Closed Crossroads

[Amory Raven]

Amory had had quite enough of being inside the castle, he wanted to see more and what better place to see more than the one place they were specifically warned to not go to. Seriously if they wanted to keep kids out of there they might need to consider putting chains around the forest. Not that it would stop them, but you know maybe it's the thought that counts, or well that's what he thought. The forest was quite dense and even though it wasn't late yet by any means, sunlight barely made it through the trees.

The boy made his way along the little paths that were barely there. Taking in the smell of the forest, the slightly wet mossy and earthy smell. It wasn't one that entirely pleased the boy, but he wouldn't complain either. Amory kicked some small rocks on the ground and huffed. "And here I thought it was forbidden, because it was dangerous. The biggest danger I have seen was a damned tree root." Mumbling and complaining to himself felt a little silly, but he was the one to blame for that. He hadn't made a move in any direction to even try and get familiar with other student. In his humble opinion thought he shouldn't be faulted for that, he was going through a big transition. However he knew he wasn't the only one in that boat and perhaps after all it was just of his own attitude that was stopping him from making many friends.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

Felix hadn't even realised he was in the forest in which all the students had been warned not to enter until he heard a voice calling it forbidden. All he'd thought about was how the trees on the outskirts of the lawn seemed the perfect place to spend some time by himself, away from the eyes of the other first year students and anyone else his sister might know. He looked up with glassy eyes as he heard another voice, panic immediately setting in as he thought he was about to get caught out, and in the forbidden forest of all things. Maybe it was for his own good that he had company here if he didn't even realise this is where he was.

The Gryffindor tried to look towards the source of the voice, assuming they were with another person if they'd been talking. As the blond's eyes fixed on a boy from his own year however, Felix couldn't see anyone else nearby. He sucked in a breath, hoping that the other student wouldn't see him or hear him, and would pass him without being none the wiser. Yes, that would be the best action, and then when the student left, Felix would get out of here before any other creatures found him instead.​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory was lost in his own head when he heard a sharp inhale from somewhere close. A thrill ran through his system as he thought he might see a creature, maybe he was going to discover why this place was forbidden after all. "Hello?" The boy called out, but only heard the echo of his own voice.

Taking a few steps towards the direction, from which he had heard the intake, he squinted his eyes as he turned around the tree. Finding a boy, his own age wearing red rimmed robes. That was the house with the lion, what was it again, Gruffendor? Griffihop? Ah Gryffindor, that was it he was sure of it. Amusement filled the first years features as he took in the student. "Well I suppose I wasn't the only one interested in the forbidden forest?" He had no idea how to open a conversation, though the boy seemed a bit miserable.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

Felix knew he'd been spotted when the other student called out, and the first year made a bid to stand up from his spot against the tree when the person with the voice started calling out for him. "Hi?" Felix replied after a moment, partly because he didn't want to be perceived as a threat, but also if this student thought he was a creature he didn't want him to run away from him either.

It was only when the brunette came into focus that Felix finally settled his eyes on the boy that had been wandering through the forests. He recognised him, but had no idea what his name was. As far as Felix could tell he was as quiet as he was himself. "I, didn't realise this was the forbidden forest," Felix replied truthfully, looking around his environment for a few seconds before continuing, "But, if it's forbidden, why are you here?" he asked, curious as to why the student had come out this far if he was aware he wasn't supposed to be here in the first place.​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory narrowed his eyes slightly at the boys confession. He was either way out of his head when wandering here or lying. They had been warned numerous times, so technically he should have known, right? His eyes soon relaxed and a smirk took over his features. "Oh that is precisely the reason I came here. Isn't it intriguing that it is forbidden? That it is supposedly so dangerous students should never enter here? I myself find that thought quite thrilling and well rules are always made to be broken." The Slytherin wasn't sure if he should pat himself on the back or start running. This was the most he had spoken since well, since he could remember. Not even back before he knew of his magical abilities in Dublin, had he been much of a talker.

"My name is Amory Raven." He said bluntly offering his hand for the other boy to shake, if he felt so inclined. Amory decided that this might as well be the moment he broke the ice with at least one person. Whether they became friends or not, didn't matter. At least he could say he wasn't trying at all, though he had nobody to convince of such things anyways.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

The Gryffindor had half a mind to run away, not knowing whether this student was about to make his situation worse. Then again as he thought of Jonah, and the way his friend had run towards him for help, Felix debated whether this student needed help, too. Unforunately however, it sounded as though this first year was here because he wanted to be rather than that he was here by mistake, "I, guess so?" Felix didn't think it was intriguing, actually he wanted to leave if he was in the very place he was told not to go, "You can break rules without getting hurt in the process though," Felix mentioned, thinking that of all the rules to break, perhaps it was better not the break the one that was supposed to make their lives easier.

"I'm Felix, Felix Layton-King," he offered as he shook hands with Amory, wondering whether the student had another motive up his sleeve for talking to him. Felix shouldn't be here, it was dangerous and he didn't know what the other student was planning on doing now that he'd come across Felix, especially if he thought breaking rules was fun. "Were you looking for something in particular?" Felix asked, hoping that it would bridge the gap between Amory looking for trouble, and Felix being the result of that.​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory chuckled a little, the other boys nerves clearly showing through. "Nope, nothing in particular. Honestly just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I-, it's my first time around magic. I always lived amongst muggles, until that bird." Explaining this felt rather uncomfortable so Amory rubbed the back of his neck, trying to release any of the uncomfortable energy. It was true however, he just wanted to have a better grasp of, well everything. It was all new and weird.

"Though don't worry, if you do not wish to be included in my endeavors feel free to leave at any point. I am not out to harm you, or hold you hostage for that matter." He might enjoy being a menace and breaking rules, causing trouble. However Amory could see the discomfort on Felix's face and he saw a lot of himself in the boy. He did not feel inclined on adding to the boys discomfort. "If you do decide to stick around though, I would not be opposed to that either I guess." He added as a sort of a olive branch.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

"That bird?" Felix questioned, wondering if Amory meant the owl that had delivered his letter inviting him to the school. Felix couldn't imagine not knowing about magic before he came here, it was a struggle enough given that he did have at least a basic understanding and a number of magical family members he could ask. "You're a muggleborn?" Felix asked, oblivious to the way Amory may have felt uncomfortable from his questions, curiosity getting the better of the first year.

Felix hadn't assumed Amory was out to hurt him or hold him hostage, but the fact the boy clarified that made him wonder if he was trying to hide the truth in plain sight. If Felix was going to spend any time in the forest though he would have been better off not being on his own, and given that Amory had found him instead of a professor was perhaps a blessing he should recognise. "You want me to come with you?" Felix asked, double checking to make sure the student didn't mind. Not many people cared whether or not Felix joined them. No, that was a lie. Most people didn't notice, even if he did.​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory shook his head, he probably could have specified owl, but to be honest up until now it was all the same. A bird is a bird, but apparently for the magical people it was not the same. The boy sighed deeply, letting that be the only sign of any emotion to the question. "I wouldn't know. Was left in front of an orphanage so it's a fifty-fifty, I suppose." As those words left his mouth he kicked the dirt. Needing to let some of the annoyance, at the fact that he was actually willingly telling these facts to anyone, out.

Amory raised his eyes from the ground. Cold and calculating silver storms a woman had once called them and casted a look at the boy. Had he not heard what he had said? Was Amory being unclear? "Well I wouldn't go as far as saying I want anyone to come with me, but I suppose giving my knowledge, or lack there of, of everything magic. It is perhaps not the best option to go by myself." The Slytherin shrugged as if it was the most casual and obvious thing to say. "Well, you in or you out? I don't have the whole day." His tone was more patient and even than he thought he'd be capable of, just wanting to keep going and exploring, alone or with Felix.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

The Gryffindor made an oh with his lips although no sound came out as he realised Amory was likely an orphan. At least, he didn't have either parent if he didn't even know if he was a muggleborn or not. "How old were you?" Felix asked, oblivious to the way Amory may have been uncomfortable telling him in the first place, let alone adding questions on top of it.

Maybe it was because Amory was giving him the choice, and that the pressure of Felix needing to tag along wasn't there, but Felix hurriedly nodded his head in a bid not to be left behind. Besides perhaps he was right, he did need someone who knew a little bit more magic if they were going to be out in the forest of all things. "I can't really do any spells," Felix warned, picking himself up and making his way across to the student, "but if you have other questions, or," Felix peered around their environment, "or we see something that doesn't look.. muggle, I can help," the blond shot the Slytherin a grin, ready to follow him.​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory fought the urge to groan in frustration at the additional questions. Did this kid not know when to stop asking or what was appropriate to ask someone you didn't even know? More so he was now wondering why he was telling the boy anything. "Well they said I looked to be around a few weeks old. Not much beyond that is known." He shouldn't disclose these details to a person he just met, but for some reason he couldn't help but say those words out loud.

Turning his head the Slytherin hid his smile at the nod. Shaking his head as they walked he said, "Ah makes two of us then, can't do any spells yet either. Barely understand even the concept of them." If it wasn't obvious at least it was now. "Great I shall keep that in mind, now tell me have you ever seen trolls? Perhaps ah centaurs? Maybe even goblins?" His curiosity was winning, finally getting the chance to speak to someone who had grown up around magic felt oddly exciting.

"If I am quite honest, I wasn't much listening to the reasons why this place is forbidden." Amory admitted more so to himself than Felix. Though he was not scared of any creatures, more so just curious, but he wouldn't mind not seeing one perhaps either.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

Felix nodded as Amory told him he was only a few weeks old when he was left at the orphanage, and he debated telling him his own tale too. Felix didn't mention his mum that often, although it seemed relevant at that moment, "Technically, I've been half an orphan since I was a few weeks old too," he explained, not feeling sentimental in the slightest, "My mum died during a burglary, protecting me and my sister." Felix didn't really have any more details than that, having been much too young himself to know what was going on. Felix wasn't close to his father at all, or his half-sister anymore.

"A troll?" Felix's eyes lit up again almost immediately, as though he couldn't keep the excitement out behind his eyes. "Yeah I've seen trolls, I live with two sometimes! Ten and Loony are loud and hairy they might as well be trolls," Felix was laughing to himself now, feeling no remorse whatsoever for the way he spoke about his sister and aunt, given how they'd already acted towards him this year alone. "I haven't seen many other things though, unless a house elf counts?" he offered, remembering the tour at the start of the year, "One of the rich boys brought his own house elf to school, I think all the family is here rather than at home." Felix wondered how William's cousin had gotten a whole elf to school, and if the elf had any say in the matter.

As they continued to wander through the forest, Felix debated Amory's next comment although he wasn't really sure himself either, "I know there's meant to be things in here, but I've never seen them. Maybe no one's seen them at all and it's all just a big trick to stop us from finding something the professors have hidden," he mused, jumping over a large tree root before he face planted the dirt. ​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory cast a look at Felix. Humming in response. "I see, I am sorry to hear that." He said, not sure how to approach such subject. He couldn't very well just go and say well life is what it is, but also at least the boy knew who his family was. Where he came from, his social standing in that form. Amory had so many questions of his own that he was not sure if he'd ever find those answers.

A spark of interest ignited and went out in the snap of fingers when the Gryffindor spoke about trolls. Confusion was fast to take over though, he was obviously referring to some people he lived with but Amory had no clue who those two were. Choosing to not say anything he just nodded, as if he understood what he meant. "I see, what's a house elf then?" Perhaps it had been a fools errand to not attend that tour, but he just hadn't had the energy to. Too much had happened all at once.

"I see, well perhaps we will see some of them. If not at least we are getting a good walk out of this?" He surprised himself with the offer of half a joke, almost there with the humor, but not quite yet. The day Amory made a joke should be one written down in history books, he didn't think he had made one in his life. Perhaps hadn't had the chance to, nor the right people around him.

 

[Professor Marigold Cooper]

Marigold had had quite enough. It was one thing for the students to be strolling around outside, but to be doing it so late in the evening, in the Forbidden Forest no less? She had heard the stories from some of the tenured professors about the curiosity of the kids, but having known about what sort of creatures liked to hunt in dark forests, and knowing full well the students were explicitly told not to enter it, she was surprised that two of them had, though maybe she wasn't as surprised as she would have been had she not been less than a decade out of her own youthful years herself. Stepping out from the underbrush with a soft glowing ball floating around her, Ari looked down at the two students, and frowned disapprovingly. "Just what d'ya think you’re doin' out here?" she demanded, her voice firm and unyielding. "This forest ain't fer students, 'specially without no proper supervision. Ya've put yaselves in considerable danger."

She took a step closer, her gaze sweeping over each of them. "Not to mention you're disrespectin' the home of many creatures, haven't paid a mind to where you're walkin' and trampled several spider holes on yer way through," and the rest, though she didn't voice all of it. "For that alone I'm takin' twenty points off of Gryffindor and Slytherin."​

 

[Felix Layton-King]

Felix didn't want anyone feeling sorry for him, but especially not someone who was in a similar boat. "Don't be," he said bluntly, still careful not to trip himself up. Amory didn't seem to interested in the joke he'd made about his family, but he did ask more about the house elf which was something he could help with. "A house elf is like, someone who helps you take care of the house. Mostly it's just the really rich people who have them, it's not common. The house elves at school cook our food, I bet they would at someone's house too. It saves you having to do your chores," Felix explained, wondering whether he would still have to wash up every night at home if they'd had a house elf to do it for him instead. "I think the house elf is here now because the family he works for, they're all students now so there would be no point staying at home," at least, that's as much as Felix has gathered from the conversation during the tour.

A voice shook Felix's confidence for a moment as he turned to see one of the professors standing beside them. When did she get there? "We do 'ave supervision miss. You're here!" he grinned, trying his best to talk himself and his new friend out of the situation. The professor didn't seem convinced however as she took another step closer, criticising the way they had been trampling on things, and it was Felix's turn to frown. "We haven't been standing on any holes! And there is no danger out here!" Some may have believed Felix to be quiet, especially when compared with his sister, but given his own circumstances Felix wasn't opposed to defending himself or others against the adults of the school, something he'd already done a few times since he'd arrived. "20 points! Miss that is a bit steep if you ask me."​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory kept up his nodding, making mental notes of everything he heard. Interesting, well someone had to do the house work? He supposed and why do it yourself if you could have someone, be it another creature, do it for you.

Had Amory been the type to be startled, the sudden voice would have done so. Turning around he shook his head at the way the Gryffindor jumped right into defense. "Well miss, I just thought it'd be very educational to take a stroll in the fine forest near the castle? It can get quite dull inside." He was aware it was forbidden, but surely a walk never hurt nobody. "Ah I am sorry about that, I do not know much about creatures or their natural habitats yet. To be quite honest all of this is still very new to me, but 20 points each as Felix said that is quite a lot, don't you think so?" Perhaps it was fruitless to try to slither his way out of the punishment, but he'd be a fool not to try to at least lessen it. After all he had just been curious.

 

[Professor Marigold Cooper]

Ari raised an eyebrow as one of the boys tried to squeak his way out of this by saying she was there, therefore she was their permission. She would have laughed if this wasn't a serious situation. "Clever, but nah," she said, shaking her head and waving them to head back the way they came, "And why's it, ya reckon, there's no danger 'round here? Should I be the one to break it to ya and spell out what’s really out there, and what it can do to ya, eh?" She didn't know either of their heads of house, but she had a pretty good idea that neither professor was going to be particularly thrilled about this. "I reckon twenty won’t cut it if you keep pushin’ me. How 'bout we make it thirty, eh?" She could totally understand that they were trying to explore and to learn more about their world, push boundaries, but they shouldn't be doing it in the forbidden forest which is forbidden for a reason. "I ain't against a bit of learnin', fellas, but I guarantee ya, you're not safe in here," if she didn't need to be in here she wouldn't, but unlike these two, she was at least trained to defend herself should something happen.

@Amory Raven @Felix Layton-King​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory suppressed a sigh of annoyance. Of course everything even remotely fun and interesting would be labelled as forbidden and would result in a punishment or two. Oh well it was what it was he supposed as he shook his head slightly. Deciding to pick his battles wisely he came to the conclusion that today's trip would be over. For now he'd leave the forest be.

"Alright, well I suppose it is time to leave. I was getting bored anyways." He said turning around and grabbing Felix by the arm. Now he wasn't looking for any more reprimands but he also had promised the boy he wouldn't be the cause of any harm towards him, so he was not leaving him out here alone.

 

[Felix Layton-King]

"Thirty!!" Felix practically gawked as the woman threatened to take even more from them, and for what reason? They weren't moving fast enough for her? The Gryffindor had a scowl on his face as he listened to the professor tell them they weren't safe, "Then why is there even a forest here if it's not safe for students to be around? What's stopping whatever's in here from coming out on to the lawn and eating us anyway?" he asked, annoyed that he wasn't getting any real answers, just adults that liked to tell kids what to do.

Felix was about to argue some more when Amory grabbed his arm and started to pull him back towards the tree line. Too stunned by the action Felix followed him silently, wondering what he planned to do with Felix when they were finally free of this woman. ​

 

[Professor Marigold Cooper]

Marigold raised an eyebrow at the boys, unsure what kind of an education they'd had previously to warrant such a response. "Well, first up, ya got the school wards, yeah? They give ya a bit of protection, not a whole lot, but somethin'. But if ya go wanderin' outside of 'em, you'll be top of the list of kids they'd be lookin' to track down, no doubt." she said, as she continued to usher them back the way they had come. "Ya got your regular ol' centaurs, right? They ain't too fond of kids runnin' wild through their forests, 'specially when ya think 'bout all the stuff they've had to put up with over the years." she said, pointedly. Perhaps the kids were too young to understand, but that wasn't the point. "There’s all sorts of poisonous plants in the forests too, and maybe even some other dark creatures who won't be fussed 'bout whether a kid should or shouldn't be 'round here." and not to mention hags, but they were more likely to encounter those in Brightstone or some of the darker areas, like Bleak Street. "Keep up, mate, ya ain't outta the bush yet."​

 

[Amory Raven]

Amory closed his eyes for a second, willing whatever higher power there might be to give him the strength to deal with this professor and to at least try to make Felix shut up. The boy was a worse yapper than his orphanage director. If he kept up the talking they'd just end up in more trouble than they already were most likely.

"Well thank you miss, that was very informational and I shall keep it in mind come next time I get the itch to explore these forests." He said while simultaneously pulling the Gryffindor faster behind him. The faster they were out of this woman's hair the better, because if he had to listen to any more of anything his head was going to explode.