Closed Kids These Days

[Eric Holland]

While the weather was still cold, it had been a rather sunny day today. It had been nice and quiet in the castle as many kids bundled up and headed outside to enjoy some early spring sunshine, and Eric had gotten quite a bit done in the castle. Some of the empty classrooms were truly filthy but thankfully easily cleaned with magic. He had even found what he suspected was a boggart in an old closet, though he had simply locked it for now. He'd ask if one of the Defence professors wanted to use the thing in a lesson before doing anything else. Now, as most of the students were at dinner, Eric decided to take a walk outside himself. He grumbled as he noticed immediately that the lawn had been occupied today as some kids clearly never learned to clean up after themselves. As he picked up his fourth candy wrapper from what he could only assume had been a picnic, Eric conjured a bag to put them in. Then he pointed his wand in a random direction. "Accio trash." He said, sighing as more wrappers, pieces of parchment and broken quills flew his way. He directed them into the bag with his wand, wondering if there had just been particularly messy students outside today or if it was just what kids did these days. Merlin, he was getting old.

 

[Aspen]

It had been a year since Aspen had started working at the school, at least in an official manner. as groundskeeper most of her jobs were to maintain the grounds, which included the gardens and the lawns as well as the forest. It was funny. in some ways all the years she had lived in the forest she had longed to explore elsewhere in the castle and on the grounds. but it had taken her a year to actually feel comfortable in doing so. this year she may even attend some of the parties that she had heard about, or even go and watch a match of quidditch a sport that her sister had always raved about.
today had been a lovely day, early spring, but defiantly a day with more than just a taste of the weather to come. she was walking across the lawn heading into the castle to eat in the quiet period mid afternoon when she saw that there was a lot of rubbish on the floor. she looked down wondering if she could ignore it and when she decided she couldnt re regretted not caring any weapons longer than her paring knife with her any more, at least when not in the woods. as reaching the floor was not an easy job. she stopped near a largish pile of rubbish and knelt down her front legs folding before she ticked her back ones in. she had just reached out for the discarded parchment and quill when it moved out of her hand. for a second she thought it had been the wind catching it. until she realised that there was no wind. and it was a boy somehow drawing all of the wribbish towards him. she hoisted herself up onto all four hooves and made her way over to him. "Thank you for your help." she said. thinking of how much time he had saved her. I wish there was a way I could give you housepoints for it.