her, stretching her legs out.

"I haven't gone inside.. I don't think anyone's allowed to go inside, actually. I've heard there are a lot of scary creatures in there.. like acromantulas." Ugh. She shivered just thinking about those creepy spiders. "My name is valentina." She finally offered, thinking it was only polite to introduce herself. "What's yours??"

[kayquilz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady of Light

Valentina blinked a little at her enthusiasm. Ooookay. She paused for a moment as she glanced towards the trees before looking at the younger girl again with a little smile. "I'm a fifth year." The blonde responded as she moved to sit beside her, stretching her legs out.

"I haven't gone inside.. I don't think anyone's allowed to go inside, actually. I've heard there are a lot of scary creatures in there.. like acromantulas." Ugh. She shivered just thinking about those creepy spiders. "My name is valentina." She finally offered, thinking it was only polite to introduce herself. "What's yours??"

FIFTH YEAR. Arden beaaaaamed. “That’s like, so old and cool. I can’t wait to be that old and cool and like have a lot of friends!” She bounced a little in anticipation. GAH. “I hate being eleven. It’s kind of a pain. Like…………I FEEL like everyone just thinks we’re little kids here. I know some stuff! I was homeschooled, but that doesn’t mean anything! And I’m young, but that doesn’t mean anything EITHER!” She didn’t usually mind people babying her, but she found here at Hogwarts people looked at the first years like little annoyances. Arden thought this was the most unfair judgment of all time!

She wasn’t ANNOYING!!!!!1

“I know about acromentulas. They’re not scary, just misunderstood,” she said with a nod. “And probably dangerous. But not scary. I guess you’d be scared if you happened upon one unprepared. I wonder, if there’s any of them in there, why they never come out to eat any of us, huh? That’d be a way to go,” she said as she leaned back on her elbows to gaze longingly at the dark forest. The tree branches with the leaves were like….little fingers, gesturing her closer. But really, Arden knew better. She wouldn’t be breaking such a HUGE rule. And as she had just said…dangerous. Even though she had just went on a whole tirade about eleven-year-olds not being babies, she knew she wouldn’t stand a chance against any creatures of the forest.

“Oh. My name’s Arden! It’s cool to meet you!’

[Lady of Light]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayquilz

FIFTH YEAR. Arden beaaaaamed. “That’s like, so old and cool. I can’t wait to be that old and cool and like have a lot of friends!” She bounced a little in anticipation. GAH. “I hate being eleven. It’s kind of a pain. Like…………I FEEL like everyone just thinks we’re little kids here. I know some stuff! I was homeschooled, but that doesn’t mean anything! And I’m young, but that doesn’t mean anything EITHER!” She didn’t usually mind people babying her, but she found here at Hogwarts people looked at the first years like little annoyances. Arden thought this was the most unfair judgment of all time!

She wasn’t ANNOYING!!!!!1

“I know about acromentulas. They’re not scary, just misunderstood,” she said with a nod. “And probably dangerous. But not scary. I guess you’d be scared if you happened upon one unprepared. I wonder, if there’s any of them in there, why they never come out to eat any of us, huh? That’d be a way to go,” she said as she leaned back on her elbows to gaze longingly at the dark forest. The tree branches with the leaves were like….little fingers, gesturing her closer. But really, Arden knew better. She wouldn’t be breaking such a HUGE rule. And as she had just said…dangerous. Even though she had just went on a whole tirade about eleven-year-olds not being babies, she knew she wouldn’t stand a chance against any creatures of the forest.

“Oh. My name’s Arden! It’s cool to meet you!’

Valentina was a little surprised at all the word vomiting. Not that she had a problem with it. It seemed like this girl liked to talk a lot - which was fine with her because she loved to talk too!! "I'm sure you have made some friends around here." She kind of wished she could go back to her first year days. ".. and I hate being fifteen. I think it's the worst age, really. I have to study a lot for OWL's, my feelings.. my thoughts are all over the place, friendships can be confusing.. yeah, it's weird." ... Um. ANYWAY.

BLINK. "But, they are dangerous though!! And they don't come out because the forest is their home." But, she did shudder lightly at the thought of a giant spider crawling it's way out of the forest. "There's a reason why we aren't allowed to go inside, you know??" Val looked at the younger girl with concern, hoping she wasn't even thinking about going in or anything.

[kayquilz]

“Oh, I’ve made a lot of friends. Trust me. I’m not a loner or anything,” Arden said with a big grin. “But I still wish I weren’t a first year. At least next year everyone won’t think I’m a big baby,” she said with a shrug. “What are…OWLs?” She asked before it clicked. “Wait…fifth year…the big test things…those are the big tests?” She had obviously not remembered the name. “Why are they named after a bird?” she asked in a confused manner. How weird! a BIRD? “And there’s some for seventh year, too, right? You have to pass to graduate?”

It all sounded like a whole lot that she didn’t want anything to do with! Maybe this girl was right - for Arden had already forgotten her name - and she DIDN’T want to be older.

As the young Gryffindor looked back at the forest, listening to Valentina’s words, she nodded. “I know. I don’t think I ever WANT to go in for real. BUt it’s like… a fantasy dream, kind of, to go in. Maybe In my DREAMS I can visit it!” She said as she turned to look back at her.

[Lady of Light]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayquilz

“Oh, I’ve made a lot of friends. Trust me. I’m not a loner or anything,” Arden said with a big grin. “But I still wish I weren’t a first year. At least next year everyone won’t think I’m a big baby,” she said with a shrug. “What are…OWLs?” She asked before it clicked. “Wait…fifth year…the big test things…those are the big tests?” She had obviously not remembered the name. “Why are they named after a bird?” she asked in a confused manner. How weird! a BIRD? “And there’s some for seventh year, too, right? You have to pass to graduate?”

It all sounded like a whole lot that she didn’t want anything to do with! Maybe this girl was right - for Arden had already forgotten her name - and she DIDN’T want to be older.

As the young Gryffindor looked back at the forest, listening to Valentina’s words, she nodded. “I know. I don’t think I ever WANT to go in for real. BUt it’s like… a fantasy dream, kind of, to go in. Maybe In my DREAMS I can visit it!” She said as she turned to look back at her.

Valentina offered the younger girl a grin. "Yeah, you definitely seem pretty friendly." She sat down next to Arden and stretched out her legs, looking at the forest with a little bit of wonder. Big test things. She couldn't help but laugh a little, genuinely amused. "Yes, the big fifth year test things. They are not named after a bird, the full form is Ordinary Wizarding Levels.. so OWLs. Oh, yes! The seventh year exams are called NEWT's.. Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests." Bleh. Speaking of OWLs, she still had a LOT of studying to do but procrastination is just a lot more fun.

"Of course. THAT, you can do." She responded with a little smile. "The fact that it's forbidden makes it all the more interesting, doesn't it?"