Last chapter before Quidditch Trials! Whoopee!
6th Year Care of Magical Creatures Class- All Houses
"Nate!" Oliver called. "Oi! Nate!" The 6th year jogged down the ragged dirt path to catch up with his friend. His black hair was as messy as always, but his electric blue eyes were filled with an energy they usually lacked at this early hour.
"I heard you already, Oliver. What is it?" Nate said calmly, trudging down the path, following Professor Fernburry.
"Quidditch Trials tomorrow, eh? You sure you can get Gryffindor to win this year?" Oliver asked. "Last year, Kincaid made us lose to Ravenclaw! Ravenclaw!"
"Yeah. I know. I was there too. Beater, remember? Captain, now." Nate said.
"I'm a Seeker, though! Best Seeker since Harry and James Potter!" Oliver boasted.
"Comparing yourself to the Harry Potter? You're quite full of yourself, aren't you, Fox?" A voice said behind the two Gryffindors. "And they call Slytherins vain!"
"Shove off, Evans." Nate snapped. "You've no business with us."
"Actually, I do. Y'see Slytherin Quidditch Trials are tomorrow, but apparently so are Gryffindor. Isn't that funny?" DJ stated.
"Hilarious. Seeing as I already booked the Pitch right after I received my Captains Badge." Nate said.
"I find that ironic that I did the same." DJ responded.
"Prove it th-!" Nate started, but Professor Fernburry's voice cut him off.
The silly, scatterbrained witch called attention to the class. "Welcome all! Stay behind me and watch your step."
Nate and Oliver sent a look at DJ that read: We'll finish this later.
The students followed the burly woman further into the forest. The group walked into a large clearing. A creature, a large glittering creature, stood, grazing in the forest clearing. The beast resembled a rather large oxen, except that instead of the brown it usually is, the ox was a glistening gold colour. The animal appeared to be oblivious to the presence of the class.
Nervous murmurs passed through the throng of students. What is it? What makes it gold?
Professor Fernburry gestured to the students to move out of the clearing. "Anyone know what that was?"
A hand shot in the air. "It's a Re'em!" Dominique Weasley called from the front of the group, her pixie cut hair was the signature Weasley red. Her faint French accent was just slightly noticeable. Many didn't even catch her slightly differentiated pronunciation of words.
"Correct, Ms. Weasley! 5 points to Ravenclaw." Professor Fernburry rewarded. "Now, I want you lot to feed the Re'em."
The professor flicked her wand and a bucket of apples were conjured before the class. Not normal apples, sparkling, luminescent apples as gold as the Re'em's hide.
A collective gasp issued from the class. "Yes, the golden apples of the Hespirides. Very rare, they are here in Britain and Europe alike, but they are not as rare- still rare!- but not as rare in the Asia and North America countries. That is why the Re'em is native to Asia and North America. Magical creatures flock to their favourite source of food."
"Feed it." Professor Fernburry continued. "These are very rare fruits, and they need to be fed to an even rarer animal. You have a limited supply, do not waste them. Two apples each student."
One by one, students retrieved their apples from the bucket.
"How d'you suppose we're gonna do this?" Nate asked Oliver.
"Dunno. But what's the worst that can happen? The old ox takes my apples?" Oliver replied easily, juggling the golden fruit in his hands. "I'm going to; theoretically, take the bull by the horns."
Eventually, the class had found themselves back in the clearing, where the Re'em was still comfortably nibbling at the grass. No one had tried to feed the Re'em yet.
"So, what was, ah, McGinty talking to you about at King's Cross?" Oliver asked nonchalantly.
"Nothing. Quiddtich, is all." Nate answered plainly.
"Didn't say anything about me?"
"Why would she?" Nate looked at his friend.
"No reason." Oliver brushed off his shoulder.
"Codswallop! None of you have tried to feed the ruddy beast yet?" Professor Fernburry called to the class. She was currently tossing bits of raw meat up at the sky where unknown animals snatched them up.
Oliver sighed. "If no one else is going to try, I will. Hold my cloak, will you?" He shrugged off his Hogwarts robes and stepped forward, his two apples in hand.
"Here, Oxy. Got some nice, juicy Hespirid fruit for you." Oliver crooned. He wasn't really sure what he was doing and he felt quite embarrassed just crouching in front of a stupid animal waving a flashy apple in its face.
"Come now, Oxy. You know you want some." Oliver said to the animal. The most reaction the Re'em ever showed was when he glanced up momentarily, took a whiff of the air and continued grazing.
Oliver sighed exasperatedly. "Come on, you stupid brute! Take the damned apples!" He tossed one of the apples at the Re'em.
Suddenly, the Re'ems nostrils flared and his eyes glowed bright yellow. Steam poured out of the beast's ears and nostrils. Strange behaviour, since the apple never touched the animal. The golden fruit rolled lamely on the ground.
"I thought oxen were the peaceful ones! The bulls are the only ones who charge!" Oliver cried as the Re'em pawed the ground, just as a bull would.
The Re'em surged forward, steam billowing out of its ears. It charged straight at Oliver. Fast as a jungle cat, Oliver leaped out of the way, but now before the Re'em made contact with his left shin.
Oliver tumbled into the ground and the Re'em circled for another charge.
"Immobulus!" Dominique shouted, her wand directed at Re'em. It immediately froze.
"Professor! Do something!" Orla Longbottom hollered at the professor. Professor Longbottom's daughter rushed to Oliver's side, along with Nate while other students stood at a respectable distance, giving them enough room.
"That lazy witch! Didn't bother telling us the stupid animal had a short temper!" Orla muttered frantically as she carefully removed Oliver's shoe. Nate was ripping away the bottom part of Oliver's pant leg away, so they could see the injury.
"Ow..." Oliver murmured lamely.
"'Ow'?" Nate chuckled. "That's all you have to say? You're so stupid, you know that, Fox?"
"I believe we figured that out a long time ago." Oliver said.
"Broken ankle." Orla announced.
By that time Professor Fernburry had just reached the group. "What happened?" She glanced at the frozen Re'em. "Look what you've done to the Re'em!"
"'Scuse me, Professor, but I appear to have a broken ankle. And there is only one Oliver Fox in the world!" Oliver said.
"Oh, hush, Mr. Fox. Longbottom, McClarke, take Oliver to the infirmary. I'll tend to the Re'em." Professor Fernburry dismissed the trio and hastily ran to the Re'em's aid.
Orla huffed. "No good professor. You take his arms, I'll take his legs. Dominique, get his stuff and come with us." She ordered and everyone listened.
"Why are you so heavy?" Nate complained as they hiked up the slope to the castle. "You're supposed to be light! You're a Seeker!"
"Maybe you need a little work on your upper body strength. Heard Bethany likes nice biceps." Oliver joked.
"Shut up, Oliver." Nate said. "Dominique. Don't you know some spell to carry Oliver?"
"Wingardium Leviosa, but I'm not sure if it'll hold a human." Dominique responded simply.
"Well, it's worth a shot, right?" Nate grunted and shifted a bit to make his hold on Oliver more comfortable. "I mean, he can only get more broken, no?"
"I suppose..." Dominique mused as if she was actually considering it. "It's a possi-"
"No! No, no. Let's not get Ollie here broken more than he already is." Oliver intervened. "Just suck it up, Captain. Orla here is holding up just fine."
Orla blushed. "Nothing to it, really. Just a lot of time moving furniture at the Cauldron."
"How is the Leaky Cauldron doing? My family hasn't been there in a while." Dominique said, as she walked alongside them.
"Erm, quite well. Mum's got a live band there now. Lots of business lately." Orla said. It's been very rare that they exchange words.
The group walk in silence until they reach the castle, except for Oliver, who'd begun watching the clouds. "Dominique, hold the door open for us."
Oliver gasped as an idea dawned on him. "Quidditch! What am I going to do! They're tomorrow! D'you think Madame Maurey can get me healed by then!"
"Of course, Madame Maurey can heal you! She's the best healer from St. Mungo's!" Orla reassured him.
But Oliver still looked doubtful. "But what if she makes me stay in bed for a week!" Oliver wailed. "That would be horrible!"
"A tragedy." Dominique said with a roll of her eyes. She pushed open the infirmary door. "Madame Maurey! Broken ankle, here!"
The plump witch with teakwood coloured skin hurried over. "Oh, dear, Fox. Another injury? What've you done this time?"
"A ruddy ox attacked my ankle, Madame. Can you heal it by tomorrow?" Oliver asked.
"Well, of course I can!" Madame Maurey said. "Put him down over there!"
Oliver sucked in his breath as they set him on the bed. Madame Maurey came over with a ceramic vial and a towel in her hands. "Move aside, move aside!" She instructed Nate, Orla, and Dominique.
"What's in the vial, Madame?" Orla asked curiously.
"A poultice. Helps the healing process." Madame Maurey replied. She rolled up the towel and handed it to Oliver. "Put that in your mouth and bite hard. The poultice will sting for a bit."
Madame Maurey said soothingly. "Alright. Worst part's over, Fox. You can stop your crying."
"I wasn't crying!" He said indignantly.
"Sorry, mate. But you were." Nate chuckled.
"So, uh, can I go now?" Oliver asked.
"Of course not! I'm not even done!" Madame Maurey said. She muttered a few spells and dabbed some more of the poultice on his ankle, which only made Oliver feel a slight searing pain. "There. Just stay here in bed over night. Than in the morning you can leave. You'll be alright for Quidditch Trials, I expect. Just don't try any stunts." She warned.
"Thank you, Madame!"
"Now, you lot. You'd best get out so Fox can get his rest." Madame Maurey ordered and the trio quickly filed out the door.
Next Morning
"Oliver! Wake up! Get up, you silly boy!" Madame Maurey urged.
"5 minutes, Mum!" Oliver issued his standard response.
"I'm not your mammy! Now get up!" Madame Maurey said. She sighed and put her hands on her hips. "QUIDDITCH TRIALS ARE TODAY, YOU LAZY BOLLOCK!" She bellowed.
"Jeez, woman. I'm up." Olive said, shoving his covers off him. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and leapt to his feet. "Ah, good as new. Good work, Lucia."
Madame Maurey laughed. "Get off to Trials, Fox."
"Right." He jogged backwards out the infirmary, saluting Madame Maurey on his way out.
"That boy..." Madame Maurey sighed.
Silly boy. Next chapter's Quidditch Trials! Yay!
I've grown fond of your characters. I'll give the initials of my favourites. AD, OF, LA, JM, NH, KG, EK. Oh, and Justin Finch-Fletchley. He's a hottie =]
Love, hate. Review, flame. Questions, suggestions.
-Dr. Asian -.-