Oh it was a simply glooooooooooorious morning! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the bushes were rustling mysteriously, and the breeze was not strong enough to blow her translucent form in every which direction. The darling house elves had brought a quaint little table out from storage and arranged a simple brunch buffet consisting of bite sized treats - pancakes on a skewer, yogurt berry granola cups, French toast in a glass, mini avocado toasts, and blueberry muffins - for members of this fine society to partake in. It was a real PITY that SHE was completely incapable of enjoying such delights but of cooooooooooooourse she was not feeling any sort of particular way about it and ceeeeeeeeertainly she was not feeling even an ounce of bitter about it. No no noooooooo my dears, Marion was perfectly PEACHY.

“Oh Tinka, daaaaaaaaaaarling. Could you please place those badges over there beside the plate of mini avocado toasts?” she cooed to the house elf as she floated about to inspect things. “Oh my, where SHALL we put the juices?” And which of the floppy eared darlings had she requested to bring said juices up from the kitchens? “Oh, Tinka dearie. Actually, that is where the juices should go when they get here. Let’s put the badges on the other side of the table instead.”

Now, wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeere were all those wide eyed hearts wide WIIIIIIIDE open students of the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare?

Toddles came huffing and puffing up the stairs. The youngest elf had almost been latesies because today’s mischievous prank had involved the little elfsie switching the salt and white sugar into each other’s jars. Toddles dearly hoped that today’s SPEW meeting would be finishing quickly as Toddles wanted to witness the other elfsies’ reactions when the calamity of the prank unfolded.

“Toddles has the juices, ma’am! Heres they is! Apple, blueberry, cranberry orange and mores!” Sure enough transparent jugs of juices preceded little Toddles in the air where they were being magicked. Toddles continued to magick the jugs but towards the vacant space on the table next to the mini avocado toasts. “Should Toddles get more juices? Will this be enough?” Worried. This elfsie was worried that there wasn’t enough.

“I smell…” Ary sniffed the air as he ascended the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. “Blueberries.” These words were directed at Bry and Jan because no, Ary was not talking to himself. He trudged up the last of the stairs only winded in the slightest manner. Ary from a year before would have been quite out of breath and probably would have collapsed on the floor but things had clearly changed. Kids {him} had gotten up early to go for jogs with their dad {Dad Adi} over the summer.

Obviously it was more than just blueberries that were present at today’s symposium. Food, House Elves and a ghost Professor Marion… oh, my! The Slytherin offered the Ghost Professor one of his finger wiggle-waves then did the same for the Elves. “Is that Cranberry-orange or cranberry and orange juices separately?” he asked Toddles curiously, having caught the tail end of the elf’s words.

Tinka bustled about the brunch table, setting out another plate of muffins. “Tinka brought extra muffins for hungry studentsies. Made them fresh with her whisky-whisk, Tinka did!” She beamed, patting the special whisk in her pocket.

Her elf ears twitched at the professor’s directions. “Yes, ma’am. Tinka has pretty badges for studentsies right here.” With a snap of her fingers, the badges levitated toward the other side of the table. “Would mistress like badges arranged by color?”

Tinka smiled as the sudentsies began to arrive. “Would studentsies like a muffin? Tinka baked them fresh!”

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone that Aurora was a proud member of SPEW and was already sporting her Ravenclaw blue badge as she made her way up the last few steps of the Astronomy tower to be met by what could only be described as a forest.. inside. She almost did a double take, stepping backwards out of the door to check she hadn’t somehow walked through a portal or found her way outside in one of her daydreams.

Satisfied that she was in the right place, the sixteen year old couldn’t help but wonder whether the shrubbery green look was on purpose or if some plant based spell had gone horrendously wrong over the summer. “It’s very bushy in here” Aurora commented whilst sending a sweet smile over to the ghostly Professor (of whom she was dreadfully sorry but Astronomy had been one of her worst subjects but she tried regardless) before the plate of muffins was swiftly wafted underneath her nose. “Muffins!” she exclaimed, practically pouncing on poor Tinka to grab a bite before the rest of the students arrived and they all disappeared.

"Mmm," Jan said as he could smell the goodies presented to them. Nodding at Ary and Bry, "And Syrup!" He didn't often join S.P.E.W activities, sometimes they clashed with his other club. But today, he was happy to join his friends again... and the bonus meal too. His mom cooked great meals and he was reminded of some of the treats.

"Hello!" Jan waved at Professor Burbage and the delightful elves. "Thank you for providing this!" Smiling happily before reaching for a banana & strawberry kebab after the nice-looking girl went for a muffin. He surveyed the area which wasn't quite as pleasant to look at with the overgrown bush... was that giggling he heard? Whoever giggled, it didn't sound like one of them.

While Sydney was not an official member of SPEW yet (although she could be persuaded to join if today proved worthwhile), she was awfully intrigued by the announcement she saw on her house noticeboard. She strongly suspected this activity would involve plants, if the requirement for gardening tools and comfortable attire was any indication, and that was enough reason for the budding herbologist (no pun intended!) to show up.

There was a slight glint of enthusiasm in her eyes as she looked around the tower patch. How had she not found this place on her own before?! It was rather nice up here… or it would be with a little bit of pruning. She wished she’d thought to bring Alastor, her prized venus flytrap, with her! There were probably lots of bugs around for him to eat. Oh well, she supposed she could always bring him back later.

“Hello,” she greeted Professor Burbage and the house elves, nodding politely. “Quite a nice patch you have here, Professor.” She perused the buffet table, selecting a couple of pieces of avocado toast. While she preferred savory foods to sweet ones, she would humor the baker elf (Tinka) and have a muffin too. She nodded her thanks before moving along.

Marion had succumbed to flapping her arms level fretting as there was SOMETHING missing from the arrangement but she could not for the life of her recall what it was. NO, no no, there would be aaaaaaaaaaaabsoooooluuuuuuuuutely no commentary about how TECHNICALLY she was lacking life and therefore the statement moot. Shooo. SHOO now.

"Oh Toddles WOOOOOONDERFUL," she cooed at the elf. Marion glided over to the little dear and inspected all the jugs with a smile. "No, dearie, I DOOOOOOOO believe that this will be plenty. But, have you seen your mother?" Marion was certain she had asked Nimma to bring something vital to today's activities and seeing the house elf with whatever that item was would put her weary soul to rest. SHOOO. SHOOO! Awaaaay with the peanut gallery! "Oh, yes, Tinka dear. By color please. Red on the left followed by the gold then the blue and finally the green if you please." Everything in its place and a place for everything or what have you.

"Oh ho ho hoooooo Mr. Aryan. Welcome dearie though please offer a prooooooper wave in the future instead of wiggling your fingers around as though they were earth worms coming up out of the soil after a rain. It's ruuuuuuuuuude," she greeted with a playful twinkle to her eyes. "Separate juices but there is nothing stopping you from mixing things up as you please," she encouraged with a full body wiggle. "Just be mindful of spills. They may lure ... well ... it would just be for the best we not add to the chaos of the area, hmmmmmmmmm?"

Floating about a bit more, though now with her arms held firmly to her sides so she would not look as undignified as she had prior to students arriving, the spectre smiled at the little blonde Ravenclaw. "Oh Miss Aurora. Welcome, WELCOME! Where are your other halves? Oh, well, I doooooo suppose I ought to say other thirds," she laughed and wiped away an imaginary tear at her own humor. "Bushier than the tail on an angry kneazle, I'm afraid. Though not for toooooooo much longer."

Leaving Tinka and Miss Aurora to their muffins, Marion BEAMED at the young man with the PROPER wave. "You are most welcome, Mr. Jansher. Sustenance is essential for manual labor even those assisted by magic," she nodded sagely as her attention drifted to Miss Sydney's arrival. "Oh no need for the pseudo flattery, dearie," Marion chortled. "The place is in a complete and uuuuutter DISARRAY, which is precisely why it is the peeeeeeeerfect setting for our first meeting of the term."

The Astronomy professor peered around for Nimma once again but to no avail. Just were was the little dear and just what WAS it she had requested her to bring along?

"WELL, before we begin please doooo help yourselves so the juices and sustenance provided. All will continue to be available while we work today, so please pause for additional nibbles and sips as required," she announced to those gathered and clasped her ghostly hands together with a loud but oddly eerie CLAP. "Now, dears, as you aaaaaall surely know, the house elves are Hogwarts' caretakers, meaning that they oversee the cleanliness and hygiene of the castle as well as make all the truly succulent meals you consume among other duties and are truly an integral part of aaaaaaaaaall our Hogwarts experiences. Their contributions are numerous and I daaaaaaaare say taken for granted by many. SOOOOO, today, you all will work conjointly and cooperatively to beautify the Tower Patch as best as we can manage in the time allotted. There will be pleeeeeeenty of weeding and chopping down of shriveled shrubberies, so when you are ready please put your gloves on and get hop to it."

She ought to warn them about the rustling in the bushes but, WELL, that was a bridge they could cross together should they need to.

JT had silently entered the Tower Patch while the ghostly professor Burbage held her welcoming speech. He had planned his entrance so that he hopefully wouldn't need to relive the nightmare of being glided through by Professor Burbage like he had experience on the first night. He had his snake green SPEW badge stuck to his comfy clothes and had brought along the required gardening tools. Looking around it took no Merlin to understand that the patch needed both weeding and chopping to be usable again.

JT was heading over to get himself a free blueberry muffin, and some juice when the mysteriously rustling bushes caught his attention, and caused him to stop and just stare at it for a few moments. Was something in the bushes? Like a creature he should be wary of? Curious, but wary too JT quickly headed over towards his snake housemates like Jansher, Aryan and Sydney. There was safety in numbers right?

Toddles beamed toothily at Missus Burbage. “There is plenty more in case the studentsies polish these off. Oh yes plenty more!” Toddles bobbed his head, his eyes wide. “She was busy in the kitchen. She said she wills be along in no time, Missus! Don’t you bother yourself!” Mama Nimma could always be depended on!

“Cranberry and orange,’’ Toddles confirmed to {Aryan). The elfsie nodded so vigorously that it sent his ears flapping wildly in agreement with the Missus. “T’is most delicious when mixed together!” Only then did Toddles address (Jansher). “Master is welcome!”. At the same time he bowed deeply. It was a true delight to serve the studentsies. “Hello, Miss!” Another bow this time for (Sydney).

Now Toddles could not help his little self when there was work to be done. This was why Toddles wanted to help dearly with this weeding and chopping. The elfsie had just about forgotten about his little prank in the kitchen now.

Busy in the kitchen Nimma was, yes. Nimma was so busy running from Algamus and his broom, she was. Algamus was so mad he was still sweeping the kitchen and chased all the elfsies out! Nimma had no time to grab extra napkinsies for studentsies! What Nimma did have was the giant box Missus Burbage requests of Nimma and it was very VERY big and could hold much. It could hold many Nimmas hiding from angry Algamuses, in fact! Nice and sturdy to protect from all broom whacking.

Nimma needed to apologize to Algamus but she was already late to the promise she had with Missus Burbage so Algamus and his broomsie would have to wait a little. Maybe by the time Nimma and the other elfsies returned to the kitchen he would be less angry about the salty sugar and sweet salt. Nimma thinksies she knew why and how the sugar was salty and the salt was sweety, but Nimma would speak with a certain rascally elfsie later.

Popping into the Tower Patch, Nimma snapped her long elfsie fingers to levitate the big sturdy box over beside the ghostie professor. "Nimma sorry Nimma delayed, Missus Burbage! Nimma forgots napkins but Nimma remembers the bix box Missus asks of Nimma!" she greeted in a panick while pulling on her flopsy ears. "Trouble in kitchens, Missus. Algamus fixes the trouble but Algamus is angry with broom and won't be coming." Nimma looked for Toddles and her already big eyes got bigger and she tugged more roughly on her flopsie earsies. "Studentsies can puts weedsies and branches and greesies and brownsies in here and Nimma will make sure it goes to compost."

Where there was an Aryan and Jansher, there was a Bryony. The smaller in height fourth year had arrived with both boys, as was routine lately whenever she wasn't coming from somewhere else having been doing her own thing. There were so many clubs and activities at Hogwarts and this girl, while she wasn't in a whole ton of them she did try her best to partake in any/all of the things that she could when they didn't clash with one another. Such as today. There was a clear spring in her step and a bright smile on her face as she reached the Tower Patch.

"Is that.. french toast?!" she joined in on the guys talk of food, inhaling the wonderful aromas around her deeply. Brightly blue eyes looked around at the over grown area but she didn't think much on it for now, her attention quickly shifting towards everyone that was there. "Hello Professor Burbage," Cue wiggle fingers as always cause that was her thing as much as it was Ary's.

The mention of juice and muffins had her attention. "Orange cranberry juice? That sounds lovely, Toddles." She was a fan of orange always as much as strawberry. "I would love a muffin, Tinka. What kinda did you make?" Did she happen to have any strawberry ones? Or maybe even orange?!

Oooh, hello there JT. Bry gave the younger snake a soft smile when he came over to stand beside her and the others. Safety in numbers was surely a thing. Hopefully that wouldn't be something they would have to dwell on today though.

No one mind her as she stood a smidge closer to Ary, her gaze shifting around at the rustling she heard but wasn't quite sure where it had come from. Interesting. If there was a creature around up here surely it was something safe and probably even cute and little. Which was why the moment Professor Burbage began talking about what this meeting was about and what they would be doing today, Bry had no trouble at all listening and nodding her head. Yes, she could do all of that.

They could work together in groups, right?

Tinka nodded, her huge elf ears flapping as she did. She snapped her fingers again, and the badges arranged themselves on the table “Yes, yes. Badges arranged by colors, just like mistress asked.”

She yelped, practically diving out of the way as one studentsie (Aurora) practically pounced on the muffins. “Plenty of muffins to go around, Miss. Tinka will bring more if studentsies needs them, yes.”

Tinka smiled, giving the young girl (Bryony) a muffin. “Of course, muffin for you, Miss. Blueberry muffin, yes. Tinka baked them fresh with her whisky-whisk.” She offered a muffin to the two boys (Jansher & JT) too. “Would sirs like a muffin?”

Anna had NOT forgotten about the SPEW meeting, gathering, um...whatever the fancy word had been that Professor Burbage had used in the notice. What she had done was misplaced hre badge in her dresser drawer that held her trinket box that was nestled among her socks. She really should have grown out of her phase of collecting random objects, though at least she had stopped shoving pretty leaves and rocks into her pockets, but she was a niffler for forgotten quirky items left laying about. Mostly she had found beads and buttons, but there was also the occasional broken bits of pottery and candy wrappers. The wrappers she meant to throw away but often forgot to do so and once she was back in her room she simply added them to the box and that was precisely where she found her badge, among all the wrappers.

Which meant that the seventh year was late but not so late that she did missed all of the instructions. Well, alluded to instructions from the house elf, Nimma. She was a bit of an air head with curls as bouncy as her step, but not so much so that she couldn't fill in the gaps. "Let's weed over there," Anna chirped as she looped an arm through Aurora's and headed over to a patch of overgrowth near the table of treats and drinks. "I've heard that it is best to start cleaning in one corner and then work your way around a space in a clockwise manner," she nodded while slipping on her gloves which she had thankfully remembered.

Wow, it was so great that Nimma, Toddles, and Tinka were here too! Anna offered them a big wave and smile as she moved by them with Aurora towards their starting point. "...do you think they have forgotten about the ice cream rain incident?" she whispered to her bestie as her smile wavered between excited and nervous. and apologetic.

Marcus wasn’t entirely sure if professors could officially join the society but he certainly supported it and his ghostly colleague. And given what the students would be actually be working on with its meeting in the tower patch, the herbology professor couldn’t keep away, willing to help where he might be needed. As other participants had been instructed in the notices around the castle, he was dressed casually, well as casually as a professor could in slacks and a shirt instead of full robes. Basically, what he usually worked in when doing the heavy gardening, his gloves and some tools in the canvas bag slung over his one shoulder.

There were a few already gathered when he arrived in the tower, both human and elf alike with some already at work. So he discreetly moved around towards Marion as he took in the state of the patch in closer observation than he had managed before term when he was focused on the greenhouses. It really could use some TLC and that wasn’t just Marcus Cole the herbologist talking. “Good morning,” he greeted the woman, his mind already debating on where he could start assisting.

“And syrup,’’ Ary said in agreement to Jan’s words. That came as no surprise seeing as there were pancakes in the mix. “In a glass… yes.” Did Bry find that as fascinating as he did? The french toast is one he definitely would be trying. Speaking of sweet treats, the boy shook his head politely at Tinka, an apologetic look on his face. “Sorry, Tinka. I’m not much of a fan of sweets but I promise to have some avocado toast.” Did that sound like a good compromise? However, avocado toast was temporarily pushed from the forefront of his brain as he blinked in surprise at Professor Burbage. Three years had been completed at Hogwarts so far by him and not once had a professor compared his fingers to earthworms of all things. “Er… they’re friendly earthworms?’’ he replied, but grinning at the same time because Burbage’s eyes were all twinkly. Nope, he wasn’t giving up his signature wiggly-wave. Especially when Burbage was wiggling herself. “Will do, professor. Thank you!’’

The Slytherin got himself a glass and carefully poured orange juice until it was half full. Fortunately none was spilled so there was no extra work for any of the house elves. Cranberry juice filled the rest of the cup {some amount of spillage almost happened but Ary made a spectacular save just in time} then he grabbed a small spoon to stir the juices. It was while doing so that he saw JT standing quietly nearby. “Hi, JT. Something wrong?”

Not wanting to make Toddles feel as though he had forgotten him, Aryan sought out the elf. “Got myself some of that cranberry-orange mix, Toddles. It tastes pretty great.’’

It came as no surprise that those gathered would be helping to restore the Tower Patch. It was, in his opinion, in dire need for some TLC. “There’s quite a few charms that can help with that. Shall we get started soon then?’’ he said to no one in particular as he bit into avocado toast. And separating it for composting made good sense. And yes, he was aware that Bry was standing closer to him. This was quite normal. Yes.

The little elf beamed toothily in delight to (Aryan). “Toddles is happy young Master is enjoying the mixies!” At that moment Toddles saw the hand movement that was a wave from the happy-go-lucky Hufflepuff (Anna). Toddles waved a little too energetically and almost knocked the glass from (Aryan’s) hand. Woopsies!

Toddles’ mama was here! Nimma was doing much explaining but Toddles knew Missus Burbage would be forgiving. Toddles sidled up to his mama’s side. “Toddles will help the studentsies. Mama, no needs to tug your ears so much.’’ Toddles didn’t want Mama to hurt herself.

After a bit Toddles bustled after two studentsies (Anna and Aurora). “Toddles will help the misses!’’ The misses wanted him to help hopefully. “Toddles will use magic because Toddles has no glovesies.”

When she said pounced, she didn’t mean literally. Tinka was safe from being knocked over, Aurora was oddly graceful at times (and a true klutz at others - no it didn’t make sense). “Thanks Tinka, you’re the best!” she beamed picking up the muffin and removing the daintiest of bites from the side. If only Daphne her dog was here to hoover up all the crumbs.

Oh. Oh.

That was rather a curse in the teeth of a question to ask and for the briefest of moments she had considered answering back that she did not have a tracking charm on her friends and therefore didn’t know where they were at all times. But then she remembered who she was and that purposefully getting herself into trouble was a terrible idea and that detention without Anna would be the most boresome of experiences and that Professor Burbage had done nothing to warrant such disrespect. So instead she briefly looked at her with the expression of a wounded Crup. “I’m not sure. My common room is a lot closer.” Less distance to traverse meant turning up earlier maybe? And well.. this WAS Anna they were talking about whose timekeeping skills were less than to be desired. She couldn’t speak on behalf of the other third.. or maybe it was a quarter now?

Ugh. That thought didn’t bear thinking about.

About to open her mouth to speak more, her arm was accosted by the very familiar squish of a Hufflepuff whose affection she leaned into. “There you are” the sixth year wiggled, glancing quickly behind her to check whether she had brought along any extra carriages to the friendship train. “We can do that, although I don’t understand how all these weeds got up here in the first place. Has it always been like this?” Had she been that unobservant? To be fair, she hadn’t spent that much time up in the Astronomy tower bar during their lessons.

“They’ve never mentioned otherwise to me and we did tryyy and clean it up and it was several years ago so.. yes?” Hopefully. She was going to act like they had anyway.

Toddles seemed to think so anyway as he joined the pair offering his assistance. “That’s very kind of you Toddles. I’d offer you my gloves but I think I’ll need them and they might be a bit big for you.” Or perhaps not, Aurora’s hands were rather dainty and childlike.

Sirs? Oh right, the girly house elf was talking to him. Trying to keep himself from blushing since he didn't understand right away that the muffin was for him JT smiled wide at the little elf. "Yes I do, Tinka. Thank you." Munching on a blueberry muffin or any kind of muffin for that matter would give him strength for the task ahead.

JT saw Professor Cole enter the tower patch at the same time as Aryan had take note of his silence. So he waved in greeting to their herbology professor before turning to his fellow snake asking "Can I weed or so together with you, Jansher and Bryony? I'm still a bit shaken after Professor Burbage glided through me at the opening feast. I don't wank to work with her." Surely the elder snake could understand that, right? "Also the bushes were rustling funnily earlier so I thought it'd be best to be with elder students that know more spells than me."

Mmm! "I'll have to make sure to try some of that later." French toast on a cup? Yes, please! This girl was all for it. Just as she was all about getting herself some of that juice as well. "How's the juice, Ar?" She asked curiously, head tilted to the side as she watched him take that first sip of the drink he had mixed together. She herself would only be having some orange juice today, nothing special about that but it was still really yummy and one of her favorite morning drinks... When she couldn't have some iced coffee. Yep, she was her mamas daughter.

Speaking of which, Bry had just finished pouring herself some juice quite carefully so as not to make a mess, when Tinka filled her in on on those muffins. "Blueberry sounds wonderful. It will go great with this juice. Thank you, Tinka." The fourth year smiled brightly, taking a bite out of her muffin. "Do you want a bite, Ary?" As per usual she had to offer him some.

Bryony worked on that muffin and juice for a few moments as JT explained to Ary what he was feeling. She of course had no trouble with them all working together and she hoped her smile told them so. "Yep, I'm nearly finished here." Her juice was already nearly gone and there was only another bite or two left of her delicious muffin. Then she could toss her things in the trash and put on her gloves and get started!

“Not bad,’’ Ary replied, now holding the cup out to Bry. “Want to try some?” Juice in general was good and it was always Ary’s next choice of beverage whenever iced tea was unavailable. “Just a tiny one.” He took a small bite while Bry was still holding the blueberry muffin. “This is really good,’’ came the verdict and a nod of approval. Perhaps after he had done some work around the Tower Patch, Ary would indulge in one.

Er… no.

Ary could not fully understand the ‘horror’ of a ghost stepping through a human. He had so far managed to avoid such an occurrence. But he did understand that that was something that could be off putting to JT. “Sure. I know Bry and Jan wouldn’t mind. And I certainly don’t.” Ary chanced and unconcerned glance towards the bushes. “Oh yeah… I heard that. It’s probably regular garden gnomes. You know how they love a messy garden. Don’t you worry about it, TJ.” Now that he and Bry had finished their snacks, he checked with Jan and JT. “Got your gloves, right?” He himself pulled out his pair from his pocket and began tugging it on.