[Ailsa Alexander]

Taking a stroll down to the greenhouses, Ailsa had to get away from it all. This war was taking its toll on her. Not knowing where her father was or knowing if her mother and younger sister were ok, Ailsa just needed to be among the plants where she always felt at home. Walking up to a plant, Ailsa leaned her nose into it to smell it. It smelt like heaven to her. Moving away from the plant, Ailsa started to sing softly to herself, nothing important, just words she made up. It was off-key, but it sounded ok to her. "I wish a war wasn't going on. I wish that things were better. It would be better if this war was over and everyone was happy with no one dying."

Ailsa walked over to another plant picking up a watering can as she did so. It felt so freeing down here taking care of the plants. Tipping the water can close to the plant, she started to pour the water in. Sure she could use magic to water the plants, but it wasn't the same as doing it the muggle way. At least here, the Carrows couldn't get to her, or at least she was safer out here. Once the plant was water, Ailsa walked over to another plant, but not noticing the hose in the way, Ailsa tripped over it. She fell to the ground, not being able to catch herself in time. "I'm alright," she said to herself, getting up and hoping no one saw that.

A second later, Ailsa heard a noise that startled her. She looked around. "Who's there, said Ailsa pulling out her wand.

Nowadays, you couldn't be too careful even at Hogwarts. Nowhere was safe. "Hello," Ailsa called out again.

[Karys Montgomery]

Karys never thought she'd be tired of Hogwarts, but here she was, hiding in a greenhouse and playing around with some simple, harmless spells to keep her mind off the chaos that was present-day Hogwarts. She wished she was out there in the big world, fighting the war alongside her parents, regardless of what side they were on. At least then she'd know where they were and what they were up to. Alas, she was stuck here finishing her 'education' as her parents had apparently demanded. She wasn't even sure if she was still receiving an education - more like 'how to torture first years'.

Sitting on the cold floor, Karys decided to move to the adjacent greenhouse before her bum went numb. She paused with her hand on the door handle at the sound of someone moving around inside. Her heart started to beat slightly faster, worried that it may be one of the Carrow spies. Gripping her wand, she opened the door as slowly and as quietly as she could. The hinges decided to let out the loudest creak ever and Karys swore inwardly. The other person now aware of her presence, Karys walked boldly but cautiously into the light, her wand held out in a slightly threatening manner. The site of the Hufflepuff uniform made her relax a little, but Karys didn't let her guard down. You never knew who you could trust anymore.

[Ailsa Alexander]

Seeing the wand in the girl's hand, Ailsa backed up a bit, bumping into a table that let off a loud noise as a potted plant fell to the ground. The door creaking had made her jump again. Aisla was nervous. She came out to the greenhouses to escape, and it was rare that she ran into anyone, let alone a girl who looked to be a Gryffindor. "Sorry, I am normally not this jumpy," Ailsa spoke to the girl.

Her nerves were getting the best of her. Add in the fact that the girl had her wand pointed this way didn't help. Deciding the best course of action was to take a step forward, Ailsa put her wand down at her side. While it was a stupid move, Ailsa wasn't known for her smarts anyhow. She took another step forward before putting her wand away. Ailsa was sure she could trust the girl. "Hi, I am Ailsa, and I just had to get away for a bit. You know it's crazy out there, and I rather not be here," Ailsa said, but she was now rumbling stuff that the person probably didn't care to hear, or maybe she did.

Ailsa sure didn't know either way. "So, who are you?" Ailsa asked.

[Karys Montgomery]

Karys held her wand steady while the girl spoke. She sounded earnest enough and looked adequately frightened for her not to be a Carrow spy. She couldn't imagine a Hufflepuff as one anyway. Karys slowly lowered her wand, her heart rate returning to normal as the adrenaline wore off.

"Karys, seventh year Gryffindor," Karys said, tucking her wand back into her cloak. "Sorry I wasn't sure if you were a Carrow or one of their lackeys. It seems we have picked the same hiding spot."

Karys cautiously peeked out of the greenhouse windows, wary of any unwanted guests that may overhear their conversation. Satisfied that there was no one else around, she sat down on a bench and stretched her legs out. "So Ailsa, how successful have you been at avoiding the Carrows?"

[Ailsa Alexander]

Relief washed over Ailsa as the girl spoke. It was plain to see as she spoke that she didn't have to worry about her being a Carrow spy, which were good things. Ailsa relaxed a bit more by releasing the tension that was in her shoulders.

"Ailsa Alexander, 5th year Hufflepuff," Ailsa replied. She smiled at her. "It's ok. You never know with people nowadays. It is better to be safe than sorry. It seems we have. I find it relaxing out here tending to plants."

There was another smile on Ailsa's face. She relaxed even more as she looked around the greenhouses. "So far, I have avoided them very well, but I don't know how long it will last. Just trying to stay off their radar. I don't want no trouble," Ailsa told her.

[Karys Montgomery]

"You're doing pretty well then," Karys said. And better than me, she thought to herself. If only she could avoid the trouble that always seemed to follow her, like her sister. Her parents did always say they were two sides of a coin, if only they were here to see how true that was. Karys shifted on the bench and a sudden pain shot up her back, followed by a sharp intake of breath. It was a coarse reminder from the Carrows of why you shouldn't disobey them too many times; the only reason why she wasn't in a worse condition was because of her blood status.

"What is it with you Hufflepuffs and plants?" Karys changed the subject, gesturing at the greenery that seemed to be the only thing thriving in Hogwarts at the moment. She did notice, however, that the number of flowers on them was rather lacking, and from what she remembered of her herbology classes, that wasn't simply due to season.

[Ailsa Alexander]

"Well, yea, but I have been lucky so far, and having a little brother helps. He seems to know how to avoid them most days," said Ailsa with a laugh. Oh, how I love having my brother here. Ailsa thought to herself.

Ailsa cracked a big laugh at that. "It's nice and quiet out here. Plus, we love to take care of things. To many of us Puffs,' it's a safe place to go when the going gets tough. I enjoy being around nature and all that it has to offer," replied Alisa.

She enjoyed the fresh smell of plants. Ailsa picked up a watering can and started to water a plant. "Do you have any hobbies or anything?" asked Ailsa, trying to be nice and polite.

[Karys Montgomery]

"I don't know how you lot do it, isn't it emotionally draining to be that caring all the time?" Karys watched the water fall onto the plant, it was almost hypnotic and she had to admit that it was rather calming.

"Hobbies...?" Karys pondered on the word, trying to think of the last time she'd been able to really enjoy herself. She remembered the time a few summers back when her father taught her how to play wizards chess, it felt like a lifetime ago.

"I used to enjoy playing wizard's chess with my dad, I was never that good at it but he used to let me win every once in a while. I don't think he knew that I knew he was letting me win." Karys got up and paced about the greenhouse, absent-mindedly picking and poking at the plants, the sweet smell of asphodel sparking memories of the vast gardens she used to wander in summer back in Wales.

[Ailsa Alexander]

"Oh, it is for sure, but someone has got to do the job. If not us, then who? The world is full of hate, and we just need a little love and caring," Ailsa said in a dreamy voice.

She stopped the water from falling onto the plant. It felt like it had enough water now and fully fed. "Yea, hobbies," replied Ailsa.

"Wizard chess is fun, and that's great you got to spend time with your dad. Families are important. Props to your dad for letting you win. I enjoy playing wizard chess, but I'll never be good at it." Ailsa started to walk over to another plant. It was freeing to be able to talk to someone who wasn't a sibling.

[Karys Montgomery]

"You can say that again," Karys huffed. The world sure was full of hate right now and it was people like Ailsa that seemed to be emitting their good-naturedness onto others and holding onto the hope that things will get better. Karys had never thought much of the Hufflepuffs but in recent months, their implacable positivity and optimism had shown them in a different light.

"I think that was the last summer my sister and I got to spend with my parents, before they decided to disappear without so much as an explanation of where they were going or a goodbye," Karys' eyebrows furrowed and she started pulling apart a leaf that was unfortunate enough to be in front of her at that moment. "What about you anyway, your family safe out there?"

[Ailsa Alexander]

"Thanks, I think," Ailsa stated. She started to water the plant before softly whispering to it. It felt nice speaking to someone and being out in greenhouses. A second later, she stopped watering the plant. There was a small frown on her face as she thought about all the hate in the world and how she couldn't do anything about it.

"I am sorry to hear that," Ailsa replied. It was sad to think about other families being pulled apart or leaving of their own choice. "My youngest sister and mother are safe, or at least they were the last time I talked to them. Mum doesn't write much for fear of us kids getting hurt. My father, on the other hand, I have no idea. He went on the run not too long ago. None of us heard anything from him."

[Karys Montgomery]

Karys wandered back to the bench and planted herself back on it with a humph. Hearing these stories of families going on the run never to be heard from again hit a little too close to home for her. If only her own parents had told her what they were up to, then at least she'd have a little peace of mind. At the moment, all she felt was useless, sitting around at Hogwarts when she could be out in the real world making a real difference in this war. She was practically an adult anyway.

"Good to hear your mum and sister are safe, for now anyway. I'm sure your dad's out there somewhere, probably just lying low," Karys tried not to sound like her usual pessimistic self. Sitting on the bench, she dug out a small gold coin and fiddled absentmindedly.
"You ever think that we should be doing something more? You know, actually fighting back - to make a real difference?" Karys spoke carefully, keeping an eye on the Hufflepuff.

[Ailsa Alexander]

Ailsa stood there, lost in thought for a short moment. Things were getting worse out there with not much that she could do. How she wished she was on the run with her father or at home with her mother. Touching a plant, Ailsa brought it to her nose to smell. It smelt so fresh and heavenly. The truth was she could stand here all day and smell it. "It is which I should be thankful for. Most likely or else trying to fight the bad guys," Ailsa said.

"We should be out there doing more. It sucks to be here in school not being able to fight back or help people heal. I wish I were out there doing more. Being here isn't helping, nor are we making a difference. If I could, I would run away to help in the fight or to protect people from getting hurt," Ailsa spoke as she looked over to Karys. "I wish they would let us do more because what the Carrows want us to do isn't right, and we could be doing better things."

[Karys Montgomery]

Karys was so glad that Ailsa shared her thoughts on fighting back. She was fed up with always hearing the professors and adults saying they need to stay at Hogwarts because it's safe, but Hogwarts definitely wasn't safe this year, and she was pretty sure they knew it too. Perhaps they didn't really know what to do either; that or they were too afraid to form a resistance. The only people that seemed to want to do anything about this situation was Dumbledore's army, but that was barely a quarter of the school. Either people were too young to know about it or they were too afraid to step out of line and disobey the Carrows. Perhaps it was time to start making a difference.

"I think it's time we students did something, stand up to the Carrows and show them we're not weak. They've been bossing us about and teaching us god-awful things for too long. If we don't do something soon, Hogwarts will be done for. Here," Karys tossed the golden galleon to Ailsa. "It's my Dumbledore's Army coin. I'm going to be speaking to Ginny Weasley about what we can do, you should join us."

[Ailsa Alexander]

It was a relief for Alisa to get that off her chest. She had been holding it in for so long and wasn't sure how much more she could take of not saying something. They needed to take a stand and take the school back from the Carrows. Show them who was really boss. Alisa started to fiddle with her hair a bit. Seeing something flying at her, Alisa caught it after almost dropping it.

"It's nice to know someone else wants to stand up to the Carrows. You are right. We need to do something. I agree if we don't, then it's done for. I can't stand by and let that happen. Thanks for the coin," Alisa said. She was freaking out on the inside. "I would love to join and help out. Just let me know what I can do, and thanks again. It's time we take a stand."