Haunted: Chapter 1: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Still looking. That's what they were doing. Still looking for those damn Horcruxes. It was fall. The chilly wind flipped Harry's ever growing longer, jet black hair. He flopped his head in the opposite direction to counteract the unfair attack.
"We should probably set up camp soon,'' Hermione said from the front. "And get something to eat,'' Ron added. "I think I know where we are. I'll go ahead and see if the landmark that I know of is there,'' Hermione trudged off against the wind.
Moments later, the boys heard her calling. Harry quickly drew his wand and took off, prepared for the worst, Ron following suit just a few feet away. Ron's longer legs soon allowed him to catch up. "Hermione!" they rushed in.
"Oh no, Harry, Ron. Put your wands away,'' she turned to the side a bit more, only to reveal a small, odd looking creature. Harry thought it odder than anything that he had ever seen before, even for magic's standards. That was saying something.
The creature (that was the closest thing to describing it anyways) had the face of a cat, the body of a weasel, the front legs of a rabbit, the tail of a rat, and the hind legs of a tortoise, but with spikes on them rather than spurs.
"Hermione, what is that thing?" Ron took the words right out of Harry's throat, they had not had the time to recover from shock to reach his mouth yet. "I don't know, but it sure is sweet,'' she replied as the creature rubbed up against her while she pet it; letting out a weird cross between a trill, a purr, a frog's chirp, a bullfrog's croaking bellow, and a bird's whistle. "Ow!" Hermione yelped. Then she chuckled. "Its legs are a bit rough,'' she said.
Soon the boys were petting it as well. Suddenly, Hermione stood up and then jumped back as the animal tried to make another pass around her legs. "What's wrong?" Harry asked. He and Ron soon stood as well.
"My legs are getting sore from it rubbing against them, actually, they're kind of raw,'' she replied, rubbing her shins. "The campsite is just a bit ahead,'' she announced as she started back off. "I wonder what that thing was. What do you think, Harry?" Ron whispered. "I don't know, Ron. I don't know,'' Harry replied in a mumble.