asking in vain // george weasley

chapter six

It's been over a week since I've seen the boys, but considering we don't have any classes together and I've been spending almost all of my free time with Hagrid, I wasn't entirely surprised.

Hagrid has just procured a group of young, orphaned clabberts. I was overjoyed when he first told me, and I have been working with them as much as possible.

They're really sweet creatures, and luckily for me the only thing they eat is other small creatures, because they have insanely sharp teeth. They were constantly nipping at my hands when we first got them in, but now they've come to realize that I am not food. I'm the one who gives them food.

The Ministry outlawed keeping them as pets a while ago, but Hagrid said a friend of his gave them to him, so I was welcome to keep one of I'd like, after they're all trained.

I was so excited, because these little guys have a nub on their forehead that glows red when they sense danger, like a muggle coming near or a dark creature or wizard. They were currently almost extinct, and if we were to release them chances are something in the dark forest would eat them quickly.

I was heading back to dorm after spending the entire afternoon and most of the evening at Hagrid's when I noticed flashes of red hair following me out of my peripheral vision.

I shook my head and came to a stop, listening. I heard some whispering to my left and just as I was going to turn that direction there was a tap on my shoulder. I whipped around to my right, to be confronted by Professor Snape.

"Miss December, I have something I need you to give to Hagrid when you see him tomorrow. It's a list of some ingredients I need from his creatures."

"Of course, Sir. I'll give it to him first thing in the morning."

"Very well." He handed me a piece of parchment and with a dramatic swish of his robes he was all but running away.

I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding and tucked the parchment into my robes.

"Wow, I thought he was going to give you a detention," a familiar voice rang out.

"Just for being a Gryffindor!" came a second one.

"That's the nicest I've ever seen Snape be to one of us," boasted a third.

I turned around and saw the twins and Lee with grins on their faces.

Shrugging, I said, "He's usually pretty nice to me. I've almost finished with his coarses and never gave him any fits. Plus lots of teachers give me requests for Hagrid."

"You know, I was wondering about that," Fred said.

"How do you manage to be at the Hut all of the time?" Lee asked.

"Well, I took a lot of classes my first couple years and actually managed to skip a year. So if I want to, I can graduate at the end of my sixth year. I'm debating staying a bit longer than that though, just to continue helping Hagrid. Then I can start my Magizoologist training."

"That's what my brother Charlie is, he's currently working with dragons in Romania!" George boasted.

I gave him a smile, "Well, I don't know about dragons or Romania for me. I was hoping for something closer, and with smaller creatures."

"Oh, like for the Ministry or something?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, probably something through them." There was a lot of places I could go, or I could even open my own place. I know I have a trust fund from my grandmother that could be used to buy a place... Assuming she gives me access when she learns what I want to use it for.