Dylan had heard about this tree from people that he had talked to when he had found out that he was coming here, and he knew that once he got here he would need to come visit this tree no matter what. Now that he was here he knew that one of his first trips would be to come here to see this tree, as he walked towards it he could see that this was no ordinary tree. So whatever he had heard about this tree was true, it did move and it was.. well it looked dangerous but he couldn't tell if it actually was. But he liked a little bit of danger.. thats what made everything so much more fun.

He walked towards the tree but stayed just out of its reach with its limbs, he watched as one of the limbs came to try and hit him but only just got near his foot but still missed since Dylan was out of its reach. Limb after limb tried to get him but kept missing "Haha.. can't get me, your limb.. branch thingys are not long enough!" he yelled upto the tree as he kept watching the tree trying desperately to get him, Dylan knew that one small step forwards and that tree would knock him off his feet. He didn't want that so he took one small step backwards, safer that way. As fun as the Hospital Wing sounded, he just didn't want to spend weeks stuck in that wing and miss out on all of this.. no way! that was no fun!

Well it had taken her long enough but she had finally found the tree that everyone seemed to be making such a big fuss over. It didn't look all that scary...it actually looked dead if she was being honest. Hmph, what a waste of a good trudge. She picked up a stone and hurled it at the half dead, miserable excuse for forestry that stood before her and was pleasantly surprized to see it being batted away by the tree that had swung to life.

"Wooow! Hey that was pretty neat! Can you do that again?!" Without waiting for a response she picked up another one and hurled it as well, beaming when it bat it far off as well. Now this was quality entertainment!

Taylor was walking around the grounds, trying to avoid Damon. She had been in a bad mood since the starting feast. Tay saw Lexa and the frown deepen when she noticed that the first year was teasing and toturing the poor tree. Taylor went over to her friend, "Lexa! Stop messing with the tree! It is dangerous and you can get in trouble." She crossed her arms and shook her head at the younger girl. "Do you want to lose even more points?" Yeah, Tay heard about the giggling points and thought it was a little stupid... for a point deduction that is... though Tay didnt *mind* if Lexa decides to lose a few more points since that would help Ravenclaw after all.

Lex reached for another stone from the rubble near her foot when she heard someone calling her name. Looking over, she saw Taylor...she didn't look all that happy...maybe she wanted to throw things at the tree too. She realized that wasn't the case though she turned her attention to the tree again. "Meh," She hurled the stone at a different branch and watched it also get batted away, "there are no Professors around and besides, no one ever said it was illegal to stone this death trap." That was what this tree was afterall. It was mean and bitter and hated everything so if someone taught it a lesson every now and then there should be nothing wrong! She turned to her and offered her a stone. "Here, gibe it a try." I bet you'll feel a lot better afterwards!"[/b] She was already feeling better; this was fun!

Taylor looked at her, "So? Despite having no professors around, doesnt mean that you can do whatever you please, Lex." She sighed, "I am pretty sure it is against the rules, actually." Tay gave her a look like she was crazy, "No... I dont wanna 'give it a try'." Taylor shook her head and frowned, "You are going to get in trouble a lot this year, arent ya?" She glanced away, growing silent as she sighed.

Um yes. No Professors was all the reason in the world to do something! That was how life worked. Duh. She shook her head; Tay would never understand because she had gotten too old and her brain was already starting to rot from age. It was such a shame when things like that started happening. Le sigh. She nearly laughed when she saw the look on her face. "Aww, you sure? It's really fun and I don't think the tree really minds. It's happy it has someone to play with! See, I'm being a big help!" And being a help was just so much fun so she didn't mind. Her brows furrowed when she asked if she planned to get into tonnes of trouble. That also reminded her of something she said earlier.

No, I don't plan to get in trouble but I do plan to have fun...and how did you know I lost points?" Did everyone know??? O___O If that was the case then she would need a new identity before her house mates got ready to hunt her down. Yup. She have to dye her hair....grow a few inches--or shrink; whichever was easier...it would be a lot to change. Then she noticed that Tay had sighed and gotten all quiet. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, I am defintely sure." She sighed and backed away from Lexa a little bit, "Your logic wont hold up if you get caught by a professor... they probably deduct even more points for thinking you are a smart aleck." Tay grimaced at the thought. "Okay as long as you dont plan to get into that much trouble." She shrugged, "I have ways of hearing about things." Like people all around me or I overheard it... or something "But dont worry, I doubt many people know about it..." She shrugged, "I dont really know if I am or not..." Tay frowned.

"Pfft, my logic always holds up." She was Alexa Cambridge, no matter what she did it would never be wrong--just ask her Daddy! With him she was always right. "And don't worry about it, I don't plan to get caught anymore. Really losing points for giggling was really stupid but I won't be pulling anymore stunts while they can see!" So there! A well thought out plan that could very well work and was in fact working so far! Just look, she was pelting a tree and the only one to see her was Taylor and not a Professor. She had this covered. Hm...if she heard from people that meant that others knew. She would have started freaking out but then Tay convinced her not to by telling her that not many people knew...okay...she could live with that...

She looked over at Tay when she admitted that she didn't know whether or not she was alright. Lex studied her face for a minute then gasped!!! "You have the same look that that stupid girl who was having boy problems had!!!!"

It was slowly infecting the masses!!!

Taylor sighed, "I agree it was really stupid." She nodded and sat down, watching her friend throw rocks at the williow. "Maybe because we are in the same situation? Damon and I broke up and I havent been myself ever since..." Tay grimaced and looked at her friend, "I thought walking around the grounds would help but it isnt helping at all... I think it is making it worse..."

There, see? Yet another person who thought it was stupid to punish someone for giggling. Sigh. She would just have to get over it.

Her gaze followed Tay as she took a seat then explained the situation. She looked all torn up about it and Lex could tell that she was really going through a rough patch right now. It even looked like she might have started crying. Okay Lex...positive reinforcement. "So?" That was as positive as she would get!

"Who cares that you two did, that's like a good thing, now you don't have to worry about all that icky stuff that idiots in love do--ick, just thinking about it makes me sick. You really should count this as a blessing and move on--quickly too because I don't wanna have to stay hear and listen to you whining about him." Yeah...Lex would rather eating dirt to listening to some love garbage.

Tay looked at her friend, "You are right..." A slow smile appeared, "I mean wouldnt it be less stress? I dont have to worry about looking cute or what I say or what I do anymore..." Taylor laughed and hugged Lex.

BEAM.

See? Weren't things better when one tried thinking like an 11 year old? She gave Taylor a wide grin. "Exactly! Now you don't have to worry about all that nasty stuff that comes with liking boys and start being all care free! Just look at my hair--it's a frazzled messed and I don't care." She didn't give a rat's hat about whether or not a boy thought she was pretty. When it boiled down to it they all looked the same to her and they were nothing special; faceless life forms really. Except a few that she considered friends of course!

Taylor grimaced and looked at Lex, "I aint gonna stop taking care of my appearance... I will just be doing it for myself now." She sighed and shook her head at her younger friend.

Lex scowled over at her, and here she thought they were making progress. Le Sigh. This would take a bit more than she originally anticipated. Okay and now for another go. "Look, no one says you have to stop caring about your appearance because you've already been brainwashed and all but just lighten up." She said then she tried giving her a smile. "Think of all the fun you can have now without having to worry about whether or not he cares!" Yet another reason to not get a boyfriend. They always seemed to get really annoying when you wanted to do something fun.

Maxwell took a seat near the tree, he thought about playing chicken with it, like someone he used to know...sitting here he realized how much he really missed her. But he didn't wanna think about that. He pulled out a Transfiguration book and began to study.

Sutton was headed back toward the castle... mostly because she was tired of being outside. Even though it was September, some days were still reminiscent of summer, and hot summer days meant bugs and sweat, neither of which she really liked.

As she passed a great big tree, she caught movement in the corner of her eye and whipped around quickly to look at it. What had it been? It hadn't been a purpose... just something long, whipping through the air. Maybe someone was practicing spells. Scanning the area, she didn't see anyone with their wands out. Hmm... curious...

Forgetting her destination, she began observing the odd-looking tree.

Stupid boys making her think things... and feel things... Just STUPID. Ugh. BLAH. Addy shoved her hands deep into her pockets and pulled her hood up on her sweatshirt. THERE. No one could see the beacon of red hair and come rushing to talk to her. *SNORT* Like that ever happened. HEHEH.

Letting her eyes wander she stopped short when she saw a little girl standing WAAAAAAY too close to the whomping willow. Um... that was potentially dangerous. SIGHS.

"HEY! Girl person there! You may want to back up a little bit before the willow decides to take it personally." Just saying.

As someone started yelling, Sutton looked away from the tree to look at the older girl. She gave a little laugh, figuring the girl was trying either be funny or make fun of her. Either way, it seemed a very silly thing to say... how could a tree take it personally?

Hmm.. something was casting odd shadows on the ground...

In one of those odd, feels-like-slow-motion, real life moments, Sutton turned her head just in time to see that there was a large branch with a whip-like end heading right for her. With a gasp, her eyes went wide as she jumped... literally jumped backwards out of the way. She missed the blunt of impact, but the whip-like end made contact with her uncovered shins with loud smacking sound, and she fell backwards on the ground as her eyes welled up with tears, more out of fear and embarrassment than pain.

OHMYGEEERD! Why did she LAUGH. Didn't she know ANYTHING? That was THE Whomping Willow. Everyone knew about it... or she was a first year... GAWD.

Addy set off at a smart pace, groping in her pocket for her wand. She could probably stop the bleeding if it wasn't serious. "I told you to watch out. You have to give offerings to the Willow to make it NOT try to kill you." She knelt beside the girl and grabbed her under her arms. "I am going to pull you back a little ways, so you don't get hit again, Okay?" Not waiting for an okay, Addy pulled the little thing out of the way and knelt back down.

"Are you like... really badly hurt?"

As the girl who had shouted the warning ran over to help her, Sutton was immediately thankful as she saw the tree beginning to plan it's next attack. Once the other girl had pulled her out of harm, she quickly surveyed her leg. It didn't look bad, no blood... just a very angry-looking welt coming to the surface. Great... she'd have to wear pants now until it was gone...

"Thank you, so, so much. I'm sorry! I just thought you were joking! I didn't know! Why would they have a dangerous tree like that at a school? I mean, don't people get REALLY hurt?" she pleaded with big eyes at the older girl with really, REALLY pretty red hair.

Indicating the welt on her leg, Sutton shrugged, "I'll be okay. It just stings!" She gave the older girl a small smile. "Thank you. I hope I didn't ruin your fun with a friend or something..." she gratefully said, but as her eyes darted around, it seemed the girl was also alone.

Addy had been fighting the urge to thump girl in the forehead once she saw that she wasn't really hurt... so instead she pulled a Vivi and simply poked her forehead. "That's the Whomping Willow. It was put there to keep people out of a passageway that leads to the Shrieking Shack. It has been on the grounds since Remus Lupin came to this school in the 1970's." History lesson for the day. "Have you never read Hogwarts, A History?"

And then she simply sat down on her backside in the grass and smiled slightly. "No friends here with me, kid. Just clearing my head a bit. What's your name?"

Sutton rubbed her forehead where the girl had poked her. It reminded her so strongly of something her sisters would have done, that it simultaneously gave her goosebumps and a warm, fuzzy feeling that made her want to smile. "A Whomping Willow..." she mused aloud as she gazed at the tree, now immobile once more. "No, I haven't read it, but I guess I should. This is my first year at Hogwarts. I was homeschooled before. My parents are muggles... wanted me to be normal, but they also didn't want me to burn the house down when I get angry, so they just brought in a private teacher..." she explained sadly. Frankly her knowledge of magic in general was very limited, let alone knowing anything about Hogwarts.

As the girl joined her on the ground, it brightened Sutton's spirits slightly. "My name is Sutton. What's yours?"

Taylor sighed and fell back, "Okay, okay." She rolled her eyes, so not changing her mind though. "Do you want to help me do a prank on someone?" Tay sat up, smirking at the younger girl and that is when she saw Maxwell, her brother. She waved then went back to talking with Lex.

Alexa took a walk around the castle, her common room was so boring. No one seemed to want to talk to her. Skipping out to the big big tree she saw so many kissy face people, "GRRRROOOOSSSSS." As she went closer to the tree she noticed DJ at the tree and smiled. Her idea from Astronomy came back into her mind. Dropping her book bag she knelt down and pulled out pumpkin juice. Placing some of the pumpkin juice in a vial to make it look like a potion, then she threw her pumpkin juice back in her bag and started towards DJ.

"Hey DJ. What are you up to?" she then took out the vial from her pocket and made sure he saw it. Swishing the liquid around just so the sun hit it and then drinking some. "That's better, can't be to careful you know." she made sure to make it seem really important. She saw it on TV once and hoped it would work in real life. "So what are you doing with this tree?"