Closed Wandering and Exploring

[Max Goose]

Max was surprised that he had found room in his busy schedule to explore the castle. It also didn't help that he was tired most of the time from going to bed late and waking up early the following day. He didn't want to stay up late as much as he had done lately but he often found himself doing homework assignments before he would turn in for the night. Why did all his classes have to be so boring? And why did the homework assignments have to be so boring, too? Wasn't it cruel enough that classes were dull and tedious already? Did it really have to affect the homework assignments too? At least he was going to learn spells in Defence Against the Dark Arts soon, which would hopefully make him pay attention in the class.

But it was Saturday today and he had hurriedly finished the last of his homework assignments before he left the Gryffindor common room to do something else, something more fun. With no classes and no homework and all the time to do whatever he wanted, he decided to go exploring along with the Ravenclaw girl he had met all the way up in the North Tower. She seemed nice and friendly, and just as keen on exploring the castle as he was, so it was only logical that they should do that together. ''Right, I've heard that the Hufflepuff common room is somewhere around here,'' the Gryffindor said as they walked into the fourth floor corridor. ''Oh, and the library'' he said though it was really more of a question. The library seemed like an awfully dull place to spend time at, which was why Max had avoided it at all costs. Besides, he preferred to work in the Gryffindor common room, it was a lot cosier and he could make all the noise he wanted without getting shushed by someone.

 

[Ruto Vernier-Raison]

Ruto knew that making friends at Hogwarts would be an integral part of the experience. She had heard too many stories from her mother about her own experience at school, and no offence to her, but she didn't want to be like her with no friends and no one to experience everything with. It sounded boring, and Ruto wanted to make the most of the opportunity that she had having so many other people alongside her. The girl had already made her first friend, or at least an acquaintance for now. She was drawn to him somehow as she knew she'd be able to teach him things, and so far he had seemed like great company.

Roo and Max were walking together through the castle with the intention of helping each other explore and find their way around the castle. The girl didn't want to get lost during her first few weeks, and so this adventure would also hopefully help her too, whilst also having some fun with her new acquaintance. "Oh, and I heard there's also a communal room too... like a common room, but for everyone." she said, trying to remember the name of it. Her aunt and uncle had told her about it, and uncle Louis said he often spent time in there when the house common room was a little full. "Do you know anyone who is older that goes here? My aunt and uncle are in their sixth year." She wondered if Max had any associates of his own.

 

[Max Goose]

Max's first impression of Ruto was that she seemed smart and friendly and maybe even a bit of a know-it-all, which was why he was surprised that she didn't comment on the fact that he didn't know the library was located on the fourth floor corridor. Whether she chose to comment on it or not, he appreciated it all the same. He knew that he wasn't always the sharpest tool in the shed, according to his former teachers at least, so he didn't really want to make a fool of himself by sounding stupid. ''We should go there once we've seen everything here. Should be interesting to see what that room's all about.'' He was happy that they were exploring the corridors together, Hogwarts was an awfully big place and with all these rooms, it was easy to get lost. He frowned when Roo mentioned her aunt and uncle, confused at how she could have an aunt and uncle at this age who were also students at Hogwarts. Weren't aunts and uncles usually old and grown-up people? Trying his best not to look too confused, Max said, ''Well, my Dad and my cousin used to go here ages ago. My cousin's still here as a teacher, though, but that's it.'' It would be fun to have his sister around but he would likely annoy her to death. ''What about you?'' He asked as they passed a group of Hufflepuffs. ''Got any other relatives going to school here?''

 

[Ruto Vernier-Raison]

Roo smiled as Max suggested that they go explore the student common room when they were done. She liked that he was willing to let her take a little bit of control. The girl listened as Max said his dad and cousin used to go to Hogwarts. Her stomach flipped a little bit as she was reminded of her own father, but she pushed those thoughts aside. "Oh, which professor is your cousin? Is he cool?" Roo asked, hoping a good connection with the professors would be beneficial as well. She didn't see why not - it may help her get away with a few things if she wanted. As he returned the question, she just shrugged. "Well, my aunt and uncle are actually my half aunt and uncle. My step aunt went here too, and so did my uncle, but a little while ago, and my mum went here for a couple of years too. She was a Ravenclaw like me." She knew her family was a little complicated, so didn't expect Max to get it, but she wasn't worried too much about talking about herself. She wanted to know more about her new friend. "Do you have a mum? Or is it just you and your dad?"

 

[Max Goose]

Max figured that Roo's smile meant that she was fine with checking out the student lounge after they had seen the rest of the corridor. It was a big corridor though and there was still a lot to see and explore. Even the portraits and paintings and tapestries were interesting to look at. How were they ever going to explore the whole of Hogwarts if everything was interesting enough to check out? At least he had the girl with him, that was nice. ''Professor Abberline, you know, the one that'll teach us Defence Against the Dark Arts,'' Max said proudly. He was amazed upon hearing that half of her family seemed to have gone to Hogwarts but it was also very confusing to hear. She talked about a lot of people after all and a lot of halves and steps and uncles. He halted when she asked about his mother. It was indeed just him and his father but probably not in the way she was thinking. Perhaps it would be better to say that his mother was dead though, that way he didn't have to talk about his mother or father. That way he could continue to pretend that his parents weren't getting divorced, that his mother wasn't going to move back to the United Kingdom after everything was settled, and that he didn't have to go back to his father's dull and drab apartment. He couldn't understand why they were being so selfish about it, couldn't they just stay and live together for his sake? And why did his sister have to go live with their mother? It wasn't fair. ''Of course I have a Mom,'' Max answered. ''But she went to the other Hogwarts. She only moved here for work after she graduated from the other school.'' It was a better answer than to tell Roo that his mother was dead, and it was a truer answer, too. ''And I have a sister too but she goes to Beauxbatons,'' he added in the hope to distract Roo from the fact that he had stopped walking earlier.