Sixth Floor: Battlements

[Wilber Winterbottom]

High above overlooking the lake and a section of the grounds are the castle battlements. During the Battle of Hogwarts, the battlements where used to defend the school from Lord Voldemort and his allies. This is also where Sirius Black rode away on Buckbeak the hippogriff, but keep that hush hush. Though some damage remains, the battlements remain fairly intact and provide an opportune place to be when an enemy is approaching.

The battlements provide a nice view from a high vantage point. More often than not, the Giant Squid can be seen bathing himself in the sunlight; thestrals (if you can see them) fly above the trees at the edge of the lake; and if you look closely you'll be able to follow the road that leads to the Entrance Gates. If you're feeling up to climbing the tight spiral staircase to get there, know that it is worth the effort. There are wooden crates and barrels for you to sit on at the top should you need to catch your breath.

[Uncle Moose]

Von couldn't get down and out of the Castle today. Which was most unwelcome, but it was his OWLs year and there was lots of studying to be done so that he could be one of those bright young wizards for the future. Von didn't want that. He wanted to be outside. Maybe in the Pumpkin Patch or sitting in the Boathouse. He'd have brought his paints with him and a small easel to set up and paint the Highland Mountains once again. All he ever did was paint a lot of the Highlands surrounding Hogwarts. He felt like a real Scottish version of the Muggle paint Thomas Cole but totally focused entirely on only one location.

He climbed up to the top of the Battlements and rearranged some of the barrels and crates into a bit of platform so that he was sitting a bit higher up and looking further out. He pulled out a small sketchbook and a case of artist pencils. He extended his hand out holding one of the pencils to measure the lake out toward the mountains getting his perspective correct and he started to sketch out what he saw.

[sweetpinkpixie]

Diamond arrived at the top of the battlements with all the subtlety of an exploding cauldron. Her footsteps, energetic and purposeful, echoed against the stone walls and floor, each one a declaration that she was HERE, and she was here to work. She adjusted her robes - always too stiff and ugly for her liking, but she really did not fancy wasting her time in detention for 'excessive bedazzlement' again - and surveyed the area like an invader laying claim to foreign land. Her mind was already whirring with phrasing for her latest top ten list for The Quill, and this high vantage point, overlooking the lake with its picturesque view of the grounds, was just the perfect spot for some uninterrupted brainstorming.

"Di-vi-ne," she hummed under her breath, settling on a nearby barrel and pulling out a quill and her enchanted notebook, ready to jot down her thoughts. A sudden movement caught her eye, though, and she paused. There, just a few feet away, was someone who, if he’d been a basilisk, would’ve killed her by now - she hadn’t even noticed him over there all perched on another stack of crates, intently sketching.

Diamond raised an eyebrow as she appraised her housemate, taking in his decent looks and that usual air of brooding concentration as he fiddled with his sketchbook. She’d seen him around before, of course - she noticed everyone - and even indulged in a conversation or two sprinkled over the years but the whole starving artist vibe hadn't been her cup of tea. She wondered, briefly, if he'd be too absorbed in his artwork to notice her again. Not that it would be a problem, really - after all, she was here to work, too. But... being ignored? Also not her vibe. Especially not after she’d spent extra time on her bantu knots this morning. Those deserved attention.

"Nice view, huh?" Diamond called out, her interest in actual question a toss-up, somewhere between the weather and whether today’s Transfiguration discussion had been remotely interesting, as she settled herself on the edge of a crate, her legs swinging slightly and flaunting one of her many assets. "Perfect for inspiration. Or just to escape all that." She didn’t wait for his answer, tapping her quill against her notebook as she turned her attention back to her column, the Carat Cut, and Top Ten Most Fashionable Students at Hogwarts (And Why YOU Should Be Like Them).