Reaching for the stars

[Minoas Stratis]

It was late in the evening and Minoas was climbing the steep, spiral staircase that was leading to the top of the astronomy tower. He had to meet Gwen, a fellow lion, for some star-gazing that it was required for their astronomy class. Professor A'Dare had paired them up to work together for that task.
Although he was sharing the same house with the girl, he hadn't talk much with her and the only thing he knew was her name.
He just hoped they were going to cooperate successfully.

Getting to the top of the tower, he grasped the iron ring, the handle of the heavy door and pulled it open. He passed through the crenellated ramparts to the tower's parapet. It looked like the ideal place for star-gazing. The view was breath-taking. He dropped his backpack full of notes and parchments on the ground and went to the edge of the parapet. It was so high from the grounds that even him that was used to heights, felt butterflies flapping in his stomach. Gwen apparently hadn't arrived yet. He hoped that she would come, otherwise he was going to do the homework alone. As he was enjoying the view, waiting for the girl, he started wondering the case of being caught by a professor. He wasn't sure whether it was right to even study that late in the afternoon outside the common room.

 

[Gwen Graves]

Gwen raced up the stairs as fast as she could. In her hand she held a note from Professor A'Dare it stated that they where doing homework for Astronomy and they had her full permission to be up there. "Gosh there are a lot of stairs." Gwen gasped as she finally made it to the heavy door. Giving it a tug the tiny Gryffindor grunted as it finally opened. Seeing her fellow Gryffindor was already there. Gwen hurried over to him.

"Sorry Minoas. I was getting a note from Professor A'Dare so we wouldn't get in trouble." Gwen explained as she showed him the note and than shoved it in her bag. Pulling out her notes. Gwen saw that they where lacking. No matter she had her textbook and from sneaking a peak at the papers that had been on the Professors desk. She was working with the best student in the class. "So um what is it we are supposed to be doing again?" Gwen asked sheepishly.

 

[Minoas Stratis]

Minoas turned his back on that beautiful view when he hear someone approaching.
"Hey Gwen! What's up?" he greeted the fellow Gryffindor. As he was picking up his dropped backpack he listened to her apology of being late. "No it's alright I just arrived too. Actually, nice to think of it. I had totally forgot to ask for permission." he said grateful for the note, glad that they weren't transpassing any rules. He had enough of that. He looked around them to spot two stools in a dark corner. He went to fetch them and placed them near the parapet, offering first a seat to the girl before he took a seat himself.

"Nothing complex. Just some star gazing. Observing the positions of the stars, then noting them down on this...star chart." he said as he was pulling out of his backpack a large, blank star chart. They needed something to place the star chart on so both of them could work on it. He looked around again, caughting a glimpse of a small table. "Accio table!" he ordered with the aid of his wand and the small table zoomed towards the two Gryffindors, stopping between the two stools. "Perfect..." he murmured as he was placing the star chart on it. Then he turned back to his backpack and pulled out his folding lunar-telescope. "I didn't really know if there would be any so I thought of bringing mine." he explained as he was adjusting its position.

"So I was thinking that one of us could be observing and the other one will be noting down the positions on these star chart and vice-versa. In that way we will spend equal time on both tasks." he suggested, hoping that Gwe was fine with that. "I made some research before coming here and I found a list of the stars that are visible this part of the year. Now, where have I put it..." he wondered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Gotcha!" he exclaimed, pulling out of his pocket a creased piece of parchment. He placed it along with the chart on the table so that Gwen could have a look.

Auriga
Gemini
Canis Minor
Cancer
Hydra
Corvus
Crater
Leo
Ursa Major
Ursa Minor
Draco
Canes Venatici
Coma Berenices
Corona Borealis
Virgo

"So how would you like to get started?" he offered her choose first as he didn't care whether he would be the observer or the note taker.

 

[Gwen Graves]

The more Minoas continued on the more Gwen felt like she was in over her head. There was no way that she could fake it not with him. The only thing she had done that was smart was get permission from there Professor. Gwen knew that she would have to try even harder than ever before.

Watching as a table was brought over to them so they could spread all there stuff out. Gwen took out a quill and wondered just how she would be of any help of Minoas. Maybe she could think of a way to gracefully bow out so his grade wouldn't suffer.

"Truthfully I don't know if I would be able to find anything. This whole Astronomy thing is just way over my head." Gwen would be willing to try to find them but she would need her partner to double check her work. "I could take notes I am really good at that but as for looking for this stuff I can try and than I would need you to double check just to be on the safe side." Gwen admitted.

 

[Minoas Stratis]

He could see that Gwen wasn't feeling confident with star gazing, maybe she hadn't really try before except from last lesson. "It will be easy trust me. We'll begin with Polaris and Ursa Minor constellation, the one we were searching last lesson." he took the lead to guide her and make her feel more comfortable.
"I'll start first using the telescope so I will find a starting point for you to continue. Then I'll tell you what to look for next and where." he explained his little plan. He hoped that she would get into it in no time.

He started using the telescope, slowly scanning the night sky while he was zooming in and out.
"So, how do you find Hogwarts?" he asked while his eyes were still fixed on the eyepiece and his hands were changing the telescope's point of view.