Grounds: The Pumpkin Patch

[Wilber Winterbottom]

The Pumpkin Patch is situated within a fenced plot of land. Students are free to enter through the wooden gate and traverse carefully among the orange vegetables. The pumpkins are in varying stages of growth. They are well tended to by Professor Khanna but they have extended the invitation of the same to Hogwartians. This much is made clear by the neat sign perched on the outside of the Patch:

Quote:

Students and Professors are welcome to assist in the Pumpkin Patch. Clearing of weeds, removing dead leaves or withered pumpkins, watering and any other actions deemed fit are welcome!

[Lottiepot]

Sixth year Aurora was.. odd.

..and not in her usual way either. Not from all the fantasies and real life Princess-isms and whatever cloud she was currently residing on but because she was feeling the feels in the ickiest of ways and quite frankly she didn’t know how to deal with them.

As was typical after summer in Scotland, it was a gray and overcast day that perfectly reflected the straight-faced expression the blonde had thoughtlessly on her face as she made her way down the pathways to the pumpkin patch. In that moment, she looked strangely like her Ma, like the expression was natural and that the smile she usually had plastered on her face was all a huge pretense. She hoped it wasn’t, she wanted nothing more than to go back to sunshine and rainbows and skipping through wildflower meadows and..

*squish*

Her footsteps must’ve been stompier than usual as a poor miniature pumpkin who had only just started to grow was squashed under her weight. “Oh no no no no” she exclaimed, dropping to her knees to check whether a rescue attempt could be made. As if the Ravenclaw needed any further reasons to feel guilty.

[noodles]

It wasn't unusual to see Ezra hanging out among the pumpkins. His love of plants and Herbology often brought him here just to see how they were getting on in the Scottish climate. A little weeding here and there, he found it to be a therapeutic spot to think if he didn't have the inclination for flying, which was his usual first choice for decluttering his mind and focusing.

Making his way towards the fenced area, he was surprised to see Aurora, on her knees in the mud and looking a bit distraught. His brow furrowed—he hadn't spoken to the older girl in a while, but when he thought of her, he always associated her with being infectiously cheerful and well.. an aurora of light.

“Um.. Excuse me?” The now fifth year said softly in an attempt not to startle her. “Aurora? Are you alright?”

[Lottiepot]

Ezra needn’t worry about accidentally startling Aurora, she had spotted his feet approaching from the crouched position that she had adopted in an attempt to undo what she had done. Was she alright? In this very instance no, she was mourning the sad loss of a pumpkin who had only just started its life and it was all her fault. Oh and she was feeling the ickies associated with being a sixteen-year-old girl. But other than that she was fine and dandy thank you.

“I accidentally squished him” Her eyes resembled a guilty Crup being told off by their master as she presented what was left to the younger Ravenclaw. He was good at Herbology right? And he was a Claw and therefore likely to be more intelligent than her (logic) so if anyone would be able to come up with a solution to save it, it would be the fifth year.

It was either that or take it to the kitchens to be made into a pumpkin pie.

[noodles]

Ezra's gaze left the older girl and settled on the squashed pumpkin. Oh. Well—Nope. No. He would NOT laugh. Even if he kind of wanted to. That would be cruel when the poor girl was so distraught. She looked so sad and Ezra hated it when people were sad.

He joined her at ground level, crouching down to get a good look at the pumpkin. “Well. It's a bit squashed.” He said very helpfully. He lightly brushed the leaves out of the way so that he could study it more closely. “But it's still attached to the vine, so I think it might be able to recover. It needs to be protected from the damp ground.”--with something waterproof like a plastic bag. But alas, the Ravenclaw had nothing like that on him--“Then it'll need nurturing and will take a while to heal given the damage.”

His eyes left the tiny wounded pumpkin to look at Aurora and he pondered whether or not to voice the other option given how down the girl looked, but decided it was worth suggesting. “Or it could just be used as fertilizer for the other pumpkins. It's noble sacrifice can help the others to thrive” This was certainly the easier route and the one Ezra would take, but had an inkling the older girl would want to attempt to save the little plant if she could.

[Lottiepot]

As traumatised as Aurora was over her new found status as a pumpkin killer, she would understand if Ezra found the whole thing funny and laughed. She was a giggler herself, even in situations where perhaps it wasn’t the appropriate response. She was also the type of person to not be able to control herself when another person was laughing, like it was infectious.

A bit was an understatement but she appreciated his attempts at comfort. She also appreciated the advice that he was giving which despite being a possibility was not going to be a reality. As much as Aurora would like to think she was capable of nurturing it back to life, she didn’t have the patience to do so. “That sounds like an awful lot of work” she sighed, rising up from the kneeling position she had assumed to wipe off the dirt that had accumulated on her knees. “And I don’t think I’ll remember to do it every single day so I guess I’ll have to leave him as fertiliser.” Sounded like the best option and would ensure his fellow pumpkins could thrive.

See? She knew her fellow Ravenclaws were far wiser than she could ever be.

“Are you a pumpkin expert?” the blonde asked. “Or do you like spending a lot of time here? I don’t often see people in this direction.” Not that she spent that much time there either and just so happened to be passing by at the time. Most budding herbologists favoured the greenhouses instead.