Separation anxiety still hits Oli down to her core. She misses everyone at home. Her mother's cooking was one of the best she ever tasted though the foods at the feast were also one of kind. Coping was necessary but there were times, she would just stare down the window from the Ravenclaw tower and get lost with her thoughts.

Today was particularly windy. In order to enjoy herself, Oli decided to go to the beating tree. The tree that beats everyone that comes its way. A violent one. She determined it would be an exciting view to see how it would react to the wind... and the stones Oli collected down the pathways. Oli was in a great mood to have a little fun today.

Kimi had missed looking at the whomping willow while he was away from the castle after stopping at a safe enough distance away from the tree he decided to pull out his notebook and began to draw the tree

Ari stood, underwhelmed, in front of the funky-looking giant tree. It certainly doesn't look that dangerous. Surely, she could see how if one branch fell on some unfortunate soul that stumbled across it without minding where they were going, it could potentially break an arm or two. But it is honestly just a very old, very distinct-looking. Nothing special. From the way that some of her cousins were talking about the Whomping Willow, Ari had expected it to be some sort of legendary Arthurian-esque relic.

But, it's just a tree.

Ari shrugged to herself. Well it's time to move on. If she wanted to explore everything on her first-day bucket list before classes start, she better start hurrying those tiny legs of hers.

Before Ari could turn back, her eyes squinted toward a small, blurry figure very close to the Whomping Willow. A tiny but rough "mew" escaped from the round shadow.

"...Pudgeface?" Ari hasn't seen her cat anywhere since the feast last night. She had shrugged if off, thinking he was possibly off to some wild adventures with the owls from the owlery. Besides, Ari wasn't too found of cats - she's much more of a dog person. But since Hogwarts restricts pets to only cats, owls, and toads (Toads? Who keeps toads as pets nowadays?), Ari had no choice but to get herself a new companion. Initially, Ari had insistent on an owl (she had her eyes on a handsome barn owl back in Eeylop's Owl Emporium), but her stupid, snobby older sister had already adopted a cat for Ari and was planning to surprise Ari until she found out from the scratch marks on her sister's arms.

Why, WHY a CAT? Ari had thought. And a mean one too! Why give me the devil when you don't even want to keep it for yourself?!

Now there he is. The devil. Staring right back at Ari with those yellow, snake-like eyes.

Ari sighed. "Sure, whatever. Just stay there. I won't come and get you."

Reese was out doing a bit of exploring on his own for once. Usually he would be found in the company of his best friend and older sister, Rylee.. But today he felt like going off on his own to see what he could see. So.. Out towards the Whomping Willow he went.. For a moment he thought the girl he came upon was talking to herself... And then he saw the evil eyed cat giving her nasty looks.

" She don't much like ya.. Does she?.. ", he said , announcing himself to her. He gave her a smile and the cat a look that said stay where you're at..

Ari heard a voice beside her and found a smiling Hufflepuff boy (first year, perhaps, from the looks of it) speaking to her.

"Pudgeface is a male cat." Ari corrected him. "He's a cranky ol' cat who smells terrible, and look!" She rolled up her sleeves to reveal the scratch marks that ol' Pudgeface left on both of her arms. God knows how long he had been cooped up in that tiny gift box before jumping out and clinging onto the first thing he saw. Pudgeface landed on Ari's arms and left her nice, long scratch marks as his introduction gift. Yes, what a wonderful present her older sister left her before going to school!

"When you see him around, make sure to give him a good kick for me." Ari grumbled bitterly, with her eyes still fixed on Pudgefaces' glowing orbs. He wants to play? Well I can do this ALL DAY.

Reese studied the girl.. Seemed she had a blunt personality and a bit forceful at the verbal end of things as well... Well, maybe he don't like 'is name.. , he suggested.. Blimey!.. He got ya good!", Reese added after taking a look at the narley scratches that ran down her forearms.." Why'd he do that?!... Ya weren't bein' mean to 'im then were ya?.. Whe he did that there?.. ".. To him he knew that animals don't attack for no reason at all.. That was something that was a solely human characteristic..

"Well, he was cranky way before we named him." Ari remembered clearly that Pudgeface had been a troublemaker way before she found a suitable name for him. He had been running around the house, unpleasantly greeting the family with his hisses and violent stares. "And what else was I supposed to name him? Cupcake?" Because he sure doesn't look the type. Oh, how much Ari missed her father's friendly 12-year old collie back at home! He was such as sweet canine, and he would never, ever be this mean to Ari. He would just occasionally lie on Ari's lap and whimper a bit from his back pain. Ari had known him for as long as she could remember. Too bad they couldn't bring dogs to Hogwarts.

"No, I didn't even do anything and he just scratched me!" Ari rolled down her sleeves and went back to the starring contest between her and Pudgeface. "He's the devil, that's why." Ari didn't particularly liked the way the boy phrased those strings of questions. It was as if he was accusing her of mistreating the animal? No! She would never do that - she loves animals. Well, except for Pudgeface, probably.

" So, yur sayin' he just up and scratched ya to shreds for no good reason? ", he asked as he looked back over at the cat.. It did look like it had quite the ugly disposition.. " Pudgeface, huh?... Well, he looks like he could use a good kick every now and then I suppose.. I'm Reese.. Prichard..First year. he said with a smile.

Ari squinted at the Hufflepuff boy. Why was he being so exhausting? He was not the one getting scratched. “I guess cats just do that. I don’t know, I’ve never had a cat before.” Ari would much rather not dwell on the subject. Just leave Pudgeface to himself and hopefully he’ll survive on his own on the school grounds. Ari just has to leave some cat nibbles in his food bowl every now and then so he doesn’t go hungry.

“Oh, hi Reese. I’m Ari.” Ari introduced herself, breaking into a toothless smile as an automatic response to the boy’s greeting. “This is my first year at Hogwarts too. What classes are you in looking forward to-”

But before Ari could finish her question, she noticed Pudgface was not where he was sitting before. No, half of his body completely vanished into the tree, with his thick, fluffy tail swiftly following the rest of his round body.

“Oh, no!” Ari’s eyes were wide open, fearing what the Whomping Willow might do to the poor cat. What if the tree swallows him up? ...eats him? What if it’s a flesh-eating tree! Oh, Pudgeface!

Ari sprinted after him and towards the darn tree.

Reese smiled back at her.. She seemed nice enough.. Her cat was a bit mangy, but he wouldn't hold it against her.. " I wouldn't know.. I got foxes.. Two of 'em. Pulsar and Radar.. Well, Pulsar is my sister Rylee's fox and our oldest sister has a fox too.. His name is Audi... 'Cause of their ears bein' so important for their survival..", he prattled off..

Yup!.. Reese was a creature boy through and through and very VERY proud of it... He'd spent more time in the woods and his dugout den among the woodland creatures around his sister Rian's house than humans after Rylee had come to Hogwarts last term.

" Stop!..Ari!.. He'll be alright!.., he called after her as he grabbed the edge of her sweater to keep her from being pummeled by the Ornery Ole Tree.. " He stroked the right spot to get inside.. Haven't ya ever read about the Willow?..".. He would've thought most people knew that odd little factoid about the school grounds..

This boy is so... smiley. Ari thought to herself. She wondered if it was exhausting to keep smiling like that. Ari knew she would never be able to do that - she had, what her sister called, a "resting bored face."

"You got foxes? Ari raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "I didn't know you could keep foxes as pets." As far as Ari was aware, foxes weren't domestic animals. She saw, or heard, somewhere that you could, perhaps, domestic a wolf if you tried hard enough, but foxes? Unheard of! Who would even want to keep foxes around as pets? Weren't they always... sly and tricky? You know, from all the fairytales and stuff.

Ugh. Ari yanked her sweater from Reese's grip. "Stop it! What if it eats Pudgeface!?" She starred at the Hufflepuff boy accusingly. And if she doesn't find Pudgeface in one face, he will be the first one to blame.

Weren't you supposed to smile if you were trying to make a friend or at least make sure the person doesn't become an enemy?.. " Yeah.. Foxes.. We had 'em since they were little kits.. We call 'em pets and help take care of 'em, but they can hunt for themselves just fine.. But I spent a lot of time readin' everythin' I could about 'em .."

He didn't much like the way she was asking these questions and he narrowed his eyes a bit at her, " Fine!.. Get crushed.. But yur folks'll be awful sad to find out the Whompin' Willow made ya into jelly."

That still sounded pretty exotic for Ari. Sure, dogs, cats, owls, toads, koalas, goats, horses. Foxes were a first. "That sounds kind of fun, actually." Perhaps Ari just didn't know enough about foxes to start with. "How do you play with them?" Ari wondered if they were similar to dogs - if they played fetch like Duke, her father's 12-year old collie, or if they could understand commands like "sit" and "roll over." How would the administration here at Hogwarts react to someone bringing their pet fox? Probably not so well.

Ari furrowed her eyebrows, glancing at the Whomping Willow and back at Reese, back and forth, back and forth. She sure wouldn't mind not getting crushed by the angry tree. But what about Pudgeface? He is a moody cat for sure, but is he smart enough to make it out alive?

Suddenly, Ari's lips started to quiver. Oh no... She bit the corner of her lip to stop herself from tearing up, but she could feel her cheeks twitching and her jaw tightening up. Oh, all the time she's been so mean to him! Only if she had known this would be the last time she'd ever see him...

She quickly turned her back to Reese so that he couldn't see her cry. What a great first impression - crying like a five-year old!

Reese figured people probably kept all sorts of animals and creatures.. Just depended on their personality and all, right? But yes, foxes would definitely fall under the exotic category.

He nodded at her question, " Mhmm.. They like to chase and wrestle mostly, but they kinda yip and play like dogs.. High energy, ya know?", he explained. " But mostly we go huntin' for small animals and that..", Reese added with a shrug.

Ooops!, he thought as he saw the wibble chin and then she turned away crying.. Why are girls so sensitive?!.. Always sobbin' about.. Everywhere I go it seems!.. his inner voice prattle about.

" Whatcha cryin' for?.. I was just sayin' it be a shame if ya got squished by it is all.."

SPOILER!!: Oliiii! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by WitchLight27

Separation anxiety still hits Oli down to her core. She misses everyone at home. Her mother's cooking was one of the best she ever tasted though the foods at the feast were also one of kind. Coping was necessary but there were times, she would just stare down the window from the Ravenclaw tower and get lost with her thoughts.

Today was particularly windy. In order to enjoy herself, Oli decided to go to the beating tree. The tree that beats everyone that comes its way. A violent one. She determined it would be an exciting view to see how it would react to the wind... and the stones Oli collected down the pathways. Oli was in a great mood to have a little fun today.

Kay wondered why it was that she was moving for the Whomping Willow. It was one of those places on the Grounds that attracted hordes of kiddos. All she had been doing since the term began was tiring to avoid everyone but given the fact this this was a school and she was a Professor with lessons to conduct. So there was no way to completely hide from anyone... unfortunately.

As she came closer to the tree, she observed one Olivia Hurst. What was she clutching in her hands? Kay stopped a little distance from the Willow to observe. The Ravenclaw girl seemed to be on a mission. Of course, the woman could always be wrong but she would soon find out.

Ari wasn't the type to cry. No, not at all. She's usually very capable of keeping herself together, but today wasn't the case. She felt like a failure, for failing to protect Pudgeface. Her first task as a "grown up" had resulted in formerly-stray elderly cat getting eaten by the stupidest tree ever in existence! The more she thought about it, the more Ari believed the incident wasn't her fault. No, it was the stupid tree's fault! Something as dangerous as the Whomping Willow shouldn't possibly be allowed on school grounds! She quickly wiping away the few tears remaining on her.

"Crying" Ari pretended nothing happened after wiping away her evidence. "I'm not crying! Do you see any tears on my face?" Ari pointed to her evidently red face. "Eh?! DO YA?!" Hmph!

"Well, there's no point in wasting time." Ari decided there was no other way. "We're going to have to save Pudgeface before he gets digested by the devil tree."

Reese watched as she hastily wiped the Obviously were there before ya wiped 'em away tears.. But he understood the whole Not wanting to look weak bit too.. So, of course this little baby badger boy pretended he didn't see her puffy eyes and red splotched face... Crap!.. He was becoming ONE OF THEM!

Ya mean to tell me ya never heard about how and why the tree was planted here to begin with?!, he asked incredulously.. "And anyway... The Whompin' Willow didn't EAT yur cat. Now, I don't mind goin' with ya to get yur mean ole cat, but that tree will sooner smoosh us than let us go in that hole the cat squirmed through.. "

Olivia moved her eyes from her left and then to her right, no one was around. Smiling to herself, she tried throwing the first stone towards the tree, but to no avail. The stone only came halfway through. A small distance from the tree, and a huge distance towards the moving part of the beating tree.

She moved a couple of feet closer and threw another stone. She still has 3 more to shoot at the right spot. Still ineffective.

As she moved a little closer, the roots was still a few good feet away from her. But she did not notice that she was already right below the Whomping Willow's branches.

......Ari frowned. "Wait wait... tell me why the tree was planted?!" So... Reese was saying that the tree didn't eat her cat? Was he implying that the tree isn't capable of eating cats, or rather, any type of flesh-bearing form of life? So there is... hope for ugly Pudgeface after all?

But Reese still said... he wouldn't mind going with her to find Pudgeface? Ari cracked open a smile. "Oh! You'll go with me?!" Of course, she was going to dragged him with her whether he agreed to it or not, but it was nice to see that he was on board, despite how unwilling he seemed. "YOU'RE THE BEST!" Ari spread out her arms wide and wrapped them around the Hufflepuff boy and squeezed him in an unpleasantly tight hug.

Reese stared at her and just blinked for a moment.. He seriously thought everyone knew the story about the Storied tree on the grounds of the BEST wizarding school on earth.. " You should look up a bloke most of us grew up hearin' storied about, Ari.. There's lots to learn about him.. Serius Black.. He was a pretty big deal back in his time.. ", he answered vaguely.

No the tree wasn't even remotely capable of eating anything... Just smashing it into a puddle of whatever or whomever got too close to it without knowing how to get past the limbs that would sweep them off their feet at the first misstep.

" Before we go near it... OOF!"... She was hugging him... She was hugging him and he could barely breathe... " Umm.. Can ya let me go please?... It's rather hard the breathe.. Ari... We gotta figure out how to NOT be bludgeoned to death by the tree.."

Sirius Black? Of course Ari knew about Sirius Black. He was that big black dog, right? "Yes, of course I've heard of him, I'm not stupid." Ari had to refrain herself from rolling her eyes at him. She may not be in Ravenclaw, but she believes she is well-aware of very obvious matters in history. But Ari still couldn't figure out what the Whomping Willow had to do with anything.

"Oh, hehe, sorry about that." Ari let go with a little laugh, not realizing how strong her clasp was. She was glad to have someone around for her first exciting self-led adventure! They might not come out in one piece, but that's what makes it fun, eh?!

Now back to brainstorming. What could they possibly do to get through the devil's arms? "Do you know any spells that might stop it?" Ari suggested hopefully.

SPOILER!!: Oli! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by WitchLight27

Olivia moved her eyes from her left and then to her right, no one was around. Smiling to herself, she tried throwing the first stone towards the tree, but to no avail. The stone only came halfway through. A small distance from the tree, and a huge distance towards the moving part of the beating tree.

She moved a couple of feet closer and threw another stone. She still has 3 more to shoot at the right spot. Still ineffective.

As she moved a little closer, the roots was still a few good feet away from her. But she did not notice that she was already right below the Whomping Willow's branches.

Kay's instincts had been correct when it came to Olivia being up to no good. The girl was actually pelting at the Willow! How inconsiderate and rude! Aside from that, she was dangerously close to the said tree. "Ms. Hurst! You're much too close to the Willow,'' she shouted sharply. The last thing they all needed was someone getting battered.

Also, when Olivia was at a safe distance, Kay was going to teach her a little lesson by deducting points for such foolish behaviour as well as pelting the tree. She waited somewhat impatiently to see if Olivia would heed her or she had to resort to other means to catch her attention.

Olivia was set to throw the next of her collected stones to the tree when she heard a rather familiar and authoritative voice. She was caught! She turned to look at the sound and saw Professor Stewart standing a few feet away from her.

Olivia made her way towards the Professor, leaving her stones behind her. When she was right in front of her, she greeted the Professor just like how she would greet her in class. "Hello Professor. You're calling for me?" pointing her finger at herself. She looked around but no one else was here. Most likely, it was her the Professor was calling for. Clearly, she hadn't heard anything.

Caleb reaches the infamous Whomping Willow. He stands inches away because he doesn't want to be squished... or at least that's what he has read. Caleb stares at the huge tree and smiles.

Wouldn't it be great if they made an adventurous ride for this?

Caleb would definitely line up for that. But he knows very well that that is not going to happen. He took his book out and sat on the green grass. He skips through the pages. Books are boring, especially those with super tiny fonts.

He places the book next to him and decides to just stare at the tree. Now that is not boring.

If only it can speak. Whoah.