The Forbidden Forest. Chance was on the outside of it, looking at it. It was creepy. It was dark and spooky. It was twisted. It was exciting. Chance looked on, trying to see if he saw anything in the woods. he wasnt allowed into it. He would be punished if he were caught. Caught. Being the opportune word. Chance bit his lip.

He wold be going out in those words sooner or later. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, and looked on. It seemed like there was a little bit of shifting in the forest. Chance looked on. If he had an idea on how to not get caught, he would already be in there. Curiousity killed the cat right?

Will Kace ever show up? The sight of the Forbidden Forest was unsettling, and he can’t imagine how his Uncle Max was able to go inside that place and help get rid of the Chorts. Merlin, his mother’s only brother was an impressive one, and Ethan could not help but be proud of him. The man had vowed to look after Ethan, even from a distance, right after his mother’s passing. Sad times indeed, but they all must move on.

Ethan shifted his weight from his left foot to his right, his eyes never leaving the entrance to the said Forest. Who knows what could jump out from the inside, yes? The prefect also wondered if Mr. Millard has placed protective charms around the perimeter. It would be a sad thing to have his dog wander inside that place. He’d be mortified too, really.

The Slytherin stepped back and eyed the rose bushes near the mouth of the Forest. Merlin’s beard. The things he’d do just to practice and master the art of potion making.

Kace made his way down to the Forbidden Forest. He got a note passed in charms class from Ethan saying to meet him here. He remembered that he promised to work with him on the potion assignment when they were talking in the great hall. He spotted him standing outside the forest. He smiled and saw he was nervous but he was caught up with talking to someone else so it was his bad he was late. He waved to his fellow Slytherin buddy and said, "Hey mate sorry I am late!" He really was.

"Okay so we need rose thorns and and roses..." he said getting the list out of his bag and checking his list for the potion they were gonna make. "I see you found the rose bushes.." he smirked and nodded towards it. "Score one for us." he winked.

The place was starting to get more freaky. Ethan could swear that there were movements. If only Kace got there earlier, then--OH. Right. The prefect turned his back against the Forest and gave Kace a quick salute. "Don't mention it. Important thing is that you're finally here." he said as he gestured his head towards the rose bushes.

"I checked if Mr. Millard was inside his hut, so we could get thorns from his garden," he said as he craned his neck to look through his window. "He's not there, I think so we'll just have to settle for the wild ones over there." As in...the one near the mouth of the Forbidden Forest. Great.

"Let's get started before the sun sets." Ethan got his dragon hide gloves, wore it, and started to search for the appropriate thorns. Thirteen pieces of it. "This one's got a lot..." he said as he started to pick the thorns carefully, one by one and placed it inside his empty phial.

As he saw Ethan gesture towards the rose bushes, he was glad he brought his dragon hide gloves. He was gonna need them. He heard him and he was glad he checked with the groundskeeper first. He didn't want to get him mad or anything. "Wait he is not in there?" he said standing on his tiptoes and craned his neck into the window. "Hmm that is strange but like you said we can go for the wild ones over there.." he pointed. It was near the forbidden forest. He hoped nothing would jump out and scare him.

He couldn't agree more. "Yeah I don't wanna be here when it is dark. Who knows what will happen.." he said. Kace got on his dragon hide gloves and wore them for protection for his hands. This thorns may hurt. He saw Ethan looking for the thorns and he saw one with thirteen. "Wow mate that is a lot." he said with eyebrows raised. "I am gonna check this bush over there.." he pointed since they needed thirteen thorns from different bushes. He was searching and found one. He smiled and ripped it from the bush and plucked all thirteen thorns. He got his vial out and poured them into it so he wouldn't lose it. "How is this?" he asked his slytherin buddy gesturing towards his vial.

Ethan simply shrugged as he busied himself picking the right thorns. "He's got a lot of ground to cover, mate. He'd be a busy man, yeah?" The prefect said as he grinned at his companion. "I met Mr. Millard earlier this year. Nice chap, if you ask me." He didn't get the chance to meet Kirby last term, and he seems to be a cool dude too. "He's really into gardening..." Ethan added as he plucked out the last thorn that he needed.

The Slytherin looked up at the Hufflepuff and looked at his vial. "As long as you got thirteen pieces, I suppose?" You know, thirteen being an unlucky number? The fair-haired fourth year secured his phial with its cork, and placed it in his satchel. His gloves too were stuffed inside it. "I think we're done here..." He trailed off as he glanced at the Forbidden Forest once more. "Come on, Inspector Dimmock. To the dungeons!"

.... What about lurking outside? Ruby wasn't dumb enough to go wandering around a forest that had the word 'forbidden' as part of its name, but she was curious enough to have a look at the way in.

Though you could technically enter the thing from anywhere along its perimeter if you set your mind on it. Still, this was actually kind of a nice spot, and the forbidden part meant that probably not many people would come and hang around here. She sat on a rock with a magazine on her knee and tried to read it. Tried being the operative word. She could... but it was hard. And that was why she needed to be somewhere private to attempt it, so that later on when she pretended to read it in front of people, she'd already know what it said.

Ruby rewrapped her scarf around her neck, and crossed one leg over the other. Warming charms on her wool tights as well as the rest of her uniform meant that she wasn't cold, so she hadn't bothered with robes or a cloak. Unnecessary.

At least right now.

"... Fl-flirting t-ti-tips... for............ the Christmas Season." She read the title and then laughed a bit. Like, what was different about flirting at Christmas? Not that she needed tips, but all the same, Ruby started deciphering the words on the glossy page in front of her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tegz

.... What about lurking outside? Ruby wasn't dumb enough to go wandering around a forest that had the word 'forbidden' as part of its name, but she was curious enough to have a look at the way in.

Though you could technically enter the thing from anywhere along its perimeter if you set your mind on it. Still, this was actually kind of a nice spot, and the forbidden part meant that probably not many people would come and hang around here. She sat on a rock with a magazine on her knee and tried to read it. Tried being the operative word. She could... but it was hard. And that was why she needed to be somewhere private to attempt it, so that later on when she pretended to read it in front of people, she'd already know what it said.

Ruby rewrapped her scarf around her neck, and crossed one leg over the other. Warming charms on her wool tights as well as the rest of her uniform meant that she wasn't cold, so she hadn't bothered with robes or a cloak. Unnecessary.

At least right now.

"... Fl-flirting t-ti-tips... for............ the Christmas Season." She read the title and then laughed a bit. Like, what was different about flirting at Christmas? Not that she needed tips, but all the same, Ruby started deciphering the words on the glossy page in front of her.

Even in a jacket, scarf, and beanie, Aidan's cheeks were red from the cold. But he was okay with it. It was nothing compared to what they'd been through last year. Also, it was to be expected when one chooses to take a walk in the dead of winter and it was totally Aidan's choice to be outside right now where his stress was free to fly away.

Fly away stress.

He happened upon Ruby reading her magazine aloud. Aloud. To no one. The Ravenclaw made sure to look around for people or animals she could be talking to, but saw no one. Strange, but easily shrugged off.

"So how many of those include mistletoe?" he asked, waving as he approached her rock.

Ruby looked up at the voice and then smiled brightly, returning the wave. Then she flipped her hair of course. No she didn't mind the company, and besides maybe one day he'd be a huge Quidditch star, and famous. She'd seen him play before Quidditch got killed at Hogwarts, when coming with her uncle and brother to see her cousin play for the rival team.

"Hey cutie!" She looked down at the magazine and back up again. "Mistletoe, like... conjuring it at just the right moment above the head of someone worth snogging? I guess that would work." And mistletoe WAS there, of course. It was number three. "My favourite is the holiday flavoured lip-gloss. They suggest candy cane, but I'm more partial to gingerbread." Ruby made kissy lips in illustration and then giggled.

"You looking for a place to hide a dead body?" She gestured towards the forest with one sparkling purple fingernail. Orrrr had she stolen his thinking spot? She shifted over on the rock and pat-pat-patted it. Did the Ravenclaw want to sit down?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tegz

Ruby looked up at the voice and then smiled brightly, returning the wave. Then she flipped her hair of course. No she didn't mind the company, and besides maybe one day he'd be a huge Quidditch star, and famous. She'd seen him play before Quidditch got killed at Hogwarts, when coming with her uncle and brother to see her cousin play for the rival team.

"Hey cutie!" She looked down at the magazine and back up again. "Mistletoe, like... conjuring it at just the right moment above the head of someone worth snogging? I guess that would work." And mistletoe WAS there, of course. It was number three. "My favourite is the holiday flavoured lip-gloss. They suggest candy cane, but I'm more partial to gingerbread." Ruby made kissy lips in illustration and then giggled.

"You looking for a place to hide a dead body?" She gestured towards the forest with one sparkling purple fingernail. Orrrr had she stolen his thinking spot? She shifted over on the rock and pat-pat-patted it. Did the Ravenclaw want to sit down?

Cutie? What, was she belittling him? Like he was a 'cute' baby or child or furry friend? Still, he smiled politely. He'd take 'Cutie' over 'Ew get away from me I don't want to talk to you or have anything to do with you'.

Aidan chuckled at her kissy lips. "Surely it would depend on the preference of who you're going to kiss...When you conjure that mistletoe." Candy cane didn't sound too bad, you know. For a kiss. But then, what would he know.

He accepted her invitation by sitting beside her on her rock. "Not this time," he joked. "What're you doing so close to the Forest?"

"Mmmaybe, but if someone got stuck under mistletoe with me, they should be flattered, especially if I went to the effort of conjuring it myself." So they really shouldn't even be complaining that her lips weren't flavoured to match their personal preference. They'd come around to whatever she was wearing and completely associate it with perfect, top ten snogging, from then on.

Company was unexpected today, but not unwelcome. Ruby smiled when he sat down with her, and closed the magazine though she kept one finger folded in it, holding her place. Her attention was squarely on Aidan though. The quiet seventh year was interesting. And he sort of gave the vibe of being DONE with Hogwarts to the point where she barely saw him around.

Total shame, that. He was worth looking at for sure.

"Well here's a tip, if you are ever trying to dispose of a dead body, probably you should do it under the cover of night, and have someone else around to carry the shovel." Also an alibi. Or a group of house elves to do the dirty work for you, to save getting anything icky under your nails.

As for what brought her out here... Ruby held up the magazine.

"I was just... wanting somewhere to read. Quiet. Peaceful. Its sort of different out here, especially in the winter. I like the stillness. You sort of forget about everything else, out here." She shrugged philosophically, not letting on the deeper reason, the part about how difficult reading actually was for her. That part nobody needed to know. "But you're not interrupting." She touched his knee gently and smiled. "I promise." Pause. "In fact you can read with me, and give your manly perspective on whether or not you think this stuff works." How about it, claw' boy? Brows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tegz

"Mmmaybe, but if someone got stuck under mistletoe with me, they should be flattered, especially if I went to the effort of conjuring it myself." So they really shouldn't even be complaining that her lips weren't flavoured to match their personal preference. They'd come around to whatever she was wearing and completely associate it with perfect, top ten snogging, from then on.

Company was unexpected today, but not unwelcome. Ruby smiled when he sat down with her, and closed the magazine though she kept one finger folded in it, holding her place. Her attention was squarely on Aidan though. The quiet seventh year was interesting. And he sort of gave the vibe of being DONE with Hogwarts to the point where she barely saw him around.

Total shame, that. He was worth looking at for sure.

"Well here's a tip, if you are ever trying to dispose of a dead body, probably you should do it under the cover of night, and have someone else around to carry the shovel." Also an alibi. Or a group of house elves to do the dirty work for you, to save getting anything icky under your nails.

As for what brought her out here... Ruby held up the magazine.

"I was just... wanting somewhere to read. Quiet. Peaceful. Its sort of different out here, especially in the winter. I like the stillness. You sort of forget about everything else, out here." She shrugged philosophically, not letting on the deeper reason, the part about how difficult reading actually was for her. That part nobody needed to know. "But you're not interrupting." She touched his knee gently and smiled. "I promise." Pause. "In fact you can read with me, and give your manly perspective on whether or not you think this stuff works." How about it, claw' boy? Brows.

Ohhh. Yeah, he should agree to this. Something about boosting girls' self confidence or something or they'll go into a complex thinking they're ugly when they're really perfectly attractive. "Of course they would be." He still thought her lip stuff should be whatever the dude she was kissing wanted. To keep him coming back for more, of course, whether he was flattered to have been kissing her in the first place or not.

"Thank you for the advice. Could I trust you to be my shovel carrier?" Because you had to really trust that person. Wouldn't want just anyone who might go around blabbing about it afterwards. And the less mouths, the better.

Not that he's thought about it much.

"There's a place for that called a library," he smiled, joking again, of course. And he was glad he wasn't interrupting because he wouldn't want to do that, even if all Ruby was reading was a silly magazine about candy cane lip stuff.

His breath faltered for a split second at her unexpected touch on his knee. "That sounds fun," Aidan nodded, clearing his throat. He would be talking about flirting with a girl. No big deal. Just a little nervous-making.

"Hey mister, don't knock the gingerbread until you try it." She said, fake sternly, complete with finger waggle, but then she smiled. It was seasonal anyway. "Only boyfies get to have a preference that influences what I put on my lips." Because when things got to a more regular point, Ruby was the sort who was more than willing to adjust her habits.

"Hmmm you probably could, what would be in it for me though?" Because that was important. Ruby absently curled a strand of hair about her finger, a whimsical smile playing on her face. She couldn't imagine Aidan wanting to knock off anyone, he didn't seem the type at all.

"Maybe. Its stuffy in there, and closed in, and there's always a ton of people around." And people studying, which she had no interest in. "I like it better out here. For right now anyway." His nose was getting red, did he realise? She reached out and touched the tip of it with her little finger.

"Good! Well I don't know how to conjure mistletoe, or I'd start with that one." Wink. She looked down and opened the magazine. The top one was the only one she'd already read so far so she knew what it said. "What about one of these lines, like:" Ruby looked up, fluffed her hair and put her hand on his shoulder, "Have you been a good boy this year, or are you on the naughty list?" The line was stupid, but she was doing her best to sell it at least.

Ruby Banner was a pro, clearly.

As Ariel continued to walk, she eventually came across more of the weird things growing out of the ground, but these ones looked nicer than the last one. They were like the one she had put her clothes under when wanting to search for shipwrecks in the water.

Reaching the edge of them, she peered inside. There seemed to be a lot of them, and she DID love an adventure...but there was a part of her that felt uncertain; she could sense that this was a dangerous place and not one she should explore, especially not alone. She was brave, but not stupid. Hopefully Snow White was the same way.

There weren't that many options for her if she wished to succeed in her quest, but maybe talking to the mirror would help. At least it was worth a shot. Turning it around again so that it faced her, Ariel glanced at her reflection. "Hello, can you tell me where Snow White is?" No answer. It was the same as what had happened with the strange creature. "Hello? Anyone there?" she gently tapped the glass with her finger, but nothing happened.

Why couldn't she find Snow White?

Sadly she turned away from the weird things sticking out of the ground and made her way back to the castle.