Walking out of the threshold of the castle, Aster headed to the designated greenhouse for their Herbology Class.
While walking, they couldn't help but to look around. Patches of wildflowers as far as the eyes can see and stood at the edge of everything was the Forbidden Forest. And to one side, the lake lays still, ever so often, something beneath it shifted beneath sending ripples to disturbed it.
Students were scattered across the grounds. Some lingers along the stone paths while others claimed spots on the grass. There were also students skipping stones on the lake and not far from them is someone practicing their spells.
Closer to the castle, there are students hurrying past, clearly late for their next class.
". . .at least I’m not the only one suffering," they muttered, eyeing the students rushing by.
A pause.
". . .though I did survive the stairs, so technically, I’m winning."
Aster finally arrive at their the designated greenhouse and once they entered, the magic in there was alive.
It was moving, not with the wind alone, but with something softer. It gently brush against their skin as it carried scents of the damp earth, crushed leaves, something faintly sweet and floral.
Then a leaf brushed against Aster's sleeve that made them froze.
The leaf stilled too.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then it shifted again, slowly reaching out, almost tentatively.
Aster stared at it.
". . .okay, that’s weird."
But they didn’t pull away.
Around them, other plants seemed to move in their own quiet rhythms. The leaf brushed their sleeve again.
Aster didn’t move.
". . .I’m leaving if you bite me."
