A/N: I don't own Harry Potter
This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Word Count: 608
Hagrid brought his blade over the piece of wood in his hand. Little slivers of the wood fell to the ground as he carved out the basic shapes. He'd taken up whittling once he'd been expelled. He'd needed something to do with his large hands since he could no longer use his wand.
He'd gotten decent enough at it, having whittled a whistle that let out something resembling a note. He'd even managed to carve a handle for his umbrella that now hid the pieces of his broken wand. Sometimes they still worked, but don't tell anyone that.
Now, he was working on his biggest project. This one too was for someone else, someone he hoped to impress with his skills with a knife and piece of fallen tree branch. Poppy Pomfrey had always been kind enough to him.
She'd let out that she liked birds- song birds especially. She liked to listen to them singing as she wrapped bandages, prepared tonics, and fixed up the multitude of students who came through her infirmary every day.
Hagrid hadn't planned on making the piece, but he'd come across a branch that had come down in the latest round of thunderstorms. It was willow, a soft and pale wood, one that would look amazing carved and sealed with a lacquer.
He smiled as he'd brought the branch home and started working on it. He sat in front of his cabin, knife in hand, working as he watched Fang chase the gnomes who kept trying to get into his pumpkin patch. Buckbeak had always been good about keeping the pest away.
He missed Buckbeak, but the hippogriff was long gone at this point. He'd set him free during the battle and he hadn't returned. Hagrid understood, but at the same time, he did miss the beast. Maybe it was for the best he hadn't returned.
The branch was nearly finished being carved now. It was still in a branch shape, only half of it was now carved to look like song birds sitting on a branch. Hagrid was hoping Filius could enchant them to sing for Poppy. He had a feeling she would enjoy that a lot. He set the piece down, studying it. His skills had gotten better with practice. The birds now looked very much like the real thing, right down to the feathers on the tips of their wings. He picked up the piece and headed to the castle. Filius should be free at this hour to see about enchanting it.
Poppy blinked as she looked at the lumpy package on her desk. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with cream colored twine. She hadn't been expecting anything today. Slowly, she unwrapped it, her eyes widening in shock as she beheld the beautifully whittled piece before her. It was six birds, she could even tell which kind they were, sitting on a branch.
Each one had it's little beak open. She smiled as she saw a note fall from the package. She immediately recognized the handwriting. Hagrid. He really was a sweet man, at least when he wasn't trying to breed dangerous creatures. She made a note to see if he wanted to have tea the next day.
If he'd taken all the time to make this, then maybe she could make a bit of time to get to know him even better. She'd just finished hanging the piece on the wall when it started chirping, announcing the hour. That sealed it, she would speak with Rubeus Hagrid that very evening and invite him to tea. She was not going to take no for an answer.
