She perhaps should have supposed that Hogwarts would have had battlements with the school being a castle...

It was one thing to hear about it or see this location in a Muggle documentary but to physically stand and be there was different. She could take in the whole view simply by looking down at the Hogwarts grounds before. It was a magnificent sight to behold. Lisa could see how the grounds weaved around the Black Lake stretching to the horizon. Her eyes wandered back towards the castle, causing her stomach to flip flop when she realized just how far up she was.

She got on her tippy toes so that she could rest her arms on the ledge to better secure herself.

“Wooow...” she breathed out, feeling even more tiny as she took the whole site in. She looked around her, thinking that she was alone, and smirked before crying out to the wind.

“I’M THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD!”

Hehe. Okay that was just really fun to say.

With all that happened last term.. Dahlia hadn't explored the entirety of the castle as she had planned. So she made it a point to work in some time between the tons of things already scheduled into her book. If it was in the book, it was going to happen.

This was how how she ended up making her way up the tight spiral staircase up to the battlements. The name alone sort of made her stomach hurt and it brought with it a rush of feelings and memories she didn't want to think about. But maybe, she needed to. Maybe she would be alone up here. She could sit and lose herself to everything for a bit without the fear of anyone seeing her.

As she reached the top step, she heard it. 'I'm the queen of the world!'. Dahlia let out a deep sigh, immediately contemplating turning around and walking right back down all those steps. She wouldn't be alone after all. Wrinkling her nose she made her way out into the open, to see who else was there. "Hi?"

Lisa was not completely alone. Cheeks flushed bright red for a moment before she turned around to the voice that called out. Oh Merlin.... if it was V would she think that Lisa was being weird?! Oh no, no, no. She couldn’t have V thinking that just yet after having escaped judgement by the arcade only a few days ago. “Hi!” she called out, schooling her features and taking a deep breath to calm the flushed cheeks.

She took a few steps away from the ledge where she had been standing to see that she knew the person that had called out. It was Lia. THANK MERLIN IT WAS HER AND NOT SOMEONE WHO WOULD THINK SHE WAS WEIRD. Well then again... maybe Lia thought that she’s as being weird buuuuut this was just Lisa being Lisa.

She took a chance, going back fully into play acting. “Lady Lia! Welcome to my humble court,” she beamed, pretending that both of them were in a beautiful Renaissance court dressed as important ladies. “I’m afraid I don’t have seats for us to take tea but we can chat. What brings you up here... to my kingdom...?”

Lia was met with someone greeting her back before she had fully made her way completely out into the open. The voice was much more calm now and though it was only one very short word, she was able to identify the person. Lisa. A beam of sunshine much like her former self before last term.

Hearing the slightly younger girl welcoming her to her 'humble court' reminded her of home. It reminded her of herself, how easily she used to fall into having a good time and not caring about anything else. How her and her siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews could pretend play for hours and hours. Not so much as they all got older (well okay, she still did) and so did they younger ones. It made her smile a bit. She could do this for a little while, right?

"Lady Lisa! I'm so glad I have found you!" Yes, she was going to make it seem like she had been searching for her everywhere! "Oh, that's quite alright, perhaps another time we can have a full on picnic." They could pack a picnic basket and everything. "I have come such a long long way to ask you something extremely important.."

Now if only she could think of something 'extremely important to ask her!

Lisa was VERY pleased when Lia referred to her ‘Lady Lisa’. Tickled her pink, in fact. She beamed almost immediately before schooling her features to be more like a noble. Nobles were never surprised or at least never acted surprised in the television shows she had watched with Maya and Eomma. “You are?” she asked quietly, wondering what important business Lia must have had at this precise moment. She pulled out a piece of paper and pretended to use it like a fan.

The mention of the picnic brought another smile. “Please do,” she remarked, almost slipping out of play-mode and relaxing her posture to be more fluid and less rigid. “Picnic and all with the little sandwiches, cake, and tea?” Sounded divine.

Ah. An important question. Of course, she had one. She crumpled the fan up to symbolize her closing her fan. And somehow she did it with a straight face.. “I am hardly surprised ... people often come here for my wisdom from time to time. What ails you dearest friend?”

Dahlia did manage to catch that bright smile of Lisa's and it made her really glad that she had decided to go along with this game. They were still young AND they were inside a castle, so why not try to have a little bit of fun? "Why, of course!" Dahlia gave a tiny incline of her head and a soft smile indicating that she indeed was glad to have found her. Seeing the younger girl pull out a bit of parchment to use as a fan was really funny and very well played in the moment but she did her best to not giggle, only cracking a tiny smile.

"Oh, yes. There is no other way to have a picnic. Shall we invite some other guests as well?" Make it a little tea/picnic party up here for them and a some of their friends? It sounded like a great idea to her.

The crumpling of the 'fan' did get the smallest of giggles from her now before she resumed a straight face as well. Lia nodded as Lisa spoke to show that this was why she had come ALLLLLLLL this way to speak with her. "Well you see.." she paused, glanced around as if making sure that they were completely alone and no one could be listening. Then stepping closer she lowered her voice as if it were top secret, "There was no one I could think of to come to since I know how much you enjoy this and how it's likely we can fit into the same spots. Have you found all of the best hiding spots around here yet?" In case she ever felt like a good ole' game of hide and seek.

Lisa was LIVING for this imaginary, play pretend game. She honestly needed to spice things up and just have fun. Merlin. She missed being at home playing dress up and convincing her cousins that she was the great warrior-princess-hero-Jedi knigh-space-pirate come to save the world.

Imagination was a beautiful thing.

At the suggestion of inviting other guests, Lisa fanned herself a little more. “More guests?” she dramatically repeated with fan waving as such. Large, swooping motions. “Who do you have in mind?” She was all ears. Well she’d invite anyone up to their little tea party but who was worthy enough to participate, yes? They had to have the right criteria and standards after all. Not everyone got a seat at the table...

When Lia giggled, Lisa couldn’t fight back a giggle either. Giggling was, hands down, infectious and it was terribly difficult to avoid catching. Lisa was sure of it. She placed both hands on her hip with one fist balled and one wrapped around the paper fan prop as she waited for Lia to break the news to her.

Her eyebrows raised when Lia stepped forward which made Lisa quickly cast her eyes left and right before making eye contact with the older year. Why the whispers? And the secrecy...? Were they being watched and had they just gone from noble ladies of said castle to rebellious spies plotting?

She had to hold a straight face when Lia made reference that the important task was finding great hiding spots. Well it WAS an important task indeed. The young Ravenclaw schooled her features pretending to be a little grave in her response. “It is a... an important responsibility surely and one that I do not take lightly... The matter of finding the best hiding spots is quite near and dear to my heart and height... I have created a map but have not identified good hiding places.... What would you recommend? I look to your wisdom, Lady Lia.”

Dahlia thought this little game of theirs was great. Even if it only lasted for a couple of minutes she was going to put her all into it. She had to admit that she really missed this.. just being able to be a kid. Having some fun without any worries.

Lisa was curious about the guest list right now? Erm...

"Well my siblings and cousins of course, Tadhg , Quinn," Lia began to list names automatically. She wasn't really sure if her siblings and cousins would even come but she would ask them. Those were just the first ones that came to mind.

Oh, dear. A fit of the giggles was infectious and it was always hard for Dahlia to stop once she had started but luckily today she was able to control them for the most part. Indeed. This secret was meant only for their ears and their ears alone. If anyone else heard.. well that could ruin all of the best hiding spots.

G A S P !!!

Yes, Lia gasped just then when she heard that Lisa had not found one single hiding spot as of yet. Well in all honesty she couldn't quite hold it against the younger girl, it had only been a few weeks since they had got her. "A map is very important," Lia nodded firmly. She had one herself. "Well that all depends on if the game has any boundaries." If the entire castle and its grounds was open for hiding.. well they could have some real fun.

Lisa nodded at the mention of siblings and cousins. Okay! And mine too. Who’s Tadhg and Quinn?” she asked curiously. She assumed friends but maybe they weren’t? Maybe they were names of Lia’s pets but they did sound like more people! “Are they your best friends?”

Lia’s gap was an appropriate reaction. Very appropriate and one that Lisa HIGHLY appreciated. She did blush a little because she was embarrassed that she hadn’t found anywhere practical to hide yet. She had spent most of her free moments chasing.

“Boundaries? Am I sensing a game that spans the whole of the castle and the grounds? This sounds epic,” she beamed. Lisa had LOOOOOADS OF IDEAS NOW. She began bouncing. “Hide and seek, freeze tag, aaand ghosts in the graveyard! Let’s do it all. Do you think we can talk to Schmoe about it?”

"Of course!" This sounded like it was going to be a big picnic, tea party. "Quinn is a second year Ravenclaw like me, he's really cool. He likes to bake too so maybe I can get him to help me bake something for us all." Now that would be really fun and they hadn't had the chance to do that last year like they had wanted to. "Tad.." Lia started a smile tugging at her lips as she said his name. "He's my bestie, has been since we met when we were like three. He's.. he-.. well he's Tadhg." Dahlia ended up laughing. Normally she was able to describe people but when it came to her best friend she couldn't anymore. That boy was complicated lately. "I'll probably bring Sir Frederik Puffington my familiar along too."

Lia giggled at Lisa's excitement nodding her head. She was thrilled with how quickly the younger Claw caught on to the unspoken idea. "That's what I was thinking," she nodded. "I'm glad you like that idea.. I think we can. He is our Head of House.. as long as we're careful and we don't break any rules or anything I think it would be okay?" Hopefully. If need be they can set some boundaries for purely safety reasons.

It was quiet up here, usually. Quiet was not necessarily a good thing - actually, most of their life, Nem had avoided it as much as possible - but it had its uses. Over the past couple of years, they had retreated to quiet spaces a lot more often, and the last few months even more so.

That November afternoon - cold and clear - found them on the battlements under the steadily darkening sky. Literally on the battlements; Nem sat perched atop one of the merlons, feet dangling down on the outer edge of the wall. They weren't looking out over the grounds but at the tiny metal structure in their hand, as it took on a new form, piece by piece.

Nem felt the cold keenly, though not as much as they might have. The extra layer, black scales, they wore under their uniform had the additional benefit of added warmth, but they were maybe too accustomed to it by now to really notice. Yet they still intended to sit out here until long after darkness fell, where they would have plenty of time to work on their project. And think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

It was quiet up here, usually. Quiet was not necessarily a good thing - actually, most of their life, Nem had avoided it as much as possible - but it had its uses. Over the past couple of years, they had retreated to quiet spaces a lot more often, and the last few months even more so.

That November afternoon - cold and clear - found them on the battlements under the steadily darkening sky. Literally on the battlements; Nem sat perched atop one of the merlons, feet dangling down on the outer edge of the wall. They weren't looking out over the grounds but at the tiny metal structure in their hand, as it took on a new form, piece by piece.

Nem felt the cold keenly, though not as much as they might have. The extra layer, black scales, they wore under their uniform had the additional benefit of added warmth, but they were maybe too accustomed to it by now to really notice. Yet they still intended to sit out here until long after darkness fell, where they would have plenty of time to work on their project. And think.

Atlas didn't usually find himself up in the battlements too often. He preferred to use the Astronomy Tower complete his homework. Today, however, he had headed there first only to find that the tower was already...uh...occupied. He had successfully slipped by unnoticed and right back out with a telescope while those older students carried on. He hoped they remembered to breathe.

Anyway.

Telescope tucked under his arm and bag hanging off his shoulder, Atlas walked across the battlements towards his back up stop with rosy red cheeks and his lower lip capture by his teeth. That pinkish hue only intensified when he saw...them sitting there. Maybe...he should go find somewhere else to do his homework. Or at least stop staring. Nemesis Upstead looked like they were deep in thought, focused, and Atlas probably should not interrupt that. Probably. His heart kicked it up a couple of notches and somehow his mouth and body did not get the memo that they were going to be leaving.

"H-H-HI!"

His voice could not have been any more squeaky if he had tried. Not at all mortifying. Not at all.

Lisa liked getting intel on people’s friends. Aaand she liked people who liked baking because that meant that there was a possibility that either (a) they could teach her how to bake or (b) more importantly... make her food! She raised her eyebrow curiously at how Lia distinguished between her two friends. Quinn was a Ravenclaw friend and Tahdg was a Tahdg...? She was so lost in that moment before she recalled a conversation with Ash about boyfriends and special friends. “Is Tahdg a ‘special friend’ or just a friend friend?” Lisa would wager special friend.

Now Sir Frederick Puffington was indeed a FIIIINE name. “Please do! I miss dear Puffington though I’ve never met him,” she said with a deadpan facial expression, mimicking Evan’s mannerisms momentarily. What in the name of Hufflepuff was a Puffington? She assumed a pet. “Is he your lizard?” She’d have to bring Pascal as her plus one.

“See? I’m a Jedi!” she proudly proclaimed. “We have tricks of the mind and mind tricks.” Next she’d have to see if the ‘these aren’t the droids you are looking for line worked’. Heh. “Okay. Do you think he’d play?”

Dahlia in all her silly fumbling glory blinked at Lisa. "Huh?" What was this girl talking about? 'Special friend' or 'friend friend'? "He's my best friend? Like I said before. He's a second year and in Slytherin," she shrugged a little trying to play it completely cool now. Nope, her cheeks were most certainly not pink at all right now. "He's a lot like me.. probably why we get along so well."

"Oh, you'll LOVE him once you have! Everyone always does," she had gotten many compliments about him through the years. "Lizard?," Lia giggled, shaking her head. "Nah-uh, Sir Frederik is my pygmy puff." The greatest one ever!

She grinned, nodding quickly. "Well, of course you are! If you're a Jedi.. what should I be?" She wanted to be something cool too! "Hmm, I'm not sure but it would be nice of us to ask him to join us for a game or two."

It would have been difficult not to notice that someone else had been climbing up to the battlements, and Nem was largely unconcerned by this. It seemed more than likely that whoever it was would see them here and move on, or maybe try to push them off the battlements, depending on who it was. They supposed they'd find out.

Nem was unsurprised, then, when someone spoke up, but that dulcet squeak was not something they'd expected. Perhaps they should have, in a castle rank with hormones. They turned to look at the speaker, and the metal pieces in their palm stilled.

"Hello." Flamsteed Clone. Nem's eyes roved over him - schoolbag, telescope case, general demeanour, flushed face... the latter, plus the squeak, and they thought they knew which one this might be. Making no sign that they'd noticed anything untoward about his greeting, Nem flashed the Flamsteed Clone a small smile. "... Atlas?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

It would have been difficult not to notice that someone else had been climbing up to the battlements, and Nem was largely unconcerned by this. It seemed more than likely that whoever it was would see them here and move on, or maybe try to push them off the battlements, depending on who it was. They supposed they'd find out.

Nem was unsurprised, then, when someone spoke up, but that dulcet squeak was not something they'd expected. Perhaps they should have, in a castle rank with hormones. They turned to look at the speaker, and the metal pieces in their palm stilled.

"Hello." Flamsteed Clone. Nem's eyes roved over him - schoolbag, telescope case, general demeanour, flushed face... the latter, plus the squeak, and they thought they knew which one this might be. Making no sign that they'd noticed anything untoward about his greeting, Nem flashed the Flamsteed Clone a small smile. "... Atlas?"

Atlas could die.

Nem's eyes were like what he imagined a basilisk's were. Not in any sort of bloodthirsty way and like he felt his life was threatened (which, well, maybe not a basilisk's at all or even Medusa's), but in that it was piercing and there was a scorching effect of being SEEN while also feeling like they could just see straight on through the second year. Which, well, Atlas felt like was the case most of the time and that the Gryffindor was no where on the Slytherin's mind map. But then his name was uttered and for a brief moment he was pretty sure his spirit had left his body.

Nemesis Upstead knew his name. Knew who he was. AND could tell him apart from Aries.

His heart thumped rapidly and then he felt nauseous that his heart was thumping like that and for the fact that his face suddenly felt hotter. What did he even SAY in response to that? 'Yup, that's me?' 'You got it!' and literally everything else that came to mind sounded embarrassing in his head. His bright blues tore themselves away from Nem's face (before he was petrified by indecision) and took note of the...something or others in their hand. "What are those?" he blurted out while also pointing with his hand not occupied by the telescope.

Lia’s antics made Lisa think that the best friend was also a special friend. She would have wiggled her eyebrows but the pinkness from the other girl confirmed the hypothesis. “Thats nice!! It’s nice to have a friend or special friend that’s so much like you,” she grinned. Did she have a friend that was very similar to her? Hmm? She wasn’t sure. Her friends all liked FUN!

She HADNT expected Puffington to be a Pygmy Puff but now she felt kinda silly that she hadn’t assumed that. Lisa was a fan of lizards so she was hopeful the other girl would be too. “Pygmy puffs are fun!” she beamed excitedly. And she couldn’t wait to meet him.

She paused, biting her lip. What would Lia be if she was a Jedi? “Uhh whatever you want to be. A galactic princess, a fearless captain, a superhero?” Lisa was spitballing ideas over here, throwing it at the wall to see what would stick. She nodded in agreement. She also thought it was nice to invite Schmoe.

“Whats he like?” She had heard Atlas’ perspective and her and Daniel had their ‘bet’ but she wondered what other students thought.

Dahlia sorta wanted to ask Lisa what she was talking about but she didn't really want to go and draw even more attention to herself. So she decided to do the very next best thing, avoid it. Because everyone knew that avoidance was always the answer to every problem, right? Wrong. So very completely wrong and she knew that. It was worth a true for the sake of not embarrassing herself any further right now. "Mhmm. We've pretty much known each other forever." Since they were three, which was basically forever.

"The funniest! Sir Frederik is great. I know you'll really like him." Obviously Lisa was going to adore him because everyone that met him did.

Lia liked how Lisa also got really into everything! How so focused she became on the task at hand no matter how small it might be. "Ohhh! Those are all good! I'm going to have to think about that and I'll get back to you on it.." Can't go choosing something so important all willie nillie now, could she?

Hmm. The second year shifted a little, chewing the inside of her cheek in thought. She wanted to use the right words here. "Professor Schmoe's great." Sure he stammered sometimes and he could be clumsy, he didn't always seem sure of himself but what did any of that matter? He had gone through a lot last term like so many of them and he had been there for them all like so many of them. "He went through a lot last term.. and he was there for all of us still and he came back because he cares." Lia wasn't sure exactly what Lisa wanted to know but she liked Schmoe and wouldn't be saying anything bad about him.

Nem was patient, in a sense. Right now that was true, as they waited for the Flamsteed Clone's response. It wasn't a particularly long wait, though longer than one might usually expect when asking for confirmation of a name. But the kid's face, his pause, his demeanour, those were all confirmation enough.

And... the pointing. Yes. Atlas was the one who got all pink in the face around them, and he was the pointer.

Nem looked down into their hand, plucked out one solitary piece from the small structure - currently looking distinctly Parthenon-like - and handed it over for the Flamsteed Clone to look at up close, turning in one smooth motion atop the merlon so they were sat properly facing him instead, back to the grounds. "Metal matchsticks. They're enchanted; they form shapes and structures in my hand when I'm holding them."

SPOILER!!: mmmm Google Maps

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Nem was patient, in a sense. Right now that was true, as they waited for the Flamsteed Clone's response. It wasn't a particularly long wait, though longer than one might usually expect when asking for confirmation of a name. But the kid's face, his pause, his demeanour, those were all confirmation enough.

And... the pointing. Yes. Atlas was the one who got all pink in the face around them, and he was the pointer.

Nem looked down into their hand, plucked out one solitary piece from the small structure - currently looking distinctly Parthenon-like - and handed it over for the Flamsteed Clone to look at up close, turning in one smooth motion atop the merlon so they were sat properly facing him instead, back to the grounds. "Metal matchsticks. They're enchanted; they form shapes and structures in my hand when I'm holding them."

So...the blush and general flustered nature was obvious?

Atlas forever found himself confused and not in the same way that you discovered that there was both pink watermelon and golden watermelon. Or like finding out that a pickle was actually a cucumber. Sometimes Nemesis Upstead felt more like...eating a spoonful of Tabasco sauce and it being painful and uncomfortable and you swore you would never do it again...but then you kind of like the sensations because they were new and almost exclusive to that spoonful. And you didn't mind the taste so much either.

...was it also obvious that the Gryffindor may be a little hungry?

Now that the second year was done being starstruck over being shocked that the older Slytherin knew his name (and not know if it was good or bad that Nemesis knew who he was)....Atlas had his attention fixated on the little metal matchsticks. "OH! Like magnetic building sticks! Dad got me a set of those for my birthday when I was five. I made all kinds of things with them. Shapes first...but I branched out quickly once I understood geometric shapes better and how to break down all forms into their most basic shapes to do that. I still got mine in my trunk here at Hogwarts too. Always used my sets to kind of make blueprints for my robotics competitions too. See how shapes fit together before doing the real hard construction." He was rambling and talking too much...and obviously those were not JUST like magnetic building sticks because, well, he just assumed they were not. "Except...I don't think yours are magnetic..." He paused again, biting his lip and shuffling his fit a bit. "If...you can do it just in your hand..." Which he was assuming. "...are you commanding them nonverbally AND wandlessly?"

That sounded so so nice. Maybe one day she’d have a close friend like that too? She beamed at Lia’s encouraging words around her really liking Sir Frederick! The more Lia talked about it, the more excited Lisa was to meet the guy. Err... Puff to be exact! Yeah!

She offered Lia a warm smile. “Okay!” She was more than okay with Lia taking her time to decide on this one. This was a HUGE and FUN! decision. Super duper important and Lisa would support whichever option Lia went with. “It’s a big decision but I think you can change what you want to be dependent on how you feel too!” Too young to limit themselves, yeah?

Lisa wanted to do and be everything that she possibly could be.

Ah so Lia had a favorable opinion on Professor Schmoe too? Ah good, good. This was another data point to add to her data collection. Her and Daniel had thought Schmoe’s outfit choice rather bizarre and wondered what he possibly could have been teaching at Hogwarts to dress like that. OBVIOUSLY the two first years didn’t understand fashion.

She felt like she could trust Lia. “Thats good... He sounds nice. I couldn’t get a read on him earlier.... He seems really nice but I think his outfit at the start of term feast threw me through a loop,” she said honestly.

In Lia's eyes it was great. Having a bestie that she had grown up with through the years meant she had another person in her life that knew her better than she probably knew herself. As for her Pygmy Puff, she couldn't wait for everyone at the tea party to meet him.

She nodded. "That's true and knowing me I probably will change my mind a million times." Cause it was fun to do that when pretending. "I'll come up with something though, so don't worry."

Lia smiled brightly at Lisa, nodding her head right away. "He's very nice." Huh? Oh. Ooooh! Well, yeah. Sometimes some of the professors clothing choices could be a bit out there but who was she to judge? "Mm' that.. sometimes the professors do that but.. shouldn't how we dress be a form of how we can express ourselves? A form of our own individuality?" There wasn't much she could do to her school uniform but she did like to do her hair sometimes and she liked glitter, bracelets, rings and other accessories whenever she could.

Lisa bounced. She couldn’t WAIT to see what Lia came up with and she COMPLETELY understood if she needed to change her mind. “Maybe you’re just trying different careers to determine which one fits right! Maybe you are every single person. Warrior Princess, Jedi Knight, and more! All rolled into one person!” Big excited smile now. Pretending was so much fun. Imagination was infectious and amazing.

Schmoe seemed nice, yes. Seeming and being nice were two different things. Lia’s question was indeed thought provoking and gave her pause. Well.... She wasn’t wrong but Lisa didn’t say she wanted her to be right either. “I suppose but it is the start of the term feast and we were all dressed in an expected uniform which lacks the need for creativity or individuality..... It was an interesting choice for sure. One promoting individuality... I respect it but it was so overt that it could be considered covert,” she explained as she thought through her hypothesis. She smirked. “It was ...memorable...”

Dahlia giggled. "Many different personalities all waiting for their turn to shine in the spotlight." This sounded AH-MA-ZING!!! Getting to be whoever she wanted to be without any limitations whatsoever was the very best thing about being able to use ones own imagination. All she had to do was let her own creativity flow. "I can whoever I want to be. Maybe I'll be an intergalactic warrior unicorn or something." Yup, totally making things up now but she was having fun doing it.

All Lia really could do was shrug. She didn't know what went through the professors heads or why they wore what they did. Honestly, she didn't really care. She wasn't the one wearing it, so why should it matter to her? Okay, maybe that was a little rude but she wasn't meaning to be. Opinions were just that. Opinions. Everyone liked to express themselves and if anything, Schmoe was a memorable man and a likable one. "Maybe that was his intention."