Friday September 8th 2020:

Bustling their way through detention ended up being even worse than Albus and Scorpius had imagined. While they were aware of the laboring work ahead of them, not once did they do a chore together. Knowing how close they were, they had no doubts that Professor McGonagall purposely had them separated at all costs to let their punishments truly settle in.

The only times the pair were in each other's company was when they woke up, went to classes, feasted in the Great Hall, and when they finally got some sleep.

Albus was craving to visit Hagrid. His visits over at his hut were becoming less and less frequent over the school years, and be believed it to be long overdue. The only recent visits he had with Hagrid were from his classes, and he had requested him to visit as often as he could. The only question was, how was he going to escape Filch's clutches? Knowing Filch, he would give him as much work as he possibly could. If it weren't for McGonagall constantly insisting to him that the students needed food, Filch would most likely let them work until they starve. If he wanted to visit Hagrid, supper time would be his best bet.

Tucking into as much food from the Dining Hall as he could muster in such a short amount of time was not an easy task, but Albus knew that Hagrid's cooking was not going to satisfy his appetite.

"Oi! You always get on my case about stuffing my face."

Scorpius stood behind Albus, crossing his arms and shaking his head in disapproval, but with a clear smirk on his face.

Albus carefully swallowed a large piece of chicken. "I have to hurry. This might be my only chance to visit Hagrid today."

"Oh, you're visiting Hagrid! That's great to hear."

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me this time?"

Scorpius shook his head with a sad smile. "I still don't think he likes me very much. Especially now that I, you know, dropped Care of Magical Creatures for Ancient Runes."

"But--"

"Don't worry about me, mate. You have a great time." Scorpius smiled warmly.

Albus did not argue. The two boys looked at each other, having the strong urge to hug, but instead they promised they would see each other again that night, and Albus departed the Hall, wishing he stole back the Invisibility Cloak from James for good measure.

XXX

Albus gave the door of the wooden hut a firm knock and anxiously waited for an answer. What if Hagrid was too upset with him to open up? Yes, Hagrid was the one to invite him today, but what if it was too late?

The door unbolting open with the half-giant's arms reaching out greeting put an end to Albus' fears.

"Well, if it ain' me favorite Potter!" Hagrid said. "Su'prisin' ter see yeh again fer a visit. Wha' can I do fer yeh?"

"You've already said it," Albus said. "I wanted to visit."

"Don' jus' stand 'bout then. Come on in," Hagrid encouraged, opening the heavy wooden door to allow entry of his guest.

Albus wandered over to the table in the centre left of the shack, and the sound of whistling from a tea kettle emanating from the fireplace.

"Perfec' timin'," Hagrid said, removing the kettle from the fire with one of his mitted hands holding the bottom and his other around the handle. "Care fer some tea, Albus?"

"Sure," Albus said, his eyes searching every nook and cranny of the small interior. The last time he had been in this very spot was when he had tea with Hagrid early in his third year, and that was already a while ago; he nearly forgot just how humble and relaxing it all was. It still smelled of campfire wood crossed with cheese and wet dog.

As Hagrid thoughtfully poured his guest some tea, Albus smelt that wet dog smell even closer and noticed that it was Hagrid's developing bloodhound greeting him.

"Hello there, Rascal," Albus greeted, scratching behind the hound's floppy ears.

The dog barked audibly with his tail wagging delightedly and rolled over on his back so the teen could then scratch his belly instead.

"So, got yerself into a lotta trouble, didn' yeh?" Hagrid inquired, elevating a bushy eyebrow as he sat down opposite of Albus.

For a second, Albus was silently questioning the purpose of the third cup in between them with tea already poured, but decided to answer Hagrid's question instead. "That's an understatement," he scoffed, maintaining his agile scratching of the canine's belly. "Just before I got here, Scorpius and I had to clean out hundreds of empty ornate candelabras in each corridor of the school."

"Sounds like fun," Hagrid laughed.

"Absolutely," Albus wisecracked, followed by a chuckle.

"Scorpius wanted to come, but he seems convinced that you don't like him."

Hagrid looked uncomfortable. "He's a nice kid, his dad though, he was summat else."

"He's not his dad though," Albus said defensively.

"I know," Hagrid said, not so convincingly. "I know yeh two are close an' all, so he can come over whenever he wants ter."

For so long, Albus was convinced that Scorpius was falsely overthinking Hagrid's views of him, but now there seemed to be proof of his fears. That upset him more than it should have.

After taking his first sip of tea, the half-giant said, "I'm glad yeh chose ter come on by. I've bin meanin' ter intr'duce yeh ter someone."

The thought of meeting somebody new distracted Albus from his thoughts concerning Scorpius and Hagrid. "Hopefully and presumably not to a person?"

"Nah," Hagrid confirmed, swatting the air with his dustbin hand. He turned on his heel to reach for something in the far-end corner by the hearth of the fireplace.

Hagrid returned with a large domed shell that fit into the size of his hands. The shell was carved with jewels, bringing a lot of color to its otherwise ashen features. Large grey claws and hard scale legs barely unveiled themselves out of their protective space inside the shell.

"I'm sure yeh know what feisty critter this is," Hagrid said. He cautiously set the shelled creature on the table, centrally located between the gap of their tea cups.

"Is that… a Fire Crab?" Albus' predicaments were pushed to the side completely from the sight of a new creature to behold.

Hagrid laughed. "Knew yeh would get it righ'!".

"They're very rare," Albus said, studying the creature. "Their shells are incredibly valuable, so wizards have been after these little guys for centuries."

"Yeah, shame innit?" Hagrid said, his expression tone suddenly more solemn. "And do yeh know why they're known to be dangerous?"

"When provoked, they can shoot fire from its backside."

Hagrid's mood was uplifted yet again. "Yeh truly know yer stuff. If this were class, I'd give yeh abou' a dozen house points!"

"Will we be reviewing them eventually?" Albus asked eagerly.

"Can' tell yeh. Tha''s secret, tha' is," Hagrid dismissed.

To anyone else, that may have been a giveaway that Fire Crabs were indeed going to be covered eventually, but Albus knew Hagrid well enough to know that there was also the possibility that he was keeping this creature in secret.

"Here, try feedin' him,'' Hagrid persuaded, passing Albus a small jar brimful of small worms, "but firs' yeh gotta wear these." He then handed Albus some dragon-hide gloves.

For teaching standards, Hagrid was pretty vague when it came to instructions. He would lend his students some helpful hints about the creatures, including what they were called, what the dangerous outcome

would be, and how not to be attacked. While he certainly gave the advice, he was never very in depth, leading to most students slipping up because of one little detail he would forget or not bother to include.

With Albus, he practically never gave him advice. Just like at this very moment, he would have his black eyes transfixed on him and not provide any advice, as if Albus was working on an O.W.L. or N.E.W.T.. Having Hagrid examine him so attentively felt pressuring, so he focused on the critter still mostly concealed under its shell.

Albus made sure that he did not show any fear and to not make any unexpected movements. He was not scared of the supposedly fierce magical crab, mostly because he understood him; a living being hiding under their shell and becoming angry and defensive when an intruder makes the wrong move. With that in mind, he reached a gloved hand into the jar to pull out a worm. He very slowly outstretched the squirming worm towards the critter and saw that its tortoise-like head was idly poking out from its shell. Albus pulled back into his seat so he could give off as much space as he could.

Nothing happened for a whole minute until the critter swiftly swiped the squirming insect from Albus' protected fingers with its pinchers and started eating.

"Well done, Albus! Well done!" Hagrid congratulated, clapping.

Albus smiled ear to ear in pride, and appreciative that he was all in one piece.

"I knew Flame Pinchers here would like yeh, but I didn' know he would tha' fas'. Jus' like Sky Glider!"

"Flame Pinchers?" Albus said, amused.

"Yep. Tha''s wha' I called him," Hagrid said, feeding his new pet a worm.

"Not bad," Albus said, sipping his tea.

In the midst of the sound of slurping and Flame Pincher's claws ticking, there came a light knock at the door. Rascal left his spot resting next to Albus' feet and ran to the door, barking at it.

"Ah, righ' on time as always," Hagrid said pleasantly, hastily making his way over to the door.

"What?" Albus asked, suddenly unnerved. Ironically this dismayed him more than facing the Fire Crab that could possibly incinerate him.

Suddenly forgetting, Hagrid replied, "Oh, well, I was already expectin' company before yeh got here. Her name's Abby. I think yeh'll like her." He winked, and that puzzled Albus, but he swore he knew that name from somewhere.

The door opened, and in emerged a teenaged girl with a glowing olive tan complexion and honey-blonde hair bound up in a high ponytail. That's when Albus did remember her: the kind and pretty Gryffindor that spoke to him after his flight on Sky Glider in his former year. She was taller than he last saw her, but just as cute.

"Hi Hagrid! Hi Rascal!" Abby curtsied, gleefully. Rascal hopped on her legs and whined, pleading for her affection. Her blithesome smile grew greater from seeing Albus and her already rose-tinted cheeks ablazed even brighter. "Hi, Albus! I wasn't expecting to see you here. Especially in Hogwarts, since I haven't seen you on the train or in the carriages. I was kind of worried."

"Well, I'm here. Ta-da!" Albus had no idea why he was unanticipatedly acting so Scorpius like.

"Great!" Abby shouted, over enthusiastically. To make the current mood feel less quaint, she searched around the hut for something else to discuss until she saw Flame Pinchers, now back in his special little bed by the hearth of the fireplace. "Is that a Fire Crab?"

Abigail walked over for a better view, not listening to Hagrid or Albus' warnings. The alarmed critter blasted a flame from its rear-end towards her. Favorably, she dodged the attack just in time with a yelp. "Well, that answered my question."

Albus laughed while steering Abigail closer to the table. He could tell that Hagrid must have been so used to damage being done in his house, seeing how he did not bother to do anything about the scorch mark now branded on the wall, and he did not even seem to react.

"Albus over here jus' hit it off with the little guy. Without one shot o' flame bein' launched his way," Hagrid stated, reclaiming his seat.

Claiming her own seat in between Albus and Hagrid, Abigail stared at the other teen in awe. "Really? That is brilliant! You really do have a gift for understanding creatures."

"Thanks." Albus blushed.

"Yer tea is already poured, Abby. One lump o' sugar. Jus' how yeh like it," Hagrid said, indicating the filled teacup between him and Albus.

"Oh, you are too sweet," Abby said, politely curling her index finger inside the teacup's handle, almost dropping it from glancing over at Albus.

"Su'prisin' that neither o' yeh hang out of'en," Hagrid said.

"Well, he's been dealing with a lot, especially lately," Abigail said, viewing Albus with empathy. Albus simpered yet again, obliged with how tolerant and non-judgemental she was.

It remained that way for the adjoining minutes. They all have partaken in tea while discussing magical creatures and ordinary subjects. First, Abigail told her teacher about all of the latest creatures she read up about and how she wanted to see them all. Hagrid demonstrated to her as much as he could, and even volunteered to feed Flame Pinchers herself, and she did well, up until she cheered in enthusiasm from her success and earned a jet of flame thrown her way. Luckily her dragon-hide gloves prevented any damage as she used them to shield her face.

She also spoke about how talented her father was at Quidditch, and how she attempted to be the Gryffindor team's Chaser, but miserably failed at it.

Commonly Albus did not enjoy company, but he very much adored Abigail, and he accepted that everything about her company fit in quite well with him and Hagrid.

Casually peering over at the clock while speaking with Abigail, Albus gasped. "My word! It's already getting pretty late. I have to get back or Filch will kill me."

"I best be going as well," Abigail said.

"Well, I ain' holdin' yeh two back, ain' I? Go on inside and I'm sure I'll be seein' yeh both soon," Hagrid said, stacking together their empty teacups.

Albus tightly hugged Hagrid, and Abby did the same.

The two students escorted themselves outside with the door closing behind them and Rascal whining. Abigail was about to leave until Albus stopped her. "Hey, um, Abby?"

"Yes?" Abby asked, politely.

"I haven't even taken you up on your offer of hanging out yet," Albus said, blameworthy, "but I should have. I'm coming back for a visit tomorrow, and I was wondering if you would come with me? I don't exactly have much free time though."

"Are you kidding? Of course!" Abigail answered without a single falter.

"Okay, great," Albus said, smiling. "See you then."

"Sounds great, but perhaps you should have saved your goodbyes for until we've reached the school? You know, since we're going the same way."

"Oh, yeah," Albus said, shyly.

Abigail only giggled and strolled along with him.