Checking out the Astronomy Tower pv Matthew Campbell

Felix gladly takes the offered blanket and settled down on the cushions.
Grinning at Matthew, he responds "You're welcome. It is great, right? Lots of people really don't appreciate views like this. A bunch are also just unwilling the break a couple of rules to see a view like this. They're missing out.". They certainly are missing out. Plus side of that is that the fact that lots of people won't break curfew for this means that there are hardly ever people here.

Even though he knows that, logically, breaking curfew could cause issues for him, the non-logical part was not caught up on that news. Like, the view is definitely worth it, and he couldn't sleep anyway. The non-logic parts were usually the more convincing ones.

Like, logically, procrastination causes you lots of problems. Non-logically, isn't it nice to procrastinate, literally doing nothing, or unproductive tasks that don't affect anything, negatively or positively?

The stars are stunning. He wasn't that happy about being back at school, but there are some good things about it.

Like the view from the Astronomy Tower. they only just got back to Hogwarts this year, an he should probably be focusing, but he doesn't really care right now.

There was a real wash of calm that moved between the boys as they sat mesmerised by the starlight. Up here where there was nothing but the night sky and silence the boys brain that often worked in overdrive was able to tranquil itself. Watching Felix lose himself in thought he offered his entire attention to the constellations above. Out there blanketed by eternal dark space they burned so brightly that even from this distance they were able to bless Matthew's brown eyes, illuminating the flickering gold within them.

Then there was the moon, by far his favourite celestial body. Reminiscing over memories of stargazing with his father he sensed that his friend was doing the same. How similar they truly were, both habitually found themselves lost in thought. It was comforting to have someone around him that felt so similar, having always been an outcast Felix's acceptance and commonality made their bond even stronger.

Refocusing his attention on the boy he smiled gently before throwing a small pillow at his head enough to bring him back to the present a laugh replacing the silence of the tower. "Anyone that isn't willing to risk detention for this is an idiot! What made you first come up here anyways? Did you know about it before we started or were you just exploring, either way I'm glad you did. The world feels so free up here." Being muggleborn Matthew had already experienced just how unprepared they were in comparison to other students but that's what made Felix so great. With Felix he never had to be embarrassed or feel stupid as although he was a half-blood he attended the same schools as Matthew had. Truly he was the best of both worlds.

Felix ducked just a bit too late to avoid the pillow.
"I read about the tower, in Hogwarts, a History. It's a pretty boring book mostly, but I like history, and I've survived much more boring stuff. Definitely worth it this time.". For once, his paranoia of being behind in knowledge has paid off. He probably would have taken absolute ages to find this on his own.

Often, Felix goes very quickly between phases of being very cautious and terrified of getting in trouble, to just being like 'Screw the rules, I'm gonna do it.'. This has gotten Felix in quite a lot of trouble, as well as a reputation with his old teachers as being unpredictable.

He still finds it great that Matthew still wants to hang out with him. Most people leave him after, like, one conversation. Or Felix feels like he's annoying them and stops talking by himself. Matthew has stayed his friend since the start of last year. They have a bunch of similar interests, so they get along quite well and it's great.
Many of their similar interests have the ability to get them in trouble with the teachers, but they get away with things.

Soft murmuring could be heard in the darkness, along with the shuffle of cushions and robes on stone. A dark shape in the wan light of Moon and stars stood in the doorway, observing. The shape had paused before stepping away from the door, listening. A smile crossed its face. The first pair of miscreants out after curfew and up on the Astronomy Tower! Professor Starwise chuckled to himself. Clearly these two had not been paying attention in class when he explained that kids caught up here would be summarily yeeted from the parapet!

The figure in the shadows listened for a bit. Boys voices were talking. Eager. Concentrated. Excited. Most kids who snuck out at night were up here in order to plan some prank or mischief. The figure smiled again. Hadn't he planned his own share of mischief up here in some quiet nook, away from the prying eyes of Prefects?

Away from the notice of even the Astronomy Professor?

CLACK! CLACK!

The figure in the shadows stepped out onto the floor of the tower roof. All the roof top telescopes, enchanted against the weather --- unlike the students who sometimes had to brave terrible weather to observe stormy skies --- were in their places as were the stone seats, the cushions and the various other fixtures set about the place. Well, most of the cushions! One of the telescopes had been acting up and needed attention before any other students were kicked in the shins by the truculent tripod.

Professor Starwise looked neither right nor left, nor especially down, as he passed where the two boys were stretched out star gazing. Stepping over to the misbehaving telescope, he said aloud: "Ah! It's a good thing there are no idiots up here tonight!" Memories came back of himself and Willy "Winky" Willoughby and Bart "Don't Call Me Barty And Please Don't Call Me Bartholomew" Evans up here planning to prank the Ancient Runes professor by charming his black board to write something witty.

"It's a shame in a way, really. You get the best views up here in the middle of the night." The telescope's tripod tried to kick Professor Starwise in the shins. He deftly shifted out of its angry path. A slight gesture, perhaps a sign of magic being performed, stopped the wayward device in mid attack, freezing it in a slightly bent position.

Stealing a glance downward and the side, the Professor gauged who he was dealing with. Of course. Hawthorne and Campbell. He recalled them both from last year. Two ophidians is the same den of snakes. Short, mousy brown hair generally uncombed. Crumpled Slytherin robes. Indiviudally, nondescript in every way. If he recalled right, one was Muggleborn and the other Halfblood. Still new to magic, yet eager in their own ways. Together? Together, Starwise wondered. Sometimes the friends you made in first year turned out to be enemies by third. Sometimes kids just --- vanished. Lost somewhere in vast underdungeons of the castle or absorbed into its walls. These two had the makings of an interesting friendship. The one outgoing and keen, the other reserved and creative. Judging by the fantastical doodlings on his astronomy homework, that is!

"I wonder what brings two Slytherins up here so late at night? Could it be they don't like their deep subterranean, indeed their verily chthonic lodgings down in the House of Salazar Slytherin?" He turned to face the pair at last. There was a hint of a smile on his lips, but mostly in his eyes. He looked up into the heavens above. "If I had to wager a guess, it might just be that the two of you just want to look at the stars!"

Professor Starwise began to pace the floor, one finger resting on his pursed lips, as if deep in contemplation of some complex riddle. "But! What to do about" --- he waved his hand almost dismissively --- "school rules?" CLACK! CLACK! "I dare say! By rights, they should be yeeted from to Tower for being up here so late at night! What say you boys?" He turned back towards the two students. "Astronomy is much more fun than any detention! And any good Slytherin knows it's wiser to avoid detention rather than earning detentions like the Gryffindors!"

CLACK! CLACK!

"I have it! Look there!" His hand raised towards the sky. "There, west of the galaxy, Serpens chases after the Northern Crown in the sight of Hercules! Put your heads together young snakelings and tell me what you think! What are these signs, and what do you think they mean? What are their stories?" Some might say that such questions more befit a Ravenclaw, who probably knows the myths and meanings behind these signs as well as he knows his own name. But Slytherins were no less wise, and often craftier. Professor Starwise sat down on one the ancient stone benches to listen to what the kids had to say.

Felix was exactly the friend Matthew needed after everything of their first year and he was resolved to make more of an effort to nurture their friendship this year especially if the 'screw the rules, I'm gonna do it' mentality was a permanent fixture. There was just something comforting about knowing they both didn't fully fit in whether at home nor at school yet and having each other was like the cure to it. Especially now that Rowan was gone it felt more vital than ever he make effort to really take notice of those that treated him well, and Felix was certainly one such person. Matthew had so much he wanted to say but often found himself silenced by the insecurity of anxiety and so he simply smiled as Felix had continued to speak watching him with warm affection.

Suddenly the perfect solitude of silence was broken as a familiar voice filled the echoing room of the empty Astronomy Tower. Seemingly it wasn't quite as empty as either party had expected and yet even with the threats from their rather peculiar yet sweet professor, no real malice entered the space. Idiot or not the professor hit the mark with his secondary statement - it was practically criminal to deny the students access to such magnificent sights so rules would have to be dismissed, even if it landed him a plummet from the tower at the very least his final moment would be filled with a view to rival the heavens.

Yet the professor did not proceed to yeet them as such and instead turned his focus to the very stars that stole their own gaze. As he marvelled at the shared sight he began to pick out constellations drawing the boys sight to constellations that Matthew felt all too familiar with. So much so that when Professor Starwise joined them on a nearby bench he was all but too keen to share the answers. Being a Slytherin, however, the young snake new exactly what wisdom and craftiness were and being sure to do his upmost to avoid detention he started saying, "Our apologies Professor but the alure of the stars was too powerful a draw on such a beautiful night. Our common room while majestic merely benefits from the starlight that dances through the lake windows and a sight like this needs to be cherished." A look of wonder filled the boys face who had turned to look at the Professor and brimmed with the excitement of a new year. It was already off to such an interesting start that seemed bound to teach him far more than the previous so an opportunity to have a private astronomy conversation with a favoured teacher filled the boy with delight.

After the apologies had been made Matthew drew his finger to point out the largest of the constellations Starwise had mentioned and watching as the vision of Hercules burst into life within his mind he couldn't resist but smile. Staring up at the bat wielding, kneeling man draped in the cape of Nemean lion he could hear the words of his father telling him bedtime stories about the ancient Greeks and decorating the ceiling of his bedroom crafting a painted landscape of the stars above. Even on a night of polluted skies Matthew would fall asleep under the constellations and remember the myths that surrounded them.

"My dad used to read me Greek myths when I was a kid, feels like a lifetime ago now but I still remember the stories. Hercules was the roman variation of the Greek hero Heracles who is rumoured to himself be a version of Gilgamesh from Sumerian legend. Anyways Hercules or whatever you prefer to call him was a son of Zeus and after killing his family due to Hera's wrath for being used to bring him immortality he sought repentance. Finding the Oracle of Delphi he ended up in the service of a king who set him on a series of 12 trials known as the labours of Hercules and upon completing them he married the love of his life but even that wasn't to last as she attacked him spurred by jealousy. In the end Heracles burned himself on a pyre returning his mortal half to the earth and giving his immortal half to Zeus who placed him in the skies forever. At least that's how the muggle tale goes. Some of the constellations that surround him are representative of his trials like Draco and Cerberus. I'd like to say I hope these stories are real like I discovered Merlin was but given the dark nature of the gods punishments I'm not sure we'd be so grateful if they were."

As Matthew finished his story he turned his attention back to the stars and thought of the real hope he wished. The young Slytherin hopes that not only the immortal heroes got to be placed in the sky but that up there somewhere burning with all the power and passion of a star was his mother. From all the stories he had heard of her she was the kind of person that deserved to be immortalised in their fiery light. Over the summer he had beseeched his father to arrange an appointment with the jewellers who had his mother's ring resized to fit him. No longer would it hang purchase around his neck but he wore it proudly on his hand the Baltic amber glimmering in the twinkling starlight.

Having already been caught it seemed a waste to throw away an opportunity to know his professor more and given his question it seemed Starwise was in a forgiving mood at least for the motivation of education. Rolling his head on his knees to reface the professor with his most innocent smile that couldn't hide the intrigue and curiosity flickering in his eyes he asked, "Professor, what's your favourite constellation?" Throwing a look at Felix he couldn't help but wonder if his friend was as intrigued as he.

"Yeah, what's your favourite?" Felix seconds the question. It seems that the professor is in a good mood right now, seeing as he hadn't officially given them detention or yeeted them off the tower.
He's interested in the answer to Matthew's question for multiple reasons. First of all, it might help distract Professor Starwise from the fact that they are breaking curfew, and, secondly, he is genuinely interested in what the astronomy professor would say.

He sits quietly and waits for the answer, hoping that, since they had yet to get in trouble, maybe they just wouldn't.

Felix had known the story about Hercules, but it was still interesting to hear someone else telling it. Plus, Matthew's comment on the Greek God's types of punishments and sense of concequences was quite true.
There would probably be some pretty crazy modern stories if the gods were real.
He had always liked the stories, but never really wanted them to be true. Not only did those kinds of stories tend to be rather gruesome, he just doesn't like the idea of someone having that much power over the world. His dad never told him that many stories, never really seeing the value of it, and his grandma thought most of them were too violent to tell someone of his age, but he knew them from books and things.