Welcome to Gaia! ::

As you leave the sanctuary of the Hogwarts gates- you come to the expose that is the Hogwarts Grounds. If you look around you can see the lake, Quidditch pitch and even a small wisp of smoke, which marks the gamekeeper's hut. If you continue down the stone steps- you pass statues of former principals, famous witches and wizards and four magnificently tall statues of the four founders of Hogwarts, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. As you reach the bottom of the steps, you look up at the mountainside that surrounds the castle. The grassy slopes are perfectly green at this time of year and the very peaks of the mountains seem so close. As you turn towards the lake- you see groups of students dotted around. Some are sheltered underneath trees, some are walking on the lakes shore and some are just standing, gazing up at the castle with a mixture of awe and disbelief. To the left of the lake- you can just make out the Herbology greenhouses. Many dangerous plants reside in there and only the top years are allowed in greenhouse number 5- the most dangerous of all. You wonder what is in there- as you can see a faint green glow coming from the greenhouse, a sign that there is something extremely dangerous in there. Your eyes wander and you find yourself gazing at the forbidden forest. Many stories are circulating about this place of mystery and (not for the first time) you wonder what happens in there. What kind of mysterious beasts lurk in the shadows? The bell rings and you are forced to sprint back up the stairs. Your explorations has been cut short- but one day you will explore the rest of the grounds... one day...