Closed Planning Ahead

The best thing about Hogwarts without question was being surrounded by friends, and Lucy had wasted no time getting together with her favourite girls this year. Over the years the four of them had made a little home in a hidden corner of the rose garden and here they were now, huddling around a piffling flicker of a fire Lucy had tried to start. The weather was warming up at last, but these unwelcome cool days still struck from time to time and Lucy was wrapped up tight in a soft pink jersey and thick pastel scarf covered in hearts, huddling around the meager flames she had managed to conjure on a tiny pile of twigs.

"So, do you guys have goals for this year?" She asked, eyes sparkling slightly with mischief. She'd had a few thoughts on her mind ever since Alice and Elliot's wedding, and... really well before, if she was honest. She was fourteen, and it was time to start setting proper goals, the kind of goals a teenager would have. "I'm gonna get a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. Or lots of both, I haven't really decided. I just want romance, you know?" She grinned, rubbing her hands together for warmth. Having a doomed crush last year was all well and good, but Lucy was ready for the real thing, she was sure.

Briony twirled a leaf in her fingers, idly running it under her nose to really get the full plant-y smell out of it. Sure, people always talked about stopping to smell the roses, but what about the rose bush leaves? When was it their turn?

She hummed thoughtfully when Lucy broached the question of goals, rubbing the leaf idly on her cheek. It all sounded very official and proper and Briony had no idea.

"I'd like to write more I guess, or maybe finish something I'm writing, does that count?" She asked, tucking the leaf somewhere behind her ear. It immediately fell into her braid somewhere but Briony paid it no mind. She'd find it later. "Wait, why a boyfriend. Or girlfriend? Do you have people in mind or?" Briony didn't mind the idea of romance in general, it was all part of her favourite books and stories, fight the monsters, save the city, get the girl or boy, it was fun. The idea of doing that in real life felt a bit more far-fetched still somehow.

Elise loved to spend time at the Rosebush by the lake. It was somber and beautiful all at the same time and was inspiring when she needed it to be. She was glad her friends liked it too and had become an almost sacred place for them to meet up regularly since Hazel was trapped in the dungeons without them. With Nyx on her shoulder she walked in a circle around where her friends sat, sprinkling pinches of salt she stole from the great hall. It wasn't a real protection spell but she had read about ancient witches doing something similar and she liked the ritual of it. Once she felt satisfied she sat down with her legs crossed next to Lucy as she mentioned goals for the year. Elise never really liked to set goals, instead preferred to see where life took her. But before she could answer she was caught off guard but Lucy's answer. "Interesting." she said slowly as she considered the prospect. She hadn't given much thought to dating since her head always seemed so full of other things there was never much room left for romance. She guessed she could see the appeal. But the sudden mention of it did have her wondering if there was any other reason behind it and she had to echo Briony's question. "Yeah, do you have your eyes on someone or someones?" she asked, making sure to add the plural options since Lucy had said 'lots of both'.

Hazel loved her friends, but she also spent most of her time being at least vaguely jealous of them. It sucked, having a friend group where everyone but you shared a dorm. The girls always invited Hazel along to hang out, but she still couldn't help but feel like the odd one out. Hazel sat cross legged, wondering vaguely if they would get in trouble for the fire. It was barely a fire though, so she doubted anyone would notice. Lucy asked them if they had goals for the year, and then told them about her own goals. Hazel was a little curious, but Elise and Briony asked questions first. Hazel tilted her head. "I think getting a boyfriend would be nice." She agreed. "Probably just a boyfriend for me, though, but who knows." She frowned a bit. "When you say lots of both, do you mean at once?"

Lucy's interest piqued at Briony's comment, elbowing her lightly. "Are you gonna let me read it?" She asked hopefully, blinking innocently. She was pleasantly surprised when her friends latched on to her dating life so much, shrugging with a coy smile. "Welllll, I met a pretty cute boy over the holidays. He's from America though, so he's not really an option anymore. Still though, it was good practice for all the people I'm gonna flirt with at Hogwarts." Lucy hadn't really locked her eyes on to anyone specific just yet, but she was ready for whenever that would change now. She wiggled her eyebrows at Hazel curiously. "Do you have your eyes on any boys then?"