Flannel Sheets [Rhys]

[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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December 24th, 2016

There had been very little pushback when Juniper sent the owl to her parents about staying at school for the Christmas break instead of going home. The irony of it all was that she could stand at the edge of the school grounds by Hogsmeade and actually see her house, so there was a plan to walk over there Christmas Day just to say hello, as long as it wasn't freezing out. Technically she couldn't leave the grounds but no one had ever told her that she couldn't talk across the invisible line that separated her from them. Finally she had sort of defeated the absurd Hogwarts Express rule, though only briefly because she would have to take it to London at the end of the spring term regardless.

Being free to do what she wanted for the two weeks of break was something she had never experienced before. No older siblings to annoy her while she tried to do her work that was due when classes started up again, or parents that wanted to drag her everywhere so she could act as their personal bag holder while shopping. Knowing that she was free of that living hell this year, Juniper knew they were going to force her sister into it without a second thought. She deserved it for bringing all the awful partners around the house.

With the first couple of days out of the way and used mostly to get the aforementioned work complete (or at least started), it was finally Christmas Eve. She and Rhys had planned for tonight to be the night where they went to the kitchens to get the famous cinnamon cookies from the house elves, before taking them all the way up to the Astronomy Tower. At first she really hadn't paid much attention to the date it was happening, until she flipped back through her planner and saw her note from earlier in the month that mentioned the cookies and dates. Her absolutely limited knowledge on what dates and romance were supposed to be like didn't help with what her brain had been trying to tell her for months now; and the fact that they were planning to go through a string of planned events on a holiday, just the two of them, had her head humming. How wasn't this a date? She'd even gotten Rhys a Christmas present, because he deserved one for putting up with her all term.

Standing near the entrance to the Hufflepuff Common Room, Juniper was waiting for Rhys to show up so they could head to the kitchens. Despite it being after curfew, there was literally no one in the entire school. In Hufflepuff, she was the only sixth year, and only two others were staying. Considering how many students had showed up to dinner the first night of break, there was less than ten of them total. Walking up to the Astronomy Tower without running into the sole professor that was staying behind would be easy. That alone had calmed her nerves. It didn't prevent her from keeping a tight grip on the bag in her hands though. Inside was Rhys's present, a hat and mittens because they were going to be out on the tower, and a blanket she'd pulled off of one of the common room couches. Everything fit nicely in the charmed, expanded bag.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

just us, you find out

December 24, 2016
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys had always enjoyed the quiet of the castle during the winter break. Not even the cold bothered him, though he often forgot that his body temperature seemed to run slightly higher than most. Not that he was impervious by any means. Even Rhys had to dress warmly if he wanted to keep all his fingers and toes. He’d already run a record of the most amount of time in between Hospital Wing visits. He wasn’t about to go back for frostbite. But that light feeling he’d felt in the library weeks ago had remained with him, accompanied by that hypervigilant sense that the other shoe would drop.

But it hadn’t. And while students lined up to take the train home, he’d remained behind with a handful of students, Juniper included. She had asked about the cookies he had mentioned before and then about the tower, but Rhys told her they had to wait. Besides, they needed to finish some of their work. Rhys had never turned in the winter break assignments late, and he wasn’t about to start now. Though this time, as he scratched away on the parchment, noting the properties of advanced potions—the anticipation was building in his core.

But Rhys had heard it all, even from Juniper herself. A friendship between himself and a girl was just that—a friendship. It was, right? With Nell and Sarah, it wasn’t like Rhys hadn’t noted that they were, in fact, girls. Both were pretty in their own way, but he never thought anything more of it. It was that light feeling he couldn’t put a word or words to, something he felt around her. So, he’d felt better that Juniper was around when he was usually alone. Things like holidays and gifts were never big things in his life. He never had expectations, and therefore, he was never disappointed.

Noting the time, he put his work away, though he didn’t take his bag with him. He had his jacket and his Slytherin scarf for warmth. Incidentally, Rhys had completed an assignment for his Astronomy class, and through that, he saw that Christmas Eve would be a good night to see the stars. Plus, it wasn’t due to snow yet, so the skies were still clear. Exiting his Common Room, it was a short walk to the Hufflepuff Common Room, where he saw Juniper standing. ”Hey.” Rhys greeted, slightly grinning. He wasn’t one to smile often. People were lucky to get a grin out of him. However, it seemed to come more naturally with her. ”Ready?” It was also an adjustment for most to see their peers out of their typical uniforms. Though Rhys was grateful that wasn’t enforced.

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The basement and dungeons had always been known to emit strange noises when one found themself walking alone - dripping from an unseen corner, the rattle of what sounded like chains, or even an endless stream of phantom footsteps from the end of the corridor. Being absolutely alone was quite unnerving at first, as Juniper was not only concerned about now breaking curfew, but also a tad jumpy with sounds she normally ignored. Utilizing her pragmatism could only take her so far in a school of magic that actually had ghosts floating around. Their existence solved a few of the odd disturbances, but not all of them. The weirdest part of it all? She knew there was nothing scary or dangerous within Hogwarts. And if there was, she had a big enough ego that she was positive she could successfully fend off a large enough creature or person long enough for some help to arrive, even in an almost empty castle. There were classmates with better scores in dueling, but she had also never been allowed to transfigure them into a paper clip during practice.

Needless to say, the footsteps heading in her direction had her pressing herself up against the entrance to the common room at first, forgetting momentarily that they were coming from the direction of the dungeons, Slytherin, and Rhys himself. Of course it was him, because there was quite literally no one else it could be. "Hey. Yeah," Juniper responded back lamely, taking one look at his face and immediately wishing she hadn't. Thankfully they were going to be in almost complete darkness all the way up to the Astronomy Tower, so the distraction of his eyes would be completely gone. At the same time, she had a feeling that they were the kind that cut straight through the night and she'd be able to see them no matter what.

"The first step is the easiest," she needlessly explained to Rhys as she started towards the kitchen, which was just around the corner from her common room. It was amazing that none of the Hufflepuffs lined up for dessert every night, because the house elves would definitely provide with very little prodding. The portrait of fruit with the pear that liked to be tickled was in sight with just a single turn, Juniper automatically noting that this meant they were underneath the Great Hall now. She made a sound of exclamation as she got closer, "I should've brought a mug for hot chocolate. I wonder if they'll have something with a top on it..." Reaching up, she tickled the pear and it turned into a door handle. Once open, the bubble of warmth and the smell of Christmas Eve's dinner lurched out at her. Already she could see the pointed ears of house elves finding their way over, probably curious as to who was coming by for a visit.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

just us, you find out

December 24, 2016
juniper minerva mcgonagall

She was a tad jumpy, Rhys noted. But perhaps the excitement of breaking the rules was still hovering over her. Just as he had in the library, Rhys found it endearing. There was something about how she shifted from such unwavering confidence to an innocent wonder. The way her eyes changed and softened her expressions. They began walking toward the portrait. The kitchens were so close to the Hufflepuff common room that Rhys always wondered why he never ran into more students. But he supposed most Hufflepuffs lacked the restless nature of some Slytherins. They were content while he and his peers always looked for more in contrast.

Again, he found himself grinning as she thought out loud. She did that sometimes, which might have bothered some people, but it let Rhys follow her train of thought. ”They might if you ask.” The house elves were so incredibly helpful and kind. Their hospitality is unmatched in Rhys’ mind. And they had never cared who he was, happy to bring him what he needed if he asked, and Rhys always ensured he thanked them graciously. It made him realize the lack of such simple kindness in the world—or at least his world.

The portrait opened, and Rhys was hit with the beautiful smells of the kitchens. Rhys stepped in ahead of Juniper. He was a regular at this point. ’Reemy can help you, sir!’ The voice of one of the elves squeaked. Her big eyes blinked at him before curiously moving to Juniper. ’And Reemy can help sir’s friend!’ Other house elves scurried and brought over two small stools for their guests. Rhys grinned and walked forward. Surely, Reemy remembered when Rhys had first wandered in here as a first year and more than a foot shorter than he was now.

As gracious as they were, the stools were far too small for Rhys at this point, so he remained standing but looked at Juniper. A silent assurance that it was alright. ”Evening Reemy.” Rhys crouched down so he was as close to eye level as he could be with the tiny house elf. ”Can we get some of those cookies? The cinnamon ones?” It was easy to relax here. Aside from the wonderful smells and radiating warmth, it had always felt safe. ”And some hot chocolate, please.” Rhys half glanced to the side at Juniper to indicate it wasn’t for him. The day Rhys voluntarily ate a large amount of chocolate would be the day he wasn’t a werewolf anymore. ”You can ask Reemy for whatever you like.” Rhys looked at Juniper to his side.

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All she could think about on the walk from her common room to the kitchens was getting hot chocolate, the cookies Rhys had hyped up a few weeks earlier, and his absolutely magnetic eyes that she could never tear her own away from. The kitchen would be a welcome distraction, albeit a brief one, and then she was going to have to decide how to conduct herself for the rest of the evening. Appropriately, hopefully. Giving Rhys the book she'd mail ordered from Flourish & Blotts was important, but if it didn't happen tonight it could always be done tomorrow. She had never gotten someone outside of her family a gift before but had a feeling he'd like this one. Ancient Egypt: A History of Cursebreaking & Crypt Diving. If anything, it was a history book that sounded pretty cool. She cracked it open briefly right when it arrived to make sure none of the pages were folded in on themselves and it seemed to have a number of pictures and other visuals accompanying the passages. And Merlin was it heavy! Thankfully her charmed pouch didn't translate that over, otherwise her shoulder would be hurting right about now.

"I know they will, I just feel bad about it sometimes..." A lot of house elves she'd come across always seemed perpetually submissive and on the verge of tears if the wrong tone of voice was used around them. She hated making them feel scared, but it was also almost impossible when they were like that. Hopefully whatever one approached them first when they went into the kitchen was one that was slightly more confident. Because Juniper didn't want to be walking out feeling like she'd committed some horrible crime against them.

Rhys took the lead into the kitchen once the door was open, and Juniper followed closely behind as one house elf, named Reemy, came up to them first and offered her assistance. Two stools were placed down, and while small, Juniper felt confident that it would hold her. It wobbled slightly as she took a seat and her knees were suddenly at the same level as her eyes. Rhys asked the house elf for the cinnamon cookies as well as hot chocolate, which caused Juniper to make a wordless sound from her mouth. She wanted to be the one to ask as it felt like it was her responsibility since she brought it up in the first place. Watching him get down to eye level with Reemy was amazing too, and she couldn't think to any specific point in their friendship thus far where he ever sounded this gentle. Juniper only realized she was staring in awe at him when he told her she could ask for whatever she wanted, causing her to blink a few times. "Just the cookies and the hot chocolate are fine, Reemy," she instructed, trying to match the subdued tone of the room. "Maybe in in a container that won't spill easily? she added quickly before the house elf got too much of her order complete.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

just us, you find out

December 24, 2016
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys never had expectations. Expectations were just opportunities to invite disappointment and all those related negative feelings. That included holidays, birthdays, and the like. So, Rhys never expected anything. He was content with the simpler things, such as the company of a friend or letters. But it also meant that sometimes he lost track of what day it was. It hit him earlier that it was Christmas Eve, but it felt like a Saturday to him. Another day, another little adventure in a place that had come to feel like home. His close friends knew he lived with other orphaned and abandoned kids, but it wasn’t something Rhys brought up in conversation often. It wasn’t much of an icebreaker.

Many students shared Juniper’s sentiment. The history of House Elves in the magical world was not particularly pleasant. But Rhys remembered how upset a few had gotten years ago when he’d tried to help, so he sat and waited. They found joy in these tasks, though Rhys made sure to treat them kindly. He’d seen enough of how witches and wizards could be cruel to any person or magical being that didn’t fit in. Reemy was accustomed to Rhys’ presence, probably remembering when he was small.

Reemy awaited Juniper’s answer, other house elves behind her looking at her curiously with their big eyes. ’Right away, miss!’ And they scurried off. ”They’ll return in a few minutes.” They ran an efficient machine here in the kitchens. Rhys stood and moved closer to where Juniper sat, opting to crouch again rather than attempt to sit on such a small stool. Maybe it would have worked at age eleven but not at his current height. One house elf ran around the corner with a large tin in their hands. ’Sir! Tisney is asking to bring Rhys his favorite cookies.’ Rhys couldn’t help but grin at the House Elf, her eyes large like the others. She wore a strange mix of red and green colored items, but Rhys assumed she’d found a stash of old Christmas-related items.

Rhys couldn’t help but grin. The staff of House Elves hadn’t changed. If anything, new faces had been added. Tisney looked curiously at Juniper before looking back at Rhys and then back to Juniper. But Rhys only chalked it up to the appearance of a new face over the Winter Break. ”Thank you.” Rhys responded as he accepted the tin. ”Tisney, this is Juniper. She’s staying here over the Christmas break this year.” Rhys explained, and Tisney’s head shifted to the other side curiously still. ”Tisney probably remembers me from the Christmas break first year.” Rhys explained to Juniper. ’Yes miss, Tisney remembers when Rhys is not so tall.’

And before they knew it, the other elves had returned. Reemy was holding what appeared to be an oversized cup, well, at least in her hands. She approached Juniper. ’A hot chocolate miss. Reemy remembers you is not liking chocolate, sir.’ They hadn’t specified verbally who the hot chocolate was for, but clearly, they remembered Rhys’ preferences. But the students who stayed over winter break ventured into the kitchens often, especially since the Professors didn’t particularly care. ’Tinsey can bring more miss?’ She addressed Juniper, asking if they needed anything else. Reemy also waited for further instruction.

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The pattering of tiny house elf feet all around them was fascinating, as her eyes still hadn't adjusted to the dim lighting of the kitchens. To say it was impossible to tell exactly how many house elves were wandering around them was an understatement. Every now and again a pointed nose or angular ear appeared out of the shadows from behind a chair or cupboard, a curious creature intent on seeing who the visitors were. Those that did approach them all seemed to know and remember Rhys though, Reemy and a second elf named Tisney included. Juniper watched each of them intently, as equally curious about them as they were of her. She could tell that a few were definitely interested in her glasses, which were large on her face but would easily cover the globe-like eyes of a house elf. The one named Tisney had brought the cookies, which were in a rather large tin. The two of them were either going to have a cinnamon overdose or there were going to be leftovers through the next day because knowing house elves, that tin was going to be completely full.

In the interim, as Rhys explained when he'd first met Tisney during his first year, Reemy had returned and held out a container full of hot chocolate for Juniper to take. Carefully collecting the cup in her own hands, it was equally oversized, though had seemed much larger while Reemy held onto it. "Thank you very much, Reemy," she smiled down at the house elf, who was still smaller despite the fact that Juniper was sitting on the stool. Her attention was immediately taken back by Tisney who was also asking if there was anything else she needed. "I think I'm alright, but thank you," Juniper added. Standing up, she immediately felt like a giant, which only ever happened when standing next to first and second years these days. "Should we head up?" she turned and asked Rhys quietly, not wanting to disturb the house elves any longer than they needed to.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

just us, you find out

December 24, 2016
juniper minerva mcgonagall

They had what they needed. The cookies and hot chocolate. Rhys nodded to Juniper as he stood up. The House-elves were small, but he never underestimated them. From what he’d been told, they possessed powerful magic. Not that he’d seen much of it himself aside from balancing dishes or transporting food to the Great Hall. Looking back at the wide-eyed elves, Rhys grinned one last time. ”Thank you, everyone.” Reemy, Tisney, and the rest seemed happy that they were able to complete their duties successfully. It was all so normal for Rhys, this routine of visiting the kitchens, whether during the school year or the break. It was unfortunate that students were not permitted to stay over the summer break.

They exited through the portrait and back into the cold castle. It felt less friendly and warm like the Slytherin common room, but one couldn’t stay in the kitchens forever, unfortunately. Though maybe if he had, Rhys might not have been so slim. After a moment, he looked at Juniper. ”So, how do you feel?” Rhys asked, pausing for a second. ”Breaking your first rule?” Or he assumed as much. Her initial reactions in the library and even her skittishness gave it away. Juniper McGonagall might have been stubborn and a little smug sometimes, but she was not a rule breaker. It was a fascinating dichotomy to Rhys.

An eerie calm fell over the castle when the halls were not filled with students. Even the portraits enjoyed the break, hardly any of them rousing as the pair walked by. But they just needed to get to the staircases and head up to the top floor where the towers were accessible. In times like this, Rhys was grateful he had not been sorted into Ravenclaw. That would require the trek up to Ravenclaw tower every day. ”The Professors don’t patrol during the break. All the trouble-makers end up heading home.” Rhys could not have imagined a Christmas break where Bagman and his goons stayed behind. All that unsupervised time where Rhys couldn’t hide in a crowd—a terrible thought.

He looked curiously to his side. He would have never imagined spending this time with Juniper, of all people. Rhys had always assumed she would have something haughty to say about the small rules they were breaking or even bothering the house elves. But if anything, it had been quite the opposite. Her eyes grew big behind her large glasses, full of curiosity most never saw. But he liked this side of her almost as much as he just liked spending time with her. But he looked away, more than a second or two, and one was simply just staring. But now he could show her one of his favorite places in the Castle.

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Waving down at the crowd of house elves that had arrived to show them off, Juniper made sure to thank them all again profusely. What should have been a scene of horror, of bulbous eyes glinting back at her from the darkness, was extremely peaceful. If she hadn’t been aware of them it would have been a completely different story though. Leaving the warmth of the kitchen and heading back into the basement was maybe the worst thing that had happened to all day, immediately feeling the cold sapping all of her happiness out. Weirdly, it could have been worse if the kitchens had been situated in the dungeons. How the Slytherins managed to deal with living down there was beyond her because it was definitely worse. The damp that always crept into her robes during class was difficult to shake this time of year and she couldn’t imagine having to sleep through it. The common room was most likely protected by it, but still.

Rhys was talking though, which snapped her out of her thought. “Warm and fuzzy, actually,” Juniper answered honestly. Of all the rules to break (or off-limits places one could go in Hogwarts), the kitchens were easily the most pedestrian. The house elves would never tell on them, their natural inclination to serve leading them to keeping the secrets of students to themselves. Her few interactions with them prior to this had always left her with the same feeling she had right now, though this was definitely a more wholesome experience than seeing them make the beds in the dorm room. “At ease as well. I don’t feel nearly as nervous as I did waiting outside the common room.” The other two Hufflepuffs that had stayed behind were never going to question where she was going, if they had actually seen her, and as Rhys was now saying, the professors wouldn’t care.

“I’ve never seen the school empty like this,” she commented as they walked. Even though she had never experienced Hogwarts in complete darkness like this, having halls that were completely absent of students as well was strange. There was always someone, whether it was a professor or student or ghost, roaming about. Tonight it was just the two of them. “So how often have you done this?” Juniper asked, before continuing, “Kidnapping a girl from her common room and whisking her away up to the Astronomy Tower, I mean. Using the house elves was a nice touch too.”

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[rhys alexander greyback]

just us, you find out

December 24, 2016
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys was surprised but glad that Juniper felt more at ease. She had seemed so nervous earlier, but he’d almost expected it, much like Nell’s frayed nerves during that detention at the beginning of the year. Sarah was ready to repurpose her broom for violence while Rhys acted as a buffer. Still, he’d been ready to use his as a shield when he casually explained that Juniper would be his partner in Potions from now on. Rhys was sure it had taken a full minute or two to register before she looked back at him with wide, surprised eyes.

Those who didn’t break even the most minor rules needed time to adjust. Rhys was happy that she hadn’t backed out, though they weren’t at the tower yet. He just liked not being alone. ”Well, the dungeons aren’t really the friendliest place.” Even for Slytherins. It was cold and damp. It was the one thing he didn’t particularly like about potions. Easily they made their way up the moving staircases. They seemed louder without the buzz of students talking and rushing to class.

But her next comment caught him off guard until he realized she was actually joking. ”Kidnapping is a strong word.” Rhys replied a little nervously, though he backtracked. ”Well—erm—I haven’t.” He admitted. But it had never really been a bad thing for him. At Hogwarts, if he wasn’t with his close friends, he was usually alone. Rhys cleared his throat. ”Besides, last I checked, you were here voluntarily.” He looked at her for a moment. The hot chocolate in her hands was almost a ridiculously large cup, and Juniper already had a small frame. Another moving staircase took them up a few floors to save them some time. They were useful when one class was in the dungeons, and the next one was in a tower. Otherwise, you’d never make it on time without physically flying. But they were almost there.

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Considering what happened to her leg in the dungeons, Juniper was fairly lukewarm on the entire place. The only good thing that came from it that she currently enjoyed was Rhys’s presence. They were even worse in the winter time, to the point where wearing all of her winter gear was often times necessary. Another accident was bound to happen with students trying to mix potions with mittens on. None of them were even close to being able to use wandless magic for stirring and she really had no desire in being subjected to any more spillage. Especially if it was coming from Nell. Juniper had made sure to put Rhys in-between once they struck their Potions partners deal back in September. She wanted as little contact with Ollivander as possible, because she honestly didn’t want to be apologized to anymore. It was so annoying. So yeah, the only good thing out of the dungeons was Rhys after all.

Speaking of Ollivander, Juniper had sort of assumed that she had, at the very least, gone on this trek at least once. Not for the reasons that she was implying, of course, but just because the two of them were close. “Ahh…I see…” Juniper said, trying to keep her prying as mysterious as possible. She knew he wasn’t in a relationship, mostly because he’d never brought it up. Over the months she had been poking around with probing questions, trying to figure every little bit of Rhys out. He was surprisingly resilient and only let up what he wanted on his own terms, which was perfectly fine with her. Talking about classwork and hypotheticals surrounding other topics were always the core of their conversations, like earlier in the month with the sugar in Wolfsbane. “You aren’t wrong about that, I guess,” she responded to being here with him on her own volition. Getting him nervous was a great tactic to relieve herself from the jitters as they walked.

Every couple hundred feet she tested her luck with the hot chocolate and it was always too hot. By the time they got to the Astronomy Tower, it was most likely going to be at the perfect sipping temperature. For now she had to be subjected to burning the tip of her tongue. “So what’s on the agenda? Any planets visible?” Stargazing was something she’d never gotten a handle on when she took Astronomy a few years prior. Something about being up that late and trying to chart stars didn’t work well with her circadian rhythm. Doing it for fun was a bit different though. This was the first time she was actually looking forward to it.

rhys alexander greyback ● 444 ● Opera by Claudio Simonetti

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[rhys alexander greyback]

just us, you find out

December 24, 2016
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys had never intended to be such an intensely private person. It just happened. Part of it was his reluctance, at first, to engage with his peers. The looks they gave him—some of curiosity and others he couldn’t identify at the time. Later he realized it was pity, which he didn’t want. The details of his life were known to whomever Rhys had purposefully told. The last thing he wanted was to be the subject of some cruel rumor. For example, his friends knew he lived in an orphanage, and they could write him there. They knew Fenrir had killed his mother and bitten Rhys before his fifth birthday.

But Sarah knew some of the deeper details, such as the things Rhys had seen. But she was a werewolf whom Fenrir had also bitten alongside her older brother. There was a different connection there. And all the rest he kept to himself. Rhys didn’t want people’s pity, and he felt lucky his nightmares had settled into something manageable by the time he started school. Rhys knew Juniper was curious. He knew when people were. The questions all sounded the same in their approach—cautious but focused. It was easy enough to deflect when nobody had leverage to use.

Things like the Astronomy tower had inadvertently just become his things. And his friends always went home for the break, so he never brought it up. But he hadn’t really thought about it until Juniper asked just now. Rhys swallowed nervously. He hadn’t even realized how easily he had just shared this with Juniper, not questioning himself or hesitating in the slightest. ”Uhm—you can see many constellations and Venus this time of year.” Clearing his throat, he focused on the present. ”And the meteor shower is in the northeast. We just need to find the constellation Gemini.”

But even just sitting there, the sky clear of clouds and any light pollution. Well, it was a sight and a calming one—at least for Rhys. There were few things that could really calm Rhys. This was one of them. He spent his days so tense and on alert. He didn’t realize how wound up he’d get until he’d trekked here after failing to fall asleep. They were almost there, just one more floor and then a left, and they’d be at the tower's base. Rhys could always tell. It was a little colder on the upper floors. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach gnawing at him, but he couldn’t really tell what it was. But it grew the closer they got to the tower, which was quickly approaching. ”The tower should be just up ahead.”

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Of all the classes she had taken over the years, Astronomy was not only her weakest but also the one she knew the least about. She figured that Rhys had probably been in it with her when she'd taken it, though such a thing had never crossed her mind until now. Five years of stargazing, and while she passed the OWL for it, very little of the subject actually interested her. Thus, she knew what Rhys meant by locating Gemini and roughly where they would need to look in order to find Venus, but that was about it. Everything else had been replaced in her brain by hew NEWT classes, which were infinitely more important to her. She sort of looked forward to having Rhys point everything out, in turn reminding her of what she had already forgotten in a few short months. It was honestly amazing how quickly she'd shoved almost all of Astronomy out of her head. "That shouldn't be too difficult," she answered nonchalantly, despite only vaguely remembering where both landmarks were in the night sky.

As they climbed closer and closer to the Astronomy Tower, Juniper had lost all sense of distance. Thankfully Rhys seemed to know how many floors they had gone up already, indicating that they were close. When was the last time she had to go all the way up here? Not this term at all, so probably the last time the fifth years had an Astronomy class before the OWL exam was held. Her legs were definitely going to be hurting tomorrow morning after this. The stairwell had started to become draftier as well, another sign that they were close to the towers. If not for the cup of hot chocolate in her hands, she probably would have had to slip her mittens on already. Not that such a thing was required when they had two wands between them and the ability to cast warm air charms. Those would dissipate fast in the cold December air of the Astronomy Tower, but it was a tool they could use nonetheless.

"Does Alohomora even work on classroom doors? I've never actually tried before..." Obviously, because she followed the rules. Not tonight though! This whole thing was sort of thrilling, and the excitement was only building with each step of the moving staircase that she took. What had once been nerves was now a jolt of adrenaline, which was soon going to be replaced by freezing her butt off. But it was all going to be worth it. Even if there ended up being clouds, she still had cinnamon cookies and hot chocolate. And Rhys's eyes to look at.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

just us, you find out

December 24, 2016
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Astronomy always fascinated Rhys. While he had very few memories of his time with his mother, he did remember some parts. Sitting outside in their front yard to see the stars on a moonless night. And going to the beaches in Wales. These were peaceful things for Rhys, though at Hogwarts he couldn’t see the ocean, but he could see the stars. None of the careers Rhys was aiming for required Astronomy at the NEWT level, but Rhys kept it in his schedule since he enjoyed the topic. Whether or not Juniper found it interesting, Rhys didn’t know, but she wasn’t in his class this year. It didn’t bother him if she didn’t. It was just nice to have company.

Rhys had a hard time suppressing a slight grin. She seemed excited. Or maybe it was just the prospect of breaking the rules. It was endearing, but it made Rhys feel good because at least she was enjoying her time. ”It depends who locked the room.” Rhys answered. Some professors put more effort into locking their offices and classrooms, not that Rhys had tried to sneak into an office before, but he’d overheard other students in the Common Room. ”I’ve never seen the Tower locked.” It would be a hassle for students arriving at random times to finish their charts.

Finally, they reached the Tower’s base, and Rhys could already feel the chill. However, he felt it far less than the average person might. He motioned for Juniper to walk up. First, there were just a handful of steps, and they could finally sit. The Tower wasn’t large, but it wasn’t small either. The door to the stairs shut behind them, and Rhys paused a moment to marvel at the clear skies. And even better, they were almost at a new moon which let the stars take over the sky. ”We got lucky the full moon was earlier in the month.” Lucky in more ways than one. The last thing he wanted to do was spend his break feeling sick and tired and just very unpleasant.

The telescopes were closer to the edge of the Tower behind a wall. But Rhys turned to look at Juniper and ensure she was situated since it was rather cold. ”I know it's not much.” Again, Rhys lowered his own expectations. There was always that little part of him that wanted to jump up with excited energy, but he always felt a little afraid. What Juniper had asked him earlier got him thinking. What if she didn’t like this? It wouldn’t crush Rhys per se, but it would mean he’d hesitate more in the future with similar things.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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Juniper supposed it made sense that it was ultimately up to whomever was last in the tower. If it had been up to her, she would have always locked it just to keep students away. Not that the Astronomy Tower was dangerous - there were protections and safety spells in place to prevent any excited amateur astronomers from tipping over the railings. Rhys explained that he had personally never found it to be locked, which sort of surprised her for all of the aforementioned reasons. Now during break it sort of had a pass, only because there were so few students lurking about that it really didn't matter. If they had the time and means to crack a lock, they could eventually get it. She was pretty sure she could transfigure the doorknob into a flower faster than it took her to actually cast alohomora.

Content with the fact that the door was probably going to be unlocked and the tower free for them to use as they pleased, Juniper's excitement started to wane as they finally reached their destination. The nervousness was starting to creep back in, just like the cold air, and she wavered slightly in the entranceway as Rhys opened the door for her. Taking the first few steps definitely made her feel uneasy about this whole thing again, but they had walked all the way up here and she couldn't help but feel how much of a waste it would be to head back down already.

Being exposed to the elements was extremely jolting, and if there had been any sleepiness trying to creep up on her, it was instantly gone. Once she found a place to set her cup down, Juniper immediately slipped her hat and mittens on, making sure the wool cap was pulled snuggly over her ears. The problem with this one was that it had a bad habit of pushing her glasses down her nose. So much for trying to be 'trendy' or whatever. Her sister had been the one that picked out the giant frames, exclaiming that they looked really good on her. Which Juniper agreed on, except they got in the way a lot.

The tower itself was about how she remembered it, minus a class being held. Having it to themselves was definitely going to be interesting, but it didn't seem too unnatural after trekking all the way up here without seeing another soul. "Could I try one of those cookies now? I've been waiting all month since you talked them up," she asked, stepping closer to Rhys, eyeballing the container the entire way. It was finally time for cookies and hot chocolate.

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