Open Heights of Climbing

[Charlie Jacobs]

It wasn't long till the semester was coming to an end, and Charlie was a bit grateful that the time was going by quickly. Don't get him wrong, he enjoyed his time at Hogwarts so far, but the school work was boring that it hadn't really interested him, and he didn't really have many friends at Hogwarts. Charlie was trying to avoid as much school work as possible. Procrastinating on the studies for the exams that were about to commence in a couple of weeks.

The Gryffindor had decided to spend the day on the Great Lawn. It was a sunny day, with a few clouds scattered across the blue sky. Charlie stood on the Great Lawn for a while, deciding on a tree to climb on. Each tree he was seeing was unique. However, it wasn't long before he decided what tree to climb on. He decided to climb onto one of the taller trees that had a few branches that he could climb on. Charlie looked around him, making sure that there was no one watching him, before he started making his climb up the tree.

 

[Finn Millar]

Finn decided to check out the grounds, something he hadn't done since he first got to Hogwarts. It seemed like such a long time ago now. It was coming into Autumn now, though the day was warm and sunny. Knowing how temperamental winter weather could be, he decided it was necessary to make the most of being outside. Hands shoved in his pockets, Finn made his way down the Great Lawn, not heading in any particular direction but just taking in the sights. It had taken him a while to figure out, but he had begun to like life at the castle. He found the school work hard to keep up with, as it was so different from what he had previously studied at a muggle primary school.

The trees lining the lawn caught Finn's eye, they were just starting to turn various shades of rusty orange and yellow. Then he saw something unexpected. A figure at the base of one of the taller trees looked around, then disappeared up into the branches. Finn was pretty sure it was a fellow student, but you could never be sure at Hogwarts. Deciding to investigate, since he had nothing else to do, Finn changed his course for the large tree. He bent down to get right under the canopy and peered up. There was a boy, already a few branches above him. Unsure whether the boy was doing this for fun or hiding from something, Finn called out "Uh- you okay?", putting one hand on the trunk of the tree.

 

[Charlie Jacobs]

Charlie looked down when he heard a voice a few meters below him, as he was almost halfway up the tall tree. He smiles at the younger boy. "Yeah, dude! I'm just climbing this tall tree right here" Charlie says with a chuckle as he tried to pat the tree trunk, but failed to as he didn't want to fall off the tree. Tree climbing was one of his favourite things to do. He had remembered doing the activity when he was younger and climbing trees with his siblings and cousins. "Do you wanna join me?"

 

[Finn Millar]

Squinting up through the branches, Finn sort of recognised the other boy as being a fellow Gryffindor. Relaxing a bit as the other boy said he was okay, Finn turned to leave. He stopped as the boy asked if he wanted to join. Why not? It's not like he had anywhere better to be. And he was a pretty seasoned tree climber, if he did say so himself. Growing up rurally and hiding from your annoying sister did that to you. "Yeah sure" Finn replied, reaching up to grasp the nearest branch and pull himself up onto it. He hooked a leg over, put both hands on the trunk and balanced, before climbing swiftly up to the level of the other boy. "I'm Finn- are you in Gryffindor?" he asked, surprised by his own words. He couldn't normally make small talk this easily, but concentrating on not falling out of the tree seemed to help the words flow.

 

[Charlie Jacobs]

Charlie smiles as the young boy decides to join him on his quest to climb one of the tallest trees on the great lawn. He nods a little as the boy spoke to him. "Yeah! I'm in Gryffindor! Nice to meet ya, Finn. My name's Charlie!" Charlie says with some excitement and a big smile, as he continued to climb up the tree. "You're in Gryffindor too aye? First-year?"

 

[Finn Millar]

Finn pulled himself up onto a branch on the same level but on the opposite side of tree from Charlie, and looked across at him "Yeah, first year" he said without lingering too long on the topic. Sometimes he felt like people treated him like a child because he was a first year "You?" he asked, judging the boy was probably slightly older than him. Looking up through the branches, he propelled himself up further. It was a very tall tree, and Finn felt a fresh burst excitement. He hadn't couldn't believe he'd never done this before "How far do you reckon we can make it up?" he asked Charlie.

 

[Charlie Jacobs]

Charlie smiled a little. "Second year" Charlie confirms to Finn with a nod. He guessed it was good to meet people from different years. The Gryffindor paused at his tree climbing and looked up after Finn had asked how far they could climb up for. "I dunno... We're not that far up yet" Charlie says with a chuckle and shrug, before continuing to climb up again. "How bout you? How far do you reckon?" Charlie says with a small smile.