Rooting Out Trouble (Patrol) :: OPEN

Patrol Thread
Greenhouse #2
10:45pm
15 Nov 2020

In five days she would be 15. FIFTEEN! All things considered this information was wild. After her summer adventures in the Amazon, and nearly dying, welcoming her birthday in a few days was more meaningful this year.

This late in the evening, walking around the greenhouses on patrol, left her mind open to wander. Thoughts about her family, old and new, her friends, her boyfriend, the pain and terror from the summer and classes were just a few things that her brain conjured up to think about.

The castle Greenhouses were where Matilda came to breathe. The humid air, floral scents wafting towards her as she walked down the aisles. The deep earthy aroma grounded her. When anxiety spiked or depression reared its ugly head, the greenhouse was where she went to feel better.

Today was different. Matilda wasn’t feeling bad, in fact she was feeling pretty good, but tonight was her patrol shift, and thankfully it was in the greenhouse. This worked in her favor. She wasn’t able to focus on greenhouse tasks, but she could inspect the plants and make notes about what needed to be done when she came back the next day.

After walking through the first greenhouse, she was entering greenhouse number two when she noticed the door was already open. “Well hell,” she whispered as she took her wand in hand and opened the door. The door creaked as she slowly opened it and sent her eyes left and right. It wasn’t clear if someone was in the greenhouse, or maybe the door had been left open. Either way, she was now on high alert. Tip-toeing into the building, heart pumping with adrenaline, she was at least happy to see that the plants looked intact. As she moved deeper in, wand raised, she called out loudly, “Is anyone there?”

“Is anyone there?”

"Bollocks," he spat beneath his breath. Evan hadn't planned on being found so quickly or easily. In his defense, this wasn't some master plan devised by anyone with an actual clue. Their herbology essays were due the next day and, while some had already turned in their assignment, the fourth-year snake had yet to start.

And, if there were essays already turned in, they would likely be stored in the one greenhouse that held the Herbology professor's office. Somewhere in that room, likely locked in her cabinet or desk, would be said essays and, once he found them, both he and Benji wouldn't have to actually work to get their work done.

A stupid plan, in hindsight, but those were common occurrences for Evander Whistler. At this point, breaking into the Greenhouse and coming prepared for a scavenger hunt sounded easier than actually writing the bloody thing. Truly, it was just less boring.

He hid behind one of the larger plants, ducking close to the ground, until he recognized the voice.

"Oh," he said loud enough for her to hear as he stood up, his hands held up in submission as he closed the distance between them.

"It's just you."

He had never questioned the staff as to why they'd selected Tilly as a prefect. She had always seemed too sincere to wield the sort of authority the badge required. Her red hair almost glowed in the low light, and her eyes sparkled like sapphires as they always had. They had been what had caught his attention first and foremost, when they were just first-years and he still had some level of self-respect. Evan couldn't even blame her for how fast their infatuation had cratered, no matter how good at it they had gotten.

"What's got you out here skulking about, Tils?"

Besides the obvious break-in.

"Oh,"Tilly’s head turned to the voice, realizing that it was very familiar as her eyes met those of her ex boyfriend. He had the most interesting eyes, blue with a hazel ring in the center. Green in some lights, blue in others, grey if the sky was just right. Once upon a time she would get lost in those eyes, not anymore. "It's just you."

“Rude much? What are you doing in the greenhouse at this hour?” Sure they were EX, but they were still friends. And because they were still friends, she knew this was not one of Evan’s normal hangout spots.

"What's got you out here skulking about, Tils?" Her eyes rolled, walking closer to Evan, or limping was more like it, Tilly hopped up on an empty workbench, wanting to take some pressure off her leg. After a long day of walking it was throbbing with a dull pain. “I’m on patrol, so I’m supposed to be here, you would be the one skulking about. Do I even want to know why you are in the greenhouse past curfew?”

Looking at the plants next to her, Tilly started picking off the dead basil leaves. Just a quick pinch of her fingers and the plant looked so much healthier. She had no control over it, if there was a plant that needed attention, her eyes would find it. Even in a garden of flowers, it was like she knew where the sick one was. Which one needed her attention.

Looking back at Evan, a small pile of fragrant basil leaves mounded next to her leg, she narrowed her eyes at him. “Please tell me you weren’t planning anything destructive. It would be me that would have to clean it up and that would really piss me off.”

What was he doing indeed?

Evan would never admit it, not even to her, especially when that prefect's badge shined despite the only light being the one coming out of her wand. His frown was palpable, a shake of his head on reflex, as he continued to tiptoe closer to her. There was a time he could have trusted her, but they'd changed a lot since then. It didn't take long for things to do so at Hogwarts.

They were still friends, to the extent Evan had friends at all. That just meant that Tilly wasn't one of the several people who loathed him. Those he could probably count with only his fingers and there would be a few left unused. He could take some responsibility for that, considering how reckless he was and how many classes he'd forced cancelled by taking things either too far or not showing enough discipline to keep things from escalating to the point where he'd put a small room of students in danger.

Letting out a sigh, he nodded to her pressing question. She was probably right. Tilly didn't want to know, and he'd welcome that. Almost condescendingly, he tried to tap her on the head like one might a newly met puppy.

"No, nothing too sinister. Wouldn't want you to have to lose any sleep over me, Ruby." A pet name, though it didn't sound nice or sincere when he said it. Plenty of people had called her Red, considering her hair. Evan had been the only one to be more exacting with his flirting. Anyone can say a color. It took the right sort of mind to remind her how she sparkled anytime he'd say it.

"I did come to steal some flowers. Figured it'd be the only way to apologize to my Head of House. Do you think Professor Roan prefers tulips or daisies?"

"No, nothing too sinister. Wouldn't want you to have to lose any sleep over me, Ruby." Her eyes went to his, the look of annoyance, humor and loathing clear in her blue eyes. Freaking Ruby. He was the ONLY person aloud to call her that. When they had been dating, it was cute. Sweet even. Now? She wanted to poke him in the eye.

"I did come to steal some flowers. Figured it'd be the only way to apologize to my Head of House. Do you think Professor Roan prefers tulips or daisies?" With a snort, Tilly picked the nearest flower, a sprig of lavender and brought it to her nose. Relaxing immediately at the fresh scent. One of her favorites.

“I don’t know Evil. I think you’d do better with Venomous Tentacula. Daisies and tulips are too mundane. Although, some chomping cabbage or hellebore would probably be appreciated. Unless you’re trying to ask him out, then I’d go for the traditional roses.” Her recommendations of a venomous, carnivorous or poisonous plant would probably not get her extra credit points with the potions master, but they would be a lot better than daisies.

Tilly popped down off the workbench and walked around the greenhouse, looking over the plants, mentally cataloging a list of things that she wanted to work on. There were a few rosemary plants that were past the point of trimming. A basil plant that was bolting. The ginger needed to be harvested, processed and some dried. She loved the greenhouse, there was always more than enough tasks to work on.

“Well, Mr Vain, if you need help I’m here. I’ll even help you pick the most vicious Venomous Tentacula I can find. There’s even one that can shoot venom up to a meter. It’s very impressive.”

Of course, she'd take his offer seriously.

Evan shook his head to each of her responses. He had no idea what any of those magical plants were, but at least he wasn't stupid enough not to know what a rose was. He maybe could have faked interest in herbology when he was younger and the lessons were a whole lot simpler, but he wouldn't dare do so now. Especially when Tilly wasn't his to impress anymore.

"Traditional roses it is, then. Where are those?" She stood and he followed, but she didn't make any straight line for the roses. Maybe she did know he was just joking and wasting time. And, since she seemed to be making herself at home, it was likely that she knew he was up to no good and she would make sure to keep him from doing anything that would get them in trouble.

“Well, Mr Vain, if you need help I’m here. I’ll even help you pick the most vicious Venomous Tentacula I can find. There’s even one that can shoot venom up to a meter. It’s very impressive.”

He could have made a crude joke about something spewing an entire meter, but he didn't know if they were there yet.

"I think I'm better off with the roses," he asserted. Sighing, he did make sure his steps fell in line with hers. It wasn't often that the two were alone. He'd be lying if he said he didn't miss her spunk. Their relationship had flamed out almost as fast as it had started, but they shouldn't be blamed for that. It was mainly hormones and not much else deeper. But that didn't mean there couldn't be.

"Are you happy?" He asked, plainly.

"I don't just mean with what's his face. I mean in general."

"I think I'm better off with the roses," Tilly smiled and directed him towards the simple, yet gorgeous blooms. The greenhouse held a wide range of colors to choose from. Mainly used in potions, white doing vastly different things than say a red or orange.

“So, what do you want to say with your roses? Red means passion and love. So, that probably isn’t appropriate. Coral stands for desire and excitement… If you pick that one, we will need to have a MUCH more interesting talk. Hmmm, there is blue. They represent mystery, magic and the supernatural. That might be more up your alley. Or you can just go on looks.”

She was absolutely giving out WAY more in formation than was needed in this instance, but honestly she couldn’t help herself. Plant knowledge just floated out of her without her

"Are you happy?" That simple question stopped her in her tracks. She turned to look at him, wondering what he meant. "I don't just mean with what's his face. I mean in general."

Her lips quirked up, a small smile playing at her lips. Was she? “Yeah, I’m happy. It’s been a rough year, after my accident over the summer and the recovery, but I’m doing better. And REN and I are good,” she said, emphasizing his name.

“I have my good days and bad, like everyone else. I just shoot for more of the good. How bout you. You doing ok?”