Up a tree

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Briar was in the grounds, she headed towards the forest, today she didn't want to go inside, instead she reached the nearest tree, and pulled herself up. expertly climbed across to the next tree. she continued a gross a few more. she ended up near the top of an old rowan tree, she had always had an affinity with rowan trees. she could see most of the lawn and the edge of the lake from here. however she doubted that people could see her. she was hidden from the grounds by different branches, and anyone in the forest would not think the tree capable of holding the fifteen year olds weight. Briar however knew different, she knew what to look for in trees to say if they would be strong enough. she watched as a few students were out in the grounds soaking up the summer sun. briar reached into her bag and withdrew an apple. she took a huge bite. enjoying watching the students, she sat down in the fork in the branch and watched the world pass by.

 

[Siddalee Simon]

Sidda was sick of homework, sick of the library and just sick of the evil word "OWLs". Sure, she wanted to do well, and knew that these were very important exams, but the gentle breeze and the sunshine outside looked so much more inviting. So, Sidda put on her shoes, grabbed her bag and ran outside, down to the Great Lawn. There, she wandered around for a while, enjoying the sunshine and the chatter of students soaking up the pre-summer warmth. As she daydreamed, she found herself wandering close to the trees which bordered the Forbidden Forest. Sitting down in the shade of a rowan tree, she stretched out her legs and just watched the world go by, singing the random song that was stuck in her head.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Briar watched as a girl came up to her tree and sat down. she recognised it as being Sid, one of her closest friends during her first few yeas before the stress of OWL's made them drift a part a little this year (and the end of last year). she waited a couple of minutes to make sure that she wasn't waiting there for anything particular before she slipped off her branch and landed almost silently on the floor in front of her friend. "hello Sid. hope you don't mind me dropping in" she said, glad to be talking to her friend again.

 

[Siddalee Simon]

Sid jumped ever so slightly, startled by Briar sudden appearance. "What the-? How did you...?" She looked up, into the branches of the tree above her, back at Briar, and went, "Oh. Hi!" She grinned broadly at Briar, one of her closest friends who she hadn't seen in a while. "How are you? I haven't talked to you in a while. Isn't this year's work crazy?" She patted the ground next to her, signalling for Bri to sit down and chat if she wanted. She regretted drifting apart from her a little, and wanted to have her bestie back. She and Bri were much alike, and yet were different enough to complement each other's personalities well.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Briar simled as sid jumped as she landed. "Sorry, i should have given you some warning before dropping in." she repeated laughing. she realised that she missed her friend. "I'm pretty good, but this year is mad, i am seriously considering running away to join the circus" she said, not really serious at all. but she did wish that all of the work would stop. "How have you been going? she asked, her friend sitting next to her. glad to be catching up with one of her best friends after all of the stress of the year. she had been spending so much time training for quidditch, prefects duties, not to mention work, so much that much of the rest of her life had had to take the back seat.

 

[Siddalee Simon]

Sid laughed with Briar. "Hahaha! Punny. And yes, I made up that word." She smiled at Briar's comment - she, at the age of nine, with a cast from a skating trick gone wrong, had attempted to run away and join a circus. She was brought home by a skating buddy-cum big brother two hours later, asleep in his arms. "If you run away, I'll join you. We could do a double act with magic or something. Oh! We could be like trapeze artists! Or do something with animals! Oh! And, we could be called like the Scarlet Sisters or something, because we're both redheads, and we look kinda similar apart from the whole height difference thing. I wonder if wizards have circuses? Sorry. I'm babbling. Shutting up." Sid stopped herself, catching her breath a little. She really needed to teach herself to shut up and not babble!

Sid was glad Bri sat down - it meant she wanted to catch up, something Sid wanted as well. "I've been good. In the holidays, I wrote some songs, learned a new skateboarding trick, found out one of my friends is having a baby, fought with my mum, and went to some concerts. I'm a little annoyed though. I've had this song stuck in my head for a week. It's too damn catchy!" Sid laughed to herself - a busy holiday summed up in one sentence. "How about you? What have you been up to?"

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Briar laughed slightly as her friend made up a word. she thought about funning away to the circus, she had never been to a circus, and didn't know what happened at one, but she had heard the saying before. "that sounds like fun. but what happens at a circus a circus, and what a trapeze is i haven't a clue, but flying is fun." she said. thinking how fun it would be flying with Sid. "anyway there is nothing wrong with babbling." she said before listening to Sid walk about her holidays. "that sounds good fun, and you seem like you have been pretty busy. I spent my holiday here, I comped out in the mountains for a bit. i fond an awesome cave where i stayed. then i practiced flying and other quidditch moves." she said, realising that that would be one of the last holidays that she would be stuck at school, as she had since been fostered by the Margeras, and would be staying with them in Australia for the breaks, another adventure. "what song is it that you have in your head, I doubt i will know it but maybe wi will if it is catchy" she said wondering what kind of music her friend was listening to music-wise.

 

[Siddalee Simon]

Sid was shocked. How could Briar not know what circuses were like? Oh. Right. The whole brought-up-by-centaurs-in-the-forest thing. Hmm. That gave Sid an idea. "Well, a circus is like a show, but with animals, and tricks, and death-defying stunts, and a trapeze is like a swing high up in the air, which people swing on and leap from and do tricks on. And tightropes are cool too. You know, some holidays you should come stay with me. My parents would be cool with it, and we could go see a circus and I could introduce you to skateboarding and the city. Mum would probably try to 'feed you up' 'cause you're skinny, and Dad would probably ask you for help in his crossword, and then adopt you as a second daughter. What do you think? We could be the two crazy witches on the loose in a muggle city. It would be awesome! And your holidays sounded really cool. And relaxing. And camping is cool. Did you set fire to marshmallows? Or is that not your style of camping?" she laughed. She was babbling again. Oh, well. It's not like there was any other way for her mouth to keep up with her imagination, so she'd just have to go with it. Or get babbling therapy.

Sid laughed again when Bri asked her what song she had stuck in her head. She had weird taste in music - but she'd give Briar a go. "I doubt you know it - I love music from, like, twenty years ago. It's called Planetary (Go!), by an old band called My Chemical Romance. Have you ever heard it? If my velocity starts to make you sweat, just don't let go. And if heaven doesn't have a vacancy then we just get up and go..."

[This is the song. Listen, get an idea of the song! It's been stuck in my head all day. And I'm so sorry for taking so long. RL keeps getting in the damn way!]