The Best Ferret Ever!
Chapter 3
Saiyan Princess
This is a longer chapter than the others. I hope you like it!
Draco had a good sleep that night, without any attacks of pain. Madam Pomfrey
was very happy for both her and Draco's sakes.
"Sorry," she said, removing the old tape from Draco's legs. "I only have blue
tape left. Well, I also have pink, but I doubt you'll want that."
When she had finished attending to his limbs, Draco looked down. Now they
really looked like polo wraps! He trotted around a little, testing his gaits.
He was still sore, but the pain was not severe. Now he could focus on his
hunger. He hoped Snape would come pick him up soon. His little ferret stomach
was empty! When Snape did enter the infirmary, Draco was so happy that he
involuntarily emitted a little squeak.
"He slept all night," Madam Pomfrey reported cheerfully. "It's getting cold so
I lined his crate with wool and put some fleece blankets in it."
"He looks like he's feeling better," commented Snape as Draco leapt into his box.
Draco stared at his teacher with anxious eyes. Come on, he begged mentally, I'm
starving here!
Draco was glad to have a warm crate in the freezing Potions classroom. He was
slightly more relaxed now about other students seeing him as a ferret. When
his Potions class came in, a few Slytherins approached the crate to say hi.
The Gryffindors peered over, staring. A few giggled, but were silenced once
class began. Draco felt strong enough to listen to Snape's lecture carefully.
Soon, it was time for students to make their own potions.
"Mr. Malfoy, would you like to watch this part? It's an important potion."
Draco nodded and was taken over where a group of Slytherins were working.
"Look," whispered Neville excitedly. "It's Malferret!"
Ron and Harry looked over to where Draco lay on a desk, watching his fellow
house mates. Hermione glanced too, but not out of amusement. She had never
heard of the Animalis-Doloris potion. When Draco had been turned into a ferret,
she had gone to the library, but the book needed was in the restricted section.
Hermione's hand shot up.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"Professor, why are Draco's legs all taped up?"
"That question is not only tactless, Miss Granger, but also irrelevant to
today's lesson. Ten points from Gryffindor."
"Hermione, that was mean," Parvati scolded as the Gryffindors left the
dungeon.
"It was not," insisted Hermione. "I was only trying to learn."
"The Doloris must have done something to his legs. But really, who cares? It's
Draco, people," Ron said. "If one of us were turned into a ferret, he'd be
feeding us to his owl right now."
"I still think Snape should tell us about the Animalis-Doloris potion. It's
important now," Hermione complained.
Snape was circling Hogwarts, hoping to find some wayward students and ruin
their chances for receiving the House Cup (unless, of course, they were from
Slytherin). The ground was frozen solid, but no snow had fallen yet. Draco began
to make whining noises. Afraid that his student might be having another attack,
Snape peered into the crate. Draco jumped out of his confinement, landing neatly
at his teacher's feet.
"Do you want to walk around a little?" asked Snape.
The ferret nodded.
"All right, but don't go very far. I need to be able to hear you if you have an
attack."
Draco nodded again and scampered off. Snape continued to look for victims.
"Dumbledore's comin' o'er to see me today," said Hagrid, pouring tea for Ron,
Harry, and Hermione. "Says I might be able to get some new creatures fer the
class."
"That's, umm, wonderful, Hagrid," said Ron, hoping it would be something tame.
Suddenly they heard barking and shouting outside.
"I wonder what Fang's found now?" mumbled the huge man, lumbering outside.
The second Draco had looked up and seen the huge black boarhound, he'd known
he was too far away from Snape, who had called for him twice already. Now he
could feel the dog's breath on his back as he sprinted for his teacher. Snape was
yelling at the dog, and now Hagrid was too. Snape realized there was no way to
reach Draco in time. He pulled out his wand and fired a beam of light at the
large dog. He struck the animal's shoulder. It yelped, but kept limping after
the ferret.
"Don't 'urt 'em!" cried Hagrid desperately.
Ignoring the half-giant's wishes, Snape shot the dog again. This time, it fell.
Draco finally reached Snape and sunk to the ground from exhaustion. His legs
were burning now, and he was very relieved when Snape put him in his comfy
crate. Hagrid, meanwhile, was kneeling beside his whimpering boarhound.
"Yer 'urt 'em!" sobbed Hagrid accusingly. "Yer 'urt me poor little Fang!"
"Your 'poor little Fang' tried to eat one of my students!" snapped Snape.
"Fang was just tryin' to play," defended Hagrid. "It's what dogs do."
"I don't care! Your idiotic dog should not be trying to eat students! We should
have the leash law enforced here."
"I agree completely."
Snape, Hagrid, Ron, Hermione, and Harry whirled around to face Dumbledore.
"I understand they sell ferret halters in muggle pet shops."
The headmaster peered into the box Snape held. Draco had pulled one of the fleece
rags over himself and was resting his aching limbs.
"It seems to me, Mr. Malfoy," began Dumbledore, "that if you had simply come
when your house leader had called you, none of this would have happened."
The ferret shrank back.
"Don't you think your actions were a bit rash, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.
"What was I supposed to do?" yelled Snape. "Watch my student get eaten? I've
already had to tell the Malfoys that their son is a ferret. Do you want me to
have to tell them he became dog food too?"
"Don't get upset, Severus," said Dumbledore. "I'm just saying that you didn't
have to hurt the dog. You're usually more level-headed during emergencies. Are
you feeling all right?"
"I'm fine."
"Really? Filch tells me you check in on the Slytherins quite frequently during
the night. You must be tired."
"It's no different from when we thought Black was here, or when the Basilisk
was here. We patrolled then. My students are being threatened. I have to check
in on them."
"We'll have another staff meeting concerning this tonight. Now, you go get some
rest. Minerva can watch Mr. Malfoy until dinner."
"Really, I'm fine."
"Severus, you need to sleep, end of conversation. Hand over the ferret."
Snape reluctantly gave the box and a bottle of Anti-Doloris to Dumbledore.
Draco hated Professor McGonagall, but not as much as he hated Hagrid. She set
him on her desk.
"Let me tell you now, Mr. Malfoy, that Doloris aside, I think you are getting
exactly what you deserve. For once you cannot insult other students or staff."
To prove her wrong, Draco pinned his ears back and hissed. McGonagall glared at
him.
"Don't hiss at me, Mr. Malfoy. I expect you to sit quietly throughout the class."
Soon her third-years wandered in. They were Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Once
again, Draco had to tolerate the Gryffindors ogling and giggling. As the minutes
passed, the pain in Draco's legs got worse, probably from running. Approximately
a third through the class, Draco had an attack. McGonagall was caught off
guard, and had to fish the potion out of her robe pockets, then find the note
Snape had written telling her how much to give Draco, find the eyedropper,
measure out the correct amount, and feed it to the now-trembling ferret. The
pain, however, only faded a little bit, and came back just as strong ten minutes
later. Draco was about to squeak for help when a student screamed. He had just
turned his desk into a walrus. The girl beside him yelled and turned her pile
of paperclips into moths. Chaos broke out everywhere. Draco realized he was
never going to get McGonagall's attention in time. Fighting the pain, he crawled
out of his box and jumped to the floor. The jolt from landing only increased
the agony in his limbs, but he crawled on, out of the room, down the hall. He
was headed for Snape's classroom, but then remembered that the Potions professor
was resting. He turned and headed for the infirmary instead.
Once McGonagall had everything under control, she returned to her desk, hoping
to continue the lesson. She then noticed that Draco was gone.
"Stay here," she ordered. "Don't touch your wands until I get back. Don't move
a muscle."
Draco had not gotten far. She found him unconscious at the end of the hallway.
She muttered a word that she would never let her students use, and rushed off
to the hospital ward with the ferret in her arms.
"He's coming to now."
Draco slowly woke up. Someone was dabbing his head with a damp cotton ball. He
opened his eyes.
"Hello there," said Madam Pomfrey softly. "You had a very bad attack. I told
Severus not to let you over-exert yourself."
"I don't know what happened," McGonagall moaned, knuckles to her lips.
"From what you've told me," said Madam Pomfrey calmly, "I'd say he had another
attack right when the chaos started, couldn't get your attention, and tried to
make his way here."
Draco nodded.
"I'm going to keep him here. When Severus is done resting, tell him that Mr.
Malfoy is here," the nurse added.
McGonagall groaned. "Severus is going to kill me."
She wasn't very wrong, either. He did not take the news well as they entered
the dining hall.
"You didn't notice he was having an attack?" demanded Snape incredulously.
His attempt on McGonagall's life was cut short when a threat appeared near
the ceiling.
"Severus...it's dinnertime...do you know where all your students are?"
Snape did a quick headcount. Everyone was there. He counted again to make sure.
Everyone was there...except Draco! He was still in the infirmary! Snape and
McGonagall (Minerva was feeling a little guilty), hurried to the hospital ward.
When the two professors entered, a huge tiger was about to pounce on a tasty-
looking little white ferret. Madam Pomfrey was helpless, paralyzed with fear.
McGonagall changed the tiger into a cat, and left
Hogwarts to relocate it. (It IS an endangered species, after all.) Snape took
the frightened ferret back with him to the dining hall.
"Well?" asked Dumbledore.
"There was a tiger in the hospital ward. It tried to eat him," Snape explained.
The room was very silent. Many of the Slytherins were near tears.
"I don't want any of my students walking alone. You must be in groups of four
or more, or with a teacher, no exceptions," ordered Snape firmly.
The Slytherins nodded in agreement. This was one rule they weren't eager to
break.
"What do you want us to do, Severus? I know you're concerned about your students,
but what do you think can be done?" asked Dumbledore.
"Why hasn't there been any investigation?" demanded Snape. "If this happened
to any other house, or if Harry Potter was suffering from the Animalis-
Doloris potion, every teacher and prefect would be required to stalk the halls
at night. No expense would be spared to find the person who poisoned him, and
you know it!"
"Severus, please calm down."
"No! I will not allow my students to be killed!"
There was an uncomfortable silence as all the teachers hesitantly glanced at
Professor Sprout, who chewed her lip and stared at the table. After a moment,
Dumbledore gently began speaking again.
"I would suggest that you have all of your students sleep in their common room
so they're all together. You may sleep in one of the spare rooms that are on
that floor."
"There aren't any there."
"We'll make one. You'll be close by so you won't have to get up every other
hour to check on them. I'll contact the Ministry and tell them what has been
going on."
"Contact them now."
"All right, Severus," sighed Dumbledore.
He lit a candle and placed it in the center of the table. He summoned Fudge,
whose head soon appeared in the flame.
"What can I do for you, Albus?"
"Well, the Slytherin house has been getting threats, and one of our students
was turned into a ferret with the Animalis-Doloris potion."
"The Malfoy boy, right. We got a visit from a very angry Lucius Malfoy today.
I daresay you'll be getting one soon too."
"Has anything strange happened lately?"
"Actually, yes, but it's important that the news not be reported to the press
yet. Understand?"
"Of course."
"What about all your staff?"
Fudge looked around at all the teachers, who mumbled their promises.
"A little over two weeks ago, Moody was found to be missing. Two teenage boys
admitted to putting Insania potion in his coffee. It was a very high concentration.
That's all we know so far."
"It has to be Moody!" claimed Snape. "He hates me, and my students, especially
Mr. Malfoy."
"Severus, if it is him, don't you have Anti-Insania?" asked McGonagall hopefully.
"Yes, but we have to catch him first."
Snape returned to the Slytherin House, where his students were waiting for him.
He told them that Moody was suspect, even though Dumbledore had told him not to.
Upon hearing the old man's name, the Slytherins immediately agreed that Moody
was probably the one threatening them.
"Now," Snape began, "You're all going to sleep in here, the common room, for
safety." He paused to conjure up a bunch of green sleeping bags. "You're going
to sleep in a circle-like formation. First-years, you sleep in the middle of the
circle."
The eleven-year-olds were glad to hear that. They grabbed sleeping bags and gathered
in the middle of the common room. Older students started moving furniture against
the walls. The second-years were also in the middle, and the higher years grouped
around them. Snape put Draco's box with the seventh-years. After the tiger, he
was not keen on leaving Draco with just the nurse. Soon, everyone was settled
down.
"I'll be in this room," Snape told his students, pointing to a new door. "If
anything happens, or if Mr. Malfoy has an attack, just knock. As a warning, I
will put female students on one side of the room and males on the other if
there are any 'problems.' Goodnight."
Next chapter: The tables have turned and now Draco is being picked on! The
Malfoys come visit their son, and the search for Moody begins!
Chapter 3
Saiyan Princess
This is a longer chapter than the others. I hope you like it!
Draco had a good sleep that night, without any attacks of pain. Madam Pomfrey
was very happy for both her and Draco's sakes.
"Sorry," she said, removing the old tape from Draco's legs. "I only have blue
tape left. Well, I also have pink, but I doubt you'll want that."
When she had finished attending to his limbs, Draco looked down. Now they
really looked like polo wraps! He trotted around a little, testing his gaits.
He was still sore, but the pain was not severe. Now he could focus on his
hunger. He hoped Snape would come pick him up soon. His little ferret stomach
was empty! When Snape did enter the infirmary, Draco was so happy that he
involuntarily emitted a little squeak.
"He slept all night," Madam Pomfrey reported cheerfully. "It's getting cold so
I lined his crate with wool and put some fleece blankets in it."
"He looks like he's feeling better," commented Snape as Draco leapt into his box.
Draco stared at his teacher with anxious eyes. Come on, he begged mentally, I'm
starving here!
Draco was glad to have a warm crate in the freezing Potions classroom. He was
slightly more relaxed now about other students seeing him as a ferret. When
his Potions class came in, a few Slytherins approached the crate to say hi.
The Gryffindors peered over, staring. A few giggled, but were silenced once
class began. Draco felt strong enough to listen to Snape's lecture carefully.
Soon, it was time for students to make their own potions.
"Mr. Malfoy, would you like to watch this part? It's an important potion."
Draco nodded and was taken over where a group of Slytherins were working.
"Look," whispered Neville excitedly. "It's Malferret!"
Ron and Harry looked over to where Draco lay on a desk, watching his fellow
house mates. Hermione glanced too, but not out of amusement. She had never
heard of the Animalis-Doloris potion. When Draco had been turned into a ferret,
she had gone to the library, but the book needed was in the restricted section.
Hermione's hand shot up.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"Professor, why are Draco's legs all taped up?"
"That question is not only tactless, Miss Granger, but also irrelevant to
today's lesson. Ten points from Gryffindor."
"Hermione, that was mean," Parvati scolded as the Gryffindors left the
dungeon.
"It was not," insisted Hermione. "I was only trying to learn."
"The Doloris must have done something to his legs. But really, who cares? It's
Draco, people," Ron said. "If one of us were turned into a ferret, he'd be
feeding us to his owl right now."
"I still think Snape should tell us about the Animalis-Doloris potion. It's
important now," Hermione complained.
Snape was circling Hogwarts, hoping to find some wayward students and ruin
their chances for receiving the House Cup (unless, of course, they were from
Slytherin). The ground was frozen solid, but no snow had fallen yet. Draco began
to make whining noises. Afraid that his student might be having another attack,
Snape peered into the crate. Draco jumped out of his confinement, landing neatly
at his teacher's feet.
"Do you want to walk around a little?" asked Snape.
The ferret nodded.
"All right, but don't go very far. I need to be able to hear you if you have an
attack."
Draco nodded again and scampered off. Snape continued to look for victims.
"Dumbledore's comin' o'er to see me today," said Hagrid, pouring tea for Ron,
Harry, and Hermione. "Says I might be able to get some new creatures fer the
class."
"That's, umm, wonderful, Hagrid," said Ron, hoping it would be something tame.
Suddenly they heard barking and shouting outside.
"I wonder what Fang's found now?" mumbled the huge man, lumbering outside.
The second Draco had looked up and seen the huge black boarhound, he'd known
he was too far away from Snape, who had called for him twice already. Now he
could feel the dog's breath on his back as he sprinted for his teacher. Snape was
yelling at the dog, and now Hagrid was too. Snape realized there was no way to
reach Draco in time. He pulled out his wand and fired a beam of light at the
large dog. He struck the animal's shoulder. It yelped, but kept limping after
the ferret.
"Don't 'urt 'em!" cried Hagrid desperately.
Ignoring the half-giant's wishes, Snape shot the dog again. This time, it fell.
Draco finally reached Snape and sunk to the ground from exhaustion. His legs
were burning now, and he was very relieved when Snape put him in his comfy
crate. Hagrid, meanwhile, was kneeling beside his whimpering boarhound.
"Yer 'urt 'em!" sobbed Hagrid accusingly. "Yer 'urt me poor little Fang!"
"Your 'poor little Fang' tried to eat one of my students!" snapped Snape.
"Fang was just tryin' to play," defended Hagrid. "It's what dogs do."
"I don't care! Your idiotic dog should not be trying to eat students! We should
have the leash law enforced here."
"I agree completely."
Snape, Hagrid, Ron, Hermione, and Harry whirled around to face Dumbledore.
"I understand they sell ferret halters in muggle pet shops."
The headmaster peered into the box Snape held. Draco had pulled one of the fleece
rags over himself and was resting his aching limbs.
"It seems to me, Mr. Malfoy," began Dumbledore, "that if you had simply come
when your house leader had called you, none of this would have happened."
The ferret shrank back.
"Don't you think your actions were a bit rash, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.
"What was I supposed to do?" yelled Snape. "Watch my student get eaten? I've
already had to tell the Malfoys that their son is a ferret. Do you want me to
have to tell them he became dog food too?"
"Don't get upset, Severus," said Dumbledore. "I'm just saying that you didn't
have to hurt the dog. You're usually more level-headed during emergencies. Are
you feeling all right?"
"I'm fine."
"Really? Filch tells me you check in on the Slytherins quite frequently during
the night. You must be tired."
"It's no different from when we thought Black was here, or when the Basilisk
was here. We patrolled then. My students are being threatened. I have to check
in on them."
"We'll have another staff meeting concerning this tonight. Now, you go get some
rest. Minerva can watch Mr. Malfoy until dinner."
"Really, I'm fine."
"Severus, you need to sleep, end of conversation. Hand over the ferret."
Snape reluctantly gave the box and a bottle of Anti-Doloris to Dumbledore.
Draco hated Professor McGonagall, but not as much as he hated Hagrid. She set
him on her desk.
"Let me tell you now, Mr. Malfoy, that Doloris aside, I think you are getting
exactly what you deserve. For once you cannot insult other students or staff."
To prove her wrong, Draco pinned his ears back and hissed. McGonagall glared at
him.
"Don't hiss at me, Mr. Malfoy. I expect you to sit quietly throughout the class."
Soon her third-years wandered in. They were Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Once
again, Draco had to tolerate the Gryffindors ogling and giggling. As the minutes
passed, the pain in Draco's legs got worse, probably from running. Approximately
a third through the class, Draco had an attack. McGonagall was caught off
guard, and had to fish the potion out of her robe pockets, then find the note
Snape had written telling her how much to give Draco, find the eyedropper,
measure out the correct amount, and feed it to the now-trembling ferret. The
pain, however, only faded a little bit, and came back just as strong ten minutes
later. Draco was about to squeak for help when a student screamed. He had just
turned his desk into a walrus. The girl beside him yelled and turned her pile
of paperclips into moths. Chaos broke out everywhere. Draco realized he was
never going to get McGonagall's attention in time. Fighting the pain, he crawled
out of his box and jumped to the floor. The jolt from landing only increased
the agony in his limbs, but he crawled on, out of the room, down the hall. He
was headed for Snape's classroom, but then remembered that the Potions professor
was resting. He turned and headed for the infirmary instead.
Once McGonagall had everything under control, she returned to her desk, hoping
to continue the lesson. She then noticed that Draco was gone.
"Stay here," she ordered. "Don't touch your wands until I get back. Don't move
a muscle."
Draco had not gotten far. She found him unconscious at the end of the hallway.
She muttered a word that she would never let her students use, and rushed off
to the hospital ward with the ferret in her arms.
"He's coming to now."
Draco slowly woke up. Someone was dabbing his head with a damp cotton ball. He
opened his eyes.
"Hello there," said Madam Pomfrey softly. "You had a very bad attack. I told
Severus not to let you over-exert yourself."
"I don't know what happened," McGonagall moaned, knuckles to her lips.
"From what you've told me," said Madam Pomfrey calmly, "I'd say he had another
attack right when the chaos started, couldn't get your attention, and tried to
make his way here."
Draco nodded.
"I'm going to keep him here. When Severus is done resting, tell him that Mr.
Malfoy is here," the nurse added.
McGonagall groaned. "Severus is going to kill me."
She wasn't very wrong, either. He did not take the news well as they entered
the dining hall.
"You didn't notice he was having an attack?" demanded Snape incredulously.
His attempt on McGonagall's life was cut short when a threat appeared near
the ceiling.
"Severus...it's dinnertime...do you know where all your students are?"
Snape did a quick headcount. Everyone was there. He counted again to make sure.
Everyone was there...except Draco! He was still in the infirmary! Snape and
McGonagall (Minerva was feeling a little guilty), hurried to the hospital ward.
When the two professors entered, a huge tiger was about to pounce on a tasty-
looking little white ferret. Madam Pomfrey was helpless, paralyzed with fear.
McGonagall changed the tiger into a cat, and left
Hogwarts to relocate it. (It IS an endangered species, after all.) Snape took
the frightened ferret back with him to the dining hall.
"Well?" asked Dumbledore.
"There was a tiger in the hospital ward. It tried to eat him," Snape explained.
The room was very silent. Many of the Slytherins were near tears.
"I don't want any of my students walking alone. You must be in groups of four
or more, or with a teacher, no exceptions," ordered Snape firmly.
The Slytherins nodded in agreement. This was one rule they weren't eager to
break.
"What do you want us to do, Severus? I know you're concerned about your students,
but what do you think can be done?" asked Dumbledore.
"Why hasn't there been any investigation?" demanded Snape. "If this happened
to any other house, or if Harry Potter was suffering from the Animalis-
Doloris potion, every teacher and prefect would be required to stalk the halls
at night. No expense would be spared to find the person who poisoned him, and
you know it!"
"Severus, please calm down."
"No! I will not allow my students to be killed!"
There was an uncomfortable silence as all the teachers hesitantly glanced at
Professor Sprout, who chewed her lip and stared at the table. After a moment,
Dumbledore gently began speaking again.
"I would suggest that you have all of your students sleep in their common room
so they're all together. You may sleep in one of the spare rooms that are on
that floor."
"There aren't any there."
"We'll make one. You'll be close by so you won't have to get up every other
hour to check on them. I'll contact the Ministry and tell them what has been
going on."
"Contact them now."
"All right, Severus," sighed Dumbledore.
He lit a candle and placed it in the center of the table. He summoned Fudge,
whose head soon appeared in the flame.
"What can I do for you, Albus?"
"Well, the Slytherin house has been getting threats, and one of our students
was turned into a ferret with the Animalis-Doloris potion."
"The Malfoy boy, right. We got a visit from a very angry Lucius Malfoy today.
I daresay you'll be getting one soon too."
"Has anything strange happened lately?"
"Actually, yes, but it's important that the news not be reported to the press
yet. Understand?"
"Of course."
"What about all your staff?"
Fudge looked around at all the teachers, who mumbled their promises.
"A little over two weeks ago, Moody was found to be missing. Two teenage boys
admitted to putting Insania potion in his coffee. It was a very high concentration.
That's all we know so far."
"It has to be Moody!" claimed Snape. "He hates me, and my students, especially
Mr. Malfoy."
"Severus, if it is him, don't you have Anti-Insania?" asked McGonagall hopefully.
"Yes, but we have to catch him first."
Snape returned to the Slytherin House, where his students were waiting for him.
He told them that Moody was suspect, even though Dumbledore had told him not to.
Upon hearing the old man's name, the Slytherins immediately agreed that Moody
was probably the one threatening them.
"Now," Snape began, "You're all going to sleep in here, the common room, for
safety." He paused to conjure up a bunch of green sleeping bags. "You're going
to sleep in a circle-like formation. First-years, you sleep in the middle of the
circle."
The eleven-year-olds were glad to hear that. They grabbed sleeping bags and gathered
in the middle of the common room. Older students started moving furniture against
the walls. The second-years were also in the middle, and the higher years grouped
around them. Snape put Draco's box with the seventh-years. After the tiger, he
was not keen on leaving Draco with just the nurse. Soon, everyone was settled
down.
"I'll be in this room," Snape told his students, pointing to a new door. "If
anything happens, or if Mr. Malfoy has an attack, just knock. As a warning, I
will put female students on one side of the room and males on the other if
there are any 'problems.' Goodnight."
Next chapter: The tables have turned and now Draco is being picked on! The
Malfoys come visit their son, and the search for Moody begins!