The Badger and the Snake

Chapter 3: The Garden

After a few classes, I had a free period of time, meaning I could wander the school however I wanted while waiting for the next class to start. Unfortunately, David was in Charms at this time, so we couldn't hang out. So, this free period mostly consisted of me just walking through Hogwarts aimlessly until I made it to the library, checked out a book, and then walked down to one of the main courtyards of the school. It was an especially nice day out today, with the sun shining out across the almost cloudless sky, and the air especially nice and warm for a spring day. There were more than a few spots to sit down and relax, and reading was one of my favourite pastimes. I read so much that I'm surprised I wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw. As I sat down a bench next to the fountain, I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. As I turned to follow it, I caught a glimpse of the same green uniform that I had seen earlier during my confrontation with Conrad. Now, the obvious answer was that it was just a regular Slytherin student walking across the courtyard, possibly on break like me, or just late to a class, but my gut told me that it wasn't the case. Against what was probably my better judgement, I closed my book and walked at a brisk pace after the person, so as to not attract attention. As I turned the corner, I saw the uniform once again whisk behind a wall, and I followed it slightly, now slightly intrigued. If it was just a regular student, why come this way? Every other classroom was on the other side of the tower, and only Filch ever came back here. I turned down the corridor, and understood why the person had come here.

I stood in front of what looked like a large gate made out of ivy, moss, roses, lilies, and dandelions, surrounded by a giant hedge pockmarked with even more flowers. My eyes widened. I had never been to this part of the school before, and I had never seen something this beautiful in my entire life. The plants were the greenest they could be, and they looked like they had been planted yesterday. Judging by how good they looked, I could assume they were enchanted somehow. As if to confirm my suspicions, the gate began to silently swing open on it's own, with seemingly no assistance from any outside source. As I passed through the two large green doors, I saw what they were guarding. It was a beautiful garden, full of flowers of every kind I could think of, and some I'd never seen before, which I guessed were exclusive to the wizarding world. Tiger lilies, violets, primroses, hydrangeas, tulips, everything. And there were several trees as well, with every kind of fruit. Apple, peach, plum, banana, coconut, you name it. It was a literal paradise on Earth. As I was busy admiring the flora, I was too distracted to notice the footsteps behind me, until someone grabbed me roughly by the back of my collar and forced me up against the tree trunk. I looked and saw Ophelia standing there, her wand pointed right at my face. "What are you doing in here?!" I raised my hands in surrender, not wanting to get hexed. "I-I'm sorry! I was just..." My mind raced as I tried to think of an excuse that didn't sound creepy. "I was walking around then I stumbled across this place. I didn't think anyone else was in here!" Her stormy grey eyes looked into my forest green ones, and she narrowed them, a suspicious look on her face. Then, as if she had decided, she lowered her wand and took her hand off my collar. "Fine. But don't ever come here again. And stop following me." Not wanting to argue, I walked out.