Image Credit: Felixir

Accessible from the castle via the Clock Tower, the courtyard is both a throughway, leading to the wooden bridge which spans the nearby ravine, and a popular area of the grounds in its own right.

Many students spend their free time here outside of classes, particularly during break or lunch. Between lessons, this area is usually crowded with students catching up with their friends, getting in a round of gobstones, or lingering under the pear tree while they wait to head to their next class. A covered cloister surrounds the paved courtyard, and stone benches are spaced throughout the covered area, as well as dotted around the courtyard itself. Much of the architecture is in the gothic style, from the arches to the gargoyle parapets.

In the middle of the courtyard is an ancient fountain flanked by stone eagle sculptures, their features somewhat worn away by the elements over the years. Feel free to make a wish and toss a coin into the fountain, but be aware that once it's gone, it's gone. Any attempts to retrieve it will be unsuccessful, as the coin will keep magically sinking out of reach. Do not try to jump into the fountain; staff will take pains to rescue you, but they're unlikely to be very impressed.

An addition to the courtyard as of 2104 is a bronze plaque, hanging on a restored pillar, its cracks and missing pieces clearly visible to those who take a good look. Both the pillar and its commemorative feature have now been charmed to prevent theft. The plaque reads:

Since it was a remarkably nice day out, Ary opted to head out to the Courtyard. It would only be the first place he lingered before he moved on to other places. Perhaps he’d make his way to Aunty Hady’s hut; the woman did say that he was always welcomed there. But for now, he perched himself on one of the benches in the Yard, dwelling in his own thoughts. Thoughts which had been quite loud in his head as of recents; thoughts which he was not yet ready to divulge to anyone, especially Bryony.

Hoping that he’d meet one of his friends, Ary settled himself comfortably. It did not escape his notice that he could no longer swing his feet without touching the ground, something which he had been able to do as a first year. That alone was clear testament to his slight growth spurt over the summer.

Eliza had no clue what to do with her time. She barely knew anyone here (as in maybe two people she'd acquainted herself with at the feast and on the train), she didn't even know her way around, and there were currently zero classes to attend. The awkwardness of the situation made her wish once again that her grandmother was still a professor here. She'd never admit to that, though. Almost everyone in her family would probably roll their eyes at her and tell her she was being too soft.

She had, however, grabbed a copy of a quidditch magazine off the table in the common room. Quidditch ran deep in her family, and she'd probably try out for the team as soon as she could. Finding a place to sit down and look through the magazine seemed like the best idea she had at the moment, and so she headed toward the direction of the courtyard. She at least had enough sense to assume there were places to sit there.

Only some boy, aka Ary from the feast, was already there. She wasn't the kind to go bouncing over with a smile, but turning around and walking off would be just as awkward at this point. "Hey," she blurted out. "Ary, right?" She'd heard someone call him that at the feast. It was no longer day one of her time at the school, but she still didn't really know anybody.

SPOILER!!: Eliza! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

Eliza had no clue what to do with her time. She barely knew anyone here (as in maybe two people she'd acquainted herself with at the feast and on the train), she didn't even know her way around, and there were currently zero classes to attend. The awkwardness of the situation made her wish once again that her grandmother was still a professor here. She'd never admit to that, though. Almost everyone in her family would probably roll their eyes at her and tell her she was being too soft.

She had, however, grabbed a copy of a quidditch magazine off the table in the common room. Quidditch ran deep in her family, and she'd probably try out for the team as soon as she could. Finding a place to sit down and look through the magazine seemed like the best idea she had at the moment, and so she headed toward the direction of the courtyard. She at least had enough sense to assume there were places to sit there.

Only some boy, aka Ary from the feast, was already there. She wasn't the kind to go bouncing over with a smile, but turning around and walking off would be just as awkward at this point. "Hey," she blurted out. "Ary, right?" She'd heard someone call him that at the feast. It was no longer day one of her time at the school, but she still didn't really know anybody.

Ary might have been deep in his thoughts so he completely missed the newbie Slytherin girl had made her way out to the Courtyard. In any case, if he had, he most likely would not have said anything to her; not because he didn’t like her vibe but because he still wasn’t much of a talker except with those he was fully comfortable with. Would that ever change? Only time will tell.

Now jerked back to reality, his eyes met his Housemate. They narrowed slightly, his mind already trying to calculate just how long he’d be able to tolerate her. “Aryan,’’ the second year corrected smoothly, his eyes un-narrowing now. ‘Ary’ was reserved for friends and family. He glanced at the magazine in her hand. She had an interest in Quidditch, perhaps? “Sit. Read your magazine, Eliza.” Yes, he remembered her name, as he did with many other new Slytherins. Ary waited to see if she would take up his offer, and as he did, he fished into his pocket to retrieve a small packet of his favourite Muggle treat - Sour Patch Kids.

Aryan? No way. She'd definitely heard people calling him Ary over and over again. But whatever. It didn't matter to Eliza one bit unless there was some reason she needed to become closer friends with him. So she simply nodded at his correction. As a matter of fact, she'd probably be on her way soon anyway, mainly due to the fact that she wasn't one to sit around and have idle chit chat for no reason whatsoever. Also, he sounded kind of demanding.

She'd actually forgotten she had a magazine in her hands. "Well, thank you for your permission, ARYAN," she said quietly to herself inside the solitude of her mind. She did take him up on his offer, but she sat on the opposite side of the bench and cracked open her magazine. This was kind of awkward now. It was that moment when you didn't know if it was okay to stay quiet, but you didn't want to launch into conversation either.

SIGH.

"Uhh, thanks," she decided to say. Then she squirmed herself into comfortableness before adding, "I'm uhh...not much of a talker." She was talking now, but that was because she had stuff to say. Anyway...back to her magazine.

SPOILER!!: Eliza! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

Aryan? No way. She'd definitely heard people calling him Ary over and over again. But whatever. It didn't matter to Eliza one bit unless there was some reason she needed to become closer friends with him. So she simply nodded at his correction. As a matter of fact, she'd probably be on her way soon anyway, mainly due to the fact that she wasn't one to sit around and have idle chit chat for no reason whatsoever. Also, he sounded kind of demanding.

She'd actually forgotten she had a magazine in her hands. "Well, thank you for your permission, ARYAN," she said quietly to herself inside the solitude of her mind. She did take him up on his offer, but she sat on the opposite side of the bench and cracked open her magazine. This was kind of awkward now. It was that moment when you didn't know if it was okay to stay quiet, but you didn't want to launch into conversation either.

SIGH.

"Uhh, thanks," she decided to say. Then she squirmed herself into comfortableness before adding, "I'm uhh...not much of a talker." She was talking now, but that was because she had stuff to say. Anyway...back to her magazine.

That was something they could agree on.

Making small talk was exhausting, and Ary hated talking too much. Which was why he was more of a guy of action. His habit of saying less seemed to double whenever he was around someone he did not click with. That someone might find it quite off putting but it didn’t bother Ary; if he could not have comfortable silence with a person then… well, it was their loss that he wouldn’t want them around.

Ary would have laughed if Eliza had said that out aloud. He wasn’t giving her permission; he was simply being nice. Having her as a distraction to his thoughts was something he welcomed quite warmly. A small smirk played on his lips because… how did she know it made him extremely happy that she sat far away from him? Way to score a point in his book, Eliza.

That smirk turned into a slight smile. “Same.” Excuse him while he turned his attention back to his Sour Patch Kids. Never mind that Quidditch was also a big thing in his family; Eliza needn’t know that or that he could carry on a conversation entirely on the topic.

If Eliza could read Ary's thoughts, she'd be a hundred percent grateful for what he was thinking and how he felt. It could definitely be exhausting to be around somebody who was overly talkative, excited, or loud. Or all three at the same time, Merlin forbid. Eliza was the kind of girl who needed a purpose for most things in life. If she didn't see a reason for it, it made no sense to her.

She kind of raised her eyebrows in reply to his one-word answer. Very well played, ARYAN. Very well played. She wondered if she should sarcastically suggest he call her Eliza Ariadne Bellerose? Nah, too much of a mouthful...and an annoyance. Seeing as he busied himself with some candy he was eating, she turned a page in her magazine. "They have much quidditch here?" she asked, deciding to toss in a word or two every now and then.

Her grandparents had played on the house team when they were in Slytherin, and her mom and aunt had also played. Of course Eliza planned to play, too. She was going to be a BEATER, just like her Aunt Sierra and her grandmother!

SPOILER!!: Eliza! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

If Eliza could read Ary's thoughts, she'd be a hundred percent grateful for what he was thinking and how he felt. It could definitely be exhausting to be around somebody who was overly talkative, excited, or loud. Or all three at the same time, Merlin forbid. Eliza was the kind of girl who needed a purpose for most things in life. If she didn't see a reason for it, it made no sense to her.

She kind of raised her eyebrows in reply to his one-word answer. Very well played, ARYAN. Very well played. She wondered if she should sarcastically suggest he call her Eliza Ariadne Bellerose? Nah, too much of a mouthful...and an annoyance. Seeing as he busied himself with some candy he was eating, she turned a page in her magazine. "They have much quidditch here?" she asked, deciding to toss in a word or two every now and then.

Her grandparents had played on the house team when they were in Slytherin, and her mom and aunt had also played. Of course Eliza planned to play, too. She was going to be a BEATER, just like her Aunt Sierra and her grandmother!

Ary would wonder if Eliza could be considered an extrovert. Maybe that would explain why she didn’t seem to like others that much? And perhaps why she found the extroverts draining. There was nothing wrong with being an introvert, of course, but Ary did n’t see himself as one. He just preferred to speak less; and the exceptions to the persons who drained him were his two best friends {yes, they were both ridiculously loud and talkative most of the time}.

Oh gosh. Had he been asked that, Aryan would have laughed so much. In the end, he most certainly would not have called Eliza by her full name. This would have been mainly for the laughs at watching her get annoyed at him. He had only just popped another Kid into his mouth when the question was posed to him.

She speaks! Oh, the joy {not really}.

“Uh huh. You any good at it?” Quidditch might not be his thing {sports in general was not, than you very much} but Ary wanted to know if Eliza had all the dreams of becoming a Quidditch star.