House: Gryffindor
Category: Themed (Pets)
Prompt: Ministry of Magic
Word Count: 938
Hermione glanced up at the large clock in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. 'Where is he?" she thought impatiently. Her internal question was suddenly answered with a loud crash from somewhere around the floo grates.
When she arrived on the scene, she found a half dozen disgruntled witches and wizards trying to pick themselves up off the ground. Annoyed, the mass of bodies refused assistance from the half giant who created the whole mess.
"Hermione!" Hagrid smiled when he spotted her. "How're ya doin'?"
"I'm well, Hagrid." She smiled warmly at her old friend. "I thought you were going to be taking a portkey into the Ministry today?"
He grinned sheepishly. "Well, the thing about that ya have to understand is I was holding onto the dainty little tea cup ya sent me for a portkey. Had it in me pocket all morning to make sure I din't miss it. But then I forget about it when I was tending the giant pumpkins for the Halloween feast. The darn thing got crushed ya see, so I had to take the floo from Professor McGonagall's office."
'Note to self,' Hermione thought, 'Send Hagrid more indestructible portkeys in the future. Maybe a metal beer tankard?'
"Well I'm glad you made it nonetheless. If you'll follow me to my office, we can get the paperwork done and have you back to Hogwarts in a jiffy."
"This seems very official Hermione," he commented. "Yer goin' through a lot of effort for little ole me."
She smiled. "It's all part of my job. As the new Deputy Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, I'm trying to revolutionize the way we keep records of domesticated magical creatures."
She swept into her office and gestured to the oversized loveseat she'd had brought in specifically for this meeting with Hagrid. Despite the adequate size, the somewhat dainty furniture still protested under his weight as he settled into the seat.
"I brought all me old paperwork. After the incident with Malfoy and Buckbeak, Professor Dumbledore had asked me to keep a record of all the beasts I brought in for Care of Magical Creatures class."
Hermione nodded as she quickly reviewed the paperwork he produced. It was rudimentary, but would get the job started. "I understand you've acquired a new pet as well. We will have to register it as well if it is a magical creature."
Hagrid's face broke out into a proud, toothy grin. "He's just a baby in an egg right now. Fang is bein' a good big brother and keepin' him nice and warm while mummy's away."
'An egg? Oh dear,' Hermione moaned to herself. "Hagrid," she said gently, "What sort of creature will hatch out of this egg? You already know that you are forbidden to keep dragons as pets after the incident with Norberta."
He scowled. "Vastly misunderstood beasts, dragons are. But no, it's not a dragon. I did a little trading with a friend from Greece. He had a chimera egg that he was just dyin' to get rid of. Can't imagine why.." he trailed off.
Hermione's jaw dropped. "Hagrid! You can't keep a chimera as a pet! They are category XXXXX non-domesticated beasts. Their eggs are Class-A Non-Tradeable Materials! You could be charged and brought before the Wizengamot for having brought it into Britain!"
"Oh," he deflated. "I din't know that." He gulped. "Are ya gonna turn me in, Hermione?"
"I should! You can't keep trying to domesticate these very dangerous category XXXXX creatures. They are classified for a reason; they're impossible to train. To have them as pets at all, let along in a school, is reckless." She sighed, "But I will let you off with a warning this time. Please Hagrid," she pleaded, "don't try to keep any magical creatures above category XXX as pets. No more dragons or acromantulas! I'll be agreeable to allowing you to include category XXXX beasts in your lesson plans, but those creatures need to be temporary."
Hagrid snuffled at being chastised, but nodded. "I understand, Hermione. But what will I do with Bartholomew?"
"Bartholomew?" Hermione asked, confused for a moment before realization dawned. "You named the chimera egg, didn't you?"
"He's got to have a name, dun'he?"
Hermione fought the urge to shake her head. "You've got a good heart, Hagrid. But Bartholomew will have to be relocated back to Greece. There's a research reserve on the Aegean peninsula that takes in chimeras and their eggs. I'm sure they're frantically trying to search down the egg that you have in your possession. I'll arrange for transportation this afternoon."
"Fang was lookin' forward to bein' a big brother."
'Fang would be flambéed by his "brother" if the chimera hatched in Hagrid's hut,' Hermione mentally hypothesized.
"Maybe he still could be," Hermione suggested. When Hagrid's head snapped up in curiosity, she continued, "Crups and Kneazles are always a good choice for pets."
"I might consider that. Yer Crookshanks was a fine part-kneazle. One of them would fit right in with me current pets."
"Shall I keep an eye out for breeders for you?"
"Thanks Hermione! I knew I could count on ya."
She smiled at her old friend as they completed the required paperwork. She thought that today had been very productive. She'd uncovered a missing chimera egg and potentially convinced Hagrid to opt for safer pets in the future. Perhaps now he'd refrain from trafficking in illegal magical creatures. At least, she hoped that he would; she'd hate to have to arrest him!