A/N: Written for Hogwarts Assignment 2 - English Language Studies: task 4 - Write about a situation/scenario in which someone is having to bite the bullet.

Warning: pet illness and death

Word count: 416

Neville couldn't decide who it was harder to look at: Fang, who was flopped over in his bed like he had fallen down and didn't have the energy to move, or Hagrid, who had tears streaming down his face and dampening his beard. Neville's gaze flickered between them like it would grow easier, but it didn't.

He'd been visiting Hagrid's hut with increasing regularity since Fang's health began declining. He knew it was a matter of time. The whole Hogwarts staff did, with many of the other teachers avoiding Hagrid lest he burst into tears as he'd already done once during dinner.

"Hagrid," Neville began, his gaze fixating on the fireplace. "I think it's time."

He didn't need to clarify what it was time for. Though Neville had yet to outright suggest giving Fang the potion Pomfrey had told him about several weeks before, Hagrid had been thinking about it himself. Neville looked at the dog again. He'd hardly moved since Neville arrived; he didn't have the energy to. Just the day before, Neville had watched Hagrid help the dog drink because Fang couldn't make it to the water bowl and drink by himself.

A few days before that, there'd been a terrible accident that Neville had smelled the traces of the second Hagrid had opened the door. Thankfully, a quick spell had taken care of the smell, but there was nothing left to help Fang.

"I can't," Hagrid said, but he sounded resigned. He didn't want it to be time, but he knew it was.

"He's lived a long life, Hagrid," Neville said. He was relieved that Hagrid was looking at Fang instead of him, but it didn't make it much easier to get the words out. "And Madam Pomfrey promised that it wouldn't hurt. It will be like he's going to sleep."

Hagrid sniffled, and Neville cringed before trying to cover it by scratching at his face.

"I remember when Trevor died," he added, as much to keep them from an uncomfortable silence as to comfort Hagrid. "He had a lot of the same signs as Fang. He stopped wanting to eat, and he was getting smaller. Losing him was hard, but I was kind of relieved to know that he wasn't in pain anymore."

Hagrid sobbed, and Neville overcame his discomfort to step forward and lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Will you help me take him up to Pomfrey?" he asked in a choked voice.

Neville took a deep breath. "Of course."