"Hello, Rosie," Hagrid greeted her as he ushered her inside. "Break's just started, then?"
Rose nodded. "Hagrid, I-"
"What've yeh got there?" Hagrid interrupted, peering down at the bundle in Rose's arms. "Is that an animal?"
"It's a dog," Rose explained. "I just saw it. It was lying in the snow all alone, and it didn't look like it belonged to anyone, so I took it. Would you be able to take care of it?"
Hagrid unwrapped the little dog, which sneezed. Rose laughed as he carefully began untangling the twigs from its sandy coat.
"Good boy," he murmured. "He's tame, innee?"
Rose smiled. Hagrid tugged at a particularly stubborn twig, and the dog whimpered. Rose tensed.
"My fingers are too big," Hagrid said regretfully. "Yeh migh' be able to help this little one, Rose. Just take 'im up to yer dormitory, and-"
"We're not allowed dogs, Hagrid," Rose said uncomfortably. "I wish I could, but-"
"Tell anyone who asks that I gave yeh permission," Hagrid smiled. "Care of Magical Creatures project."
"Magical?" Rose asked skeptically. Hagrid just laughed.
"Yeh can use warm water an' dittany to stop the bleedin'," he instructed. "Tell James an' the others I say hello."
Rose promised she would, and left the cabin, the little dog wrapped in her now-dirtied scarf.
"If nothing else, you're magically cute," Rose told the dog as she reached the castle. "Very magical, if you ask me. What am I going to call you?"
The dog did not offer any ideas, but he did wag his tail a little, within the confines of the scarf. Rose laughed.
"You're pretty perky," she told him. "Perky? Is that a good name?"
The dog yawned.
"Not so much, huh. How about Snowflake?"
The dog blinked sleepily.
"Tough customer. Hmm... how about Quicksilver? For the color of your eyes?"
If a dog could be said to nod, this one did. Rose laughed. "I can call you Silver for short. Come on, let's get to the common room so I can get you cleaned up a little. Wait until James and Al and Lil see you!"
