Chapter Two - Hagrid's Laugh
Ginny caught up with Colin Creevey at Hagrid's tuition pen.
"Where were you this morning?" jeered the Ghast sisters, the identical pony-tailed busy-bodies from Hufflepuff. Ginny ignored them as Hagrid addressed the class.
"Now then, the Bloatie-Spiders we nested last month have begun tae hatch. So I'll be needin' all of you to split into pairs and separate out the Spiders, for it seems they eat each other when born. Off yer go. And don't forget to wear the Gloves this time Colin!"
Colin sidled up to Ginny, trying to hide his bandaged finger he picked up last week. "What have you got there Ginny?" he asked earnestly. "Harry posters?"
"What? Oh good grief, no!" Ginny unfurled one of the scrolls and showed him.
"Looks like an evil rat?" said Colin.
"Looks more like a Fang-Toothed Snaggle if yer ask me," chimed in Hagrid, who had brought over the gloves especially.
"Well, Hermione thought you might like to look at them. Dunno why." flustered Ginny.
"Oh well, aye. They're very nice. Been in the library studying them then?"
"Oh no! I just thought about them, and decided to draw one. Saw it whilst..."
"...Daydreaming eh? That's not so good." Hagrid suddenly looked concerned. Colin and Ginny stared at him.
"Why? Bad news is it? I suspect it's something to do with Harry!" beamed Colin.
"Oh dear no, please..."whispered Ginny, embarrassed at both Colin sounding so daft and even more so that Colin may actually be right.
"Ok everyone, go help the spiders. Colin, go help the Ghast girls will ye please? I need a quiet word with wee Ginny here." Colin went of grumbling to the horrid twins whilst Ginny was taken aside.
"W-What does it mean sir?" muttered Ginny, feeling a little sick inside.
"Och, you don't have to look so worried. The Snaggle appears to those seeking guidance. But they're not too reliable, so any daydreams that appear with big ugly rats in, you have to ignore." smiled Hagrid.
"So they're not dangerous?" whispered Ginny.
"Well, sometimes, but not really, if you ignore them."
"How - how are they in my head?"
"They're not. They project their thoughts out, sometimes for miles."
"But why me?" Ginny was shaken now. She remembered when voices in her head had almost gotten Harry killed before.
"Because? Well, you're probably not feeling too great. And that thing last year, well... You are just vunerable to them that's all. They are only being inquisitive really. To be honest, I think they only want to be friends, as they seem to take pity on their victims." said Hagrid gently.
"So, how are they dangerous?"
"Ginny. Look, they only... they only really go after those who no-longer have, well..." Hagrid looked embarrassed, but Ginny fixed him with a stare, half-intrigue and half-fear. "Ginny, perhaps ahm not the one ye should be telling this too... Are you ok? Do you feel, well, happy?" Ginny thought about her morning, the long walk and the warm sun. All of that beauty, yet somehow, she felt so numb and detached.
"Kind of... well, I'm not sure really... why?" Ginny replied.
Hagrid took a deep breath. Staring sternly into her watery eyes, he stated "Snaggles prey on empty souls. Bodies of those who have given up on life." He squatted down so his face was level with Ginny's and stared compassionately into her eyes. "Ginny, they take those who feel like, well, ending it. Ending their lives."
Ginny felt the numbness again, and a thundering, pounding filled her ears. Through this icy barrier, Ginny saw everyone, heard Hagrid's words and could respond and act as normal. But somehow, it really did not seem to sink in. And within about thirty seconds, the sensation of utter desolation subsided, replaced by waves of warmth and happiness. Wordlessly, she hugged Hagrid, tears streaming down her face.
"Thankyou Hagrid," cooed Ginny, "You've... identified what it was... I feel like poo!" She giggled, and Hagrid pulled himself upright again, and gave her a cautious look. Ginny ignored the fact that the class were staring at them. "Oh dear... that's the second teacher I've thanked today - and the last one was Snape! Yuck!" she beamed.
Hagrid's laughter boomed across the grounds, even causing the frisky spiders to stop fidgeting momentarily. "You'll be fine gal. Tell yer what - as you've gotten your scrolls and inks already, why not draw the hatchlings eh?" smiled a benevolent Hagrid.
And despite Colin embarrassing her with his madcap antics with his friends and the snide comments from the Ghast sisters, Ginny drew some nice sketches of her friends having fun as the sky turned a beautiful orange over Hogwarts.
Ginny caught up with Colin Creevey at Hagrid's tuition pen.
"Where were you this morning?" jeered the Ghast sisters, the identical pony-tailed busy-bodies from Hufflepuff. Ginny ignored them as Hagrid addressed the class.
"Now then, the Bloatie-Spiders we nested last month have begun tae hatch. So I'll be needin' all of you to split into pairs and separate out the Spiders, for it seems they eat each other when born. Off yer go. And don't forget to wear the Gloves this time Colin!"
Colin sidled up to Ginny, trying to hide his bandaged finger he picked up last week. "What have you got there Ginny?" he asked earnestly. "Harry posters?"
"What? Oh good grief, no!" Ginny unfurled one of the scrolls and showed him.
"Looks like an evil rat?" said Colin.
"Looks more like a Fang-Toothed Snaggle if yer ask me," chimed in Hagrid, who had brought over the gloves especially.
"Well, Hermione thought you might like to look at them. Dunno why." flustered Ginny.
"Oh well, aye. They're very nice. Been in the library studying them then?"
"Oh no! I just thought about them, and decided to draw one. Saw it whilst..."
"...Daydreaming eh? That's not so good." Hagrid suddenly looked concerned. Colin and Ginny stared at him.
"Why? Bad news is it? I suspect it's something to do with Harry!" beamed Colin.
"Oh dear no, please..."whispered Ginny, embarrassed at both Colin sounding so daft and even more so that Colin may actually be right.
"Ok everyone, go help the spiders. Colin, go help the Ghast girls will ye please? I need a quiet word with wee Ginny here." Colin went of grumbling to the horrid twins whilst Ginny was taken aside.
"W-What does it mean sir?" muttered Ginny, feeling a little sick inside.
"Och, you don't have to look so worried. The Snaggle appears to those seeking guidance. But they're not too reliable, so any daydreams that appear with big ugly rats in, you have to ignore." smiled Hagrid.
"So they're not dangerous?" whispered Ginny.
"Well, sometimes, but not really, if you ignore them."
"How - how are they in my head?"
"They're not. They project their thoughts out, sometimes for miles."
"But why me?" Ginny was shaken now. She remembered when voices in her head had almost gotten Harry killed before.
"Because? Well, you're probably not feeling too great. And that thing last year, well... You are just vunerable to them that's all. They are only being inquisitive really. To be honest, I think they only want to be friends, as they seem to take pity on their victims." said Hagrid gently.
"So, how are they dangerous?"
"Ginny. Look, they only... they only really go after those who no-longer have, well..." Hagrid looked embarrassed, but Ginny fixed him with a stare, half-intrigue and half-fear. "Ginny, perhaps ahm not the one ye should be telling this too... Are you ok? Do you feel, well, happy?" Ginny thought about her morning, the long walk and the warm sun. All of that beauty, yet somehow, she felt so numb and detached.
"Kind of... well, I'm not sure really... why?" Ginny replied.
Hagrid took a deep breath. Staring sternly into her watery eyes, he stated "Snaggles prey on empty souls. Bodies of those who have given up on life." He squatted down so his face was level with Ginny's and stared compassionately into her eyes. "Ginny, they take those who feel like, well, ending it. Ending their lives."
Ginny felt the numbness again, and a thundering, pounding filled her ears. Through this icy barrier, Ginny saw everyone, heard Hagrid's words and could respond and act as normal. But somehow, it really did not seem to sink in. And within about thirty seconds, the sensation of utter desolation subsided, replaced by waves of warmth and happiness. Wordlessly, she hugged Hagrid, tears streaming down her face.
"Thankyou Hagrid," cooed Ginny, "You've... identified what it was... I feel like poo!" She giggled, and Hagrid pulled himself upright again, and gave her a cautious look. Ginny ignored the fact that the class were staring at them. "Oh dear... that's the second teacher I've thanked today - and the last one was Snape! Yuck!" she beamed.
Hagrid's laughter boomed across the grounds, even causing the frisky spiders to stop fidgeting momentarily. "You'll be fine gal. Tell yer what - as you've gotten your scrolls and inks already, why not draw the hatchlings eh?" smiled a benevolent Hagrid.
And despite Colin embarrassing her with his madcap antics with his friends and the snide comments from the Ghast sisters, Ginny drew some nice sketches of her friends having fun as the sky turned a beautiful orange over Hogwarts.