QLFC - Round 12 - Write about Ron's relationship with a teacher at Hogwarts - (object) Skull; (word) potential; (setting) Hagrid's Hut

HA - Performing arts - Write about someone who feels under appreciated

365 Prompts - (colour) teal

Holmes Mystery - (colour) teal

Gris Gris Bag - (character) Ron Weasley

Autumn Challenges - Days - World Teacher's Day - Write about a canon Professor

Autumn Challenges - Flowers - Goldenrod - Use the phrase Golden boy

Autumn Challenges - Audrey's Desert - Fresh Fruit - (action) eating

Word Count: 1097

Rock Cakes

Ron had been to visit Hagrid alone a few times now since he and Harry weren't speaking and he found comfort with the half-giant. Hagrid reminded him a lot of Charlie, his second eldest brother, the only other wizard Ron knew with a near unhealthy obsession with dragons. But no matter how often he came or how comfortable he felt with Hagrid, there was still something he found deeply unsettling about his hut.

Maybe it was because it was always so dark and grimy — the small windows were so dirty they did a better job of keeping the light out than letting it in and the roaring hearth fire belched thick black smoke that covered everything in a thin layer of soot. Or maybe it was the scattering of alarming artefacts that made Ron want to curl in on himself so he didn't touch anything. Or it could've been the sharp and dangerous looking hunters' weapons that hung on the walls.

"Well then, Ron. It's so nice of yer t' come visit me." Hagrid, who had been busy fixing the kettle over the fire, turned around with a big grin under the tangled and bushy beard. He puffed himself up and brought a plate piled high with buns over to place on the battered wooden table. "Even though yer not" — he coughed, looking suddenly awkward — "well, talkin' t' 'arry at the moment."

Ron felt his temper spike at the mention of Harry. Another reminder of the constant shadow that shrouded him. He wasn't Ron. No, he was Harry's little friend. The less impressive side kick to Hogwart's golden boy Harry Potter — the boy who lived and flouted all the rules for his own glory. His own potential which had already been swallowed by being the last Weasley son, was further smothered by his celebrity friend.

"I'm your friend too, Hagrid. I enjoy coming to see you. I don't need his permission or company to come visit you."

Hagrid didn't speak for a moment as he handled the steaming kettle and filled the cracked pot on the table. Ron felt suddenly ashamed at the way he had spoken to the gentle giant. It wasn't his fault that they were fighting and if he was honest with himself, the whole thing had gone too far now. There just didn't seem to be an easy way to get out of it, not without losing face.

"So, Hagrid, do you still like dragons?"

Ron had expected a reaction to this question, but he was nearly maimed as the giant kettle swung towards him as Hagrid whirled, his beard parting for a ginormous grin.

"Now tha's an understatement!" he gushed excitedly. "You'll never find a more majestic and gentle creature in the world than a dragon!"

Ron was tempted to point out that dragons were very clearly and historically not gentle creatures, but Hagrid had started digging through a draw on the other side of the hut before he could even open his mouth. All manner of clutter was thrown about in a haphazard manner, clattering and banging as they hit the wooden floor.

"Look at this!" He emerged once more, clutching a dragon skull bigger than Hagrid's own head and thumped it down on the table so hard Ron jumped in alarm. A smattering of teal coloured scales tinkled down around it. The skull was bleached white and cracked in various places, but the gaping eye sockets were still almost as scary as the full set of sharp and sparkling teeth. Ron had never, ever wanted to get this close to a dragon — dead or not. That was Charlie's job.

"This tooth here" — Hagrid jabbed a finger at the offending tooth — "was retractable! Almost like a vampire and was used for stabilising the food if it got too wiggly. Look, there's the gap in the skull for it to slide up in to." Wide eyed and alarmed at the enthusiasm, Ron could only nod. "And the saliva in these jaws has such a high boiling point that it could burn through layers of skin and material before it would even bubble. You know, because of the flames!"

"Yes, Hagrid, that's so cool, but I did have a point."

"And here—"

"Hagrid!"

The half-giant jerked up and looked at his smaller friend. He flushed a little, the skin Ron could see turning a ruddy shade, and sat down away from the still staring skull. "Sorry there, Ron, I go' a little carried away there."

"The reason I'm here is because I know how much you like dragons, and a little bird has told me that the first task is going to be all about dragons. Namely, stealing something from them."

It was as if all of his christmases and birthdays had come together, and Ron could see that Hagrid was fighting to control himself in the wake of this exciting news. But, to his credit, Hagrid took a large bite of a rock cake and let the young Gryffindor carry on.

"Next week, Charlie and a team of other dragon handlers from Romania will be transporting in four large dragons and keeping them inside the forest out of the way. Obviously, this is supposed to be a closely guarded secret that I shouldn't know and I certainly shouldn't be telling a professor that I know."

"No, of course not. Tha' could get you a detention." Hagrid shook his head solemnly.

"But you are still groundskeeper and it is very likely that you would stumble across this site by accident whilst doing your… er, ground keeping duties. So I'm just letting you know that in the next week, there will be a lot of unusual activity in the forest and not to be alarmed by it. You could even go for a walk without being alarmed by it." He coughed and hesitated. A small, nasty part of him was reluctant to say the next bit, but perhaps it was the best way to start building a bridge over their gaping problem. "Perhaps, Harry happened to be walking with you when you accidently found it."

It was so strangled and quiet a statement that it took a long moment for Hagrid to hear it through his euphoria — Ron thought he might have to repeat himself — but as the penny dropped, his eyes softened and some of the excitement left his body. The look he gave Ron was fond and almost affectionate as he tapped his nose and winked.

"Gotcha, Ron. I'll see it done."

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Much Love, MaryandMerlin x