The tiles were slick with water and unlikely to dry soon, given the cool air. It was irritating, but not as much of a problem as a downpour would have been. Alex liked the time after rain – the air felt different. Not the abrupt change that came after a summer storm made everything smell of petrichor, but still different, and they were early enough in autumn that the constant damp and rain wasn’t yet depressing.

She was sufficiently familiar with the roof of Hogwarts not to be too timid, but there were still areas she avoided – particularly those with large drops on one side. Perhaps any roof climbing was dangerous, but Alex preferred not to cross into foolhardy territory. Walking slowly along a ridge, she came to a halt when she saw another figure.

It took a moment before he straightened enough to confirm that it was indeed Marco, and she called out to him, waving to make sure she had his attention before continuing on at a slightly faster pace, turning left when she reached the end and moving towards him. He was – to the best of her knowledge – the only other person who she would be inclined to seek out on the rooftops of Hogwarts. Not that she had been doing so in order to see him, which would be a slim chance for a large risk, but his appearance wasn’t a surprise to her either.

It wasn’t long before they met, though longer than she would have liked, and when they did, she nodded in place of a greeting, “Sit? Or carry on climbing?” She, personally, would have preferred to sit rather than climb and talk, but she wouldn’t be unhappy to climb, either, “Or part ways, if you want.”

He remembered the first time that he had ventured onto the rooftops of Hogwarts. Marco had been a first year then, and looking for  a quiet but exhilarating part to read his Man-Ticore comic books. The roof was his favorite part of the castle-- and he had explored nearly every bit since his first year. Marco was confident that only one other student could say the same. Alexandra Carstairs was remarkably not-annoying, and sometimes downright pleasant to be around. Marco enjoyed her company, even though exploring at high altitudes was usually a personal, singular adventure.

Marco got the best grip when he was barefoot-- but it was cold and wet outside, and his shoes gripped well enough. This was not an upsetting thing-- no-- being on the rooftop after a storm or during a storm was perfect in a way he could not describe. It was like he could feel the pressure change in the air, the slight electricity, the static of the cold.

When Marco saw Alex, he greeted her with a brief smile.

Climbing or sitting?

"Let's climb to the next level, then sit." He suggested, "We'll get a better view that way." The tiles and bricks were slick with rain, so climbing would be an extra fun challenge.

Though if worse came to worse, he could always use a gripping charm to help if need be.