Chapter 15
When the other students began to assemble outside the hut, Hagrid ushered the three outside to join the class. Today in Care of Magical Creatures Level 6, the Gryffindors and Slytherins were together. This match up was not exactly the favorite of either house, but it occurred often. Hagrid followed after the three, immediately losing his previous apprehension as he strode over to the class.
"Bearogs! What do yuh all know bout them?" Hagrid asked in a booming voice.
Hermione raised her hand "A rather unusual creature that resembles a bear in many ways, except for the 2 heads and 6 legs. "
"Exactly!" Hagrid paused. "Today we will be a'groomin the two bearogs I've got so that they can puff up for wintertime."
Draco Malfoy, looking pale as usual, gave a disgusted snort, "That's house elves work, why should we have to do it?"
Hagrid frowned "Well cuz a house elf would be mauled almost immediately if it came up to one o' these cubs. also, bearogs get pretty cranky if thur not groomed in time for winter."
Draco stared at the cubs a frightened twitch coming to his left eye. Currently the cubs were mock fighting, rolling around on the ground, letting out vicious play squeals.
"Well let's er see. how's about yuh all split off inter two groups, and we can get started." Hagrid said. Upon following his words, the two houses immediately grouped up, eager to not have to work with one another. Hagrid gave an uncomfortable chuckle, "A'right then. Gryffindors, why don't yuh choose yer bearog to groom."
Before the Gryffindors could decide though, a Slytherin stepped foreward, "Why can't we choose first?" they demanded to know.
Hagrid frowned, "Uh, sure let's let Slytherin have first pick today. which cub will it be?" Draco, being the appointed ringleader of the 6th year Slytherins, chose the male cub. Hagrid beamed, "A'right this is Effervo," He snapped a metal collar around the cubs neck and attached a leather leash, he handed the lead to Draco. "Take him to the right corner of the pen, and make sure he sits still a moment." Draco and the other Slythrins followed their orders and dragged the cub to their assigned corner. Hagrid snapped a similar color and lead to the other cub, the female called Mellitus, and told the Gryffindors to take her to the left corner of the pen. Once the two groups had managed to move their bearogs, Hagrid began handing out tools.
"Now's yuh don wanna scare em, so be real gentle-like." Hagrid held up a file and clippers, "These be fore those claws, watch out, Effervo has a tendency to thrash a bit, he don't like his claws cut." Hagrid gave each group the declawing tools and then pulled out two brush sets and what appeared to be sheep shearers. "Yur gonna need to brush em up real good, then you'll clip down to the light gray fuzz. Careful not to hit the skin, otherwise, I can't tell yuh the results'll be pleasant." He warned.
Hagrid continued to lecture, explaining how the bearogs sometimes liked a song sung to them while they were groomed, though only the Gryffindors heard them because the Slytherins had already begun trying to groom Effervo who was thrashing about letting out furious bleats. Hagrid strode over, "Sing tuh him! It'll calm him down!" The Slytherin group looked at Hagrid as if he was insane. "Jus try it!" But still the Slytherins refused to sing. Hagrid was flustered by their defiance.
"Oy Hagrid!" Came a voice from behind them. Harry turned around from the grooming chore. Leaning on the fence was Katherine Evans, she had a grin to her face and her gray eyes were dancing with amusement. "Let me guess, Bearogs, 101?"
Hagrid beamed, "Yuh."
The girl looked at the struggling Effervo, she hopped the fence gracefully and trotted over, hands behind her back. She looked at the younger students, "You guys try singing to him?"
"We're not going to sing to the stupid bear." Malfoy said with a sneer.
"Bearog." Katherine corrected and crouched down. She extended a hand to pet the cub and narrowly missed getting slashed. "Easy now." She whispered, starting to hum a tune. The cub stared at her with widened eyes, bleating still. Katherine's voice came out gentle as she sang an old minstrel's tune, namely called Greensleeves. "Alas my love ye do me wrong, To cast me out discourteously, And I have loved you for so long, Delighting in your company." As she sang, the cub calmed entirely, it slowly rocked back and forth, emiting a little yawn. "Greensleeves was all my joy, Greensleeves was my delight, Greensleeves was my heart of gold, And who but lady Greensleeves." And as her voice drifted off, so did the Effervo, his head was hung down low as he dozed. Katherine grinned standing up. "There, try grooming him now."
The Slytherins scowled, and started their work for the day, there were quiet mutters of the girl being a harpy or a vela or something of the like, a creature that hypnotized with song. Katherine just smiled and looked to Hagrid who was wiping a tear from his eyes. "Yuh always did sing so pretty Miss Evans."
Katherine gave a look of mock disgust, "Me? Naw. I just do it for the cubbies." She laughed. "You mind if I watch your lesson today? I have some free time."
Hagrid smiled, "Sure."
Katherine hopped up onto the fence, giving a wave to Hermione who was trying to pull a comb through Mellitus's bushy fur. She waved sheepishly back and continued struggling with the comb.
When the other students began to assemble outside the hut, Hagrid ushered the three outside to join the class. Today in Care of Magical Creatures Level 6, the Gryffindors and Slytherins were together. This match up was not exactly the favorite of either house, but it occurred often. Hagrid followed after the three, immediately losing his previous apprehension as he strode over to the class.
"Bearogs! What do yuh all know bout them?" Hagrid asked in a booming voice.
Hermione raised her hand "A rather unusual creature that resembles a bear in many ways, except for the 2 heads and 6 legs. "
"Exactly!" Hagrid paused. "Today we will be a'groomin the two bearogs I've got so that they can puff up for wintertime."
Draco Malfoy, looking pale as usual, gave a disgusted snort, "That's house elves work, why should we have to do it?"
Hagrid frowned "Well cuz a house elf would be mauled almost immediately if it came up to one o' these cubs. also, bearogs get pretty cranky if thur not groomed in time for winter."
Draco stared at the cubs a frightened twitch coming to his left eye. Currently the cubs were mock fighting, rolling around on the ground, letting out vicious play squeals.
"Well let's er see. how's about yuh all split off inter two groups, and we can get started." Hagrid said. Upon following his words, the two houses immediately grouped up, eager to not have to work with one another. Hagrid gave an uncomfortable chuckle, "A'right then. Gryffindors, why don't yuh choose yer bearog to groom."
Before the Gryffindors could decide though, a Slytherin stepped foreward, "Why can't we choose first?" they demanded to know.
Hagrid frowned, "Uh, sure let's let Slytherin have first pick today. which cub will it be?" Draco, being the appointed ringleader of the 6th year Slytherins, chose the male cub. Hagrid beamed, "A'right this is Effervo," He snapped a metal collar around the cubs neck and attached a leather leash, he handed the lead to Draco. "Take him to the right corner of the pen, and make sure he sits still a moment." Draco and the other Slythrins followed their orders and dragged the cub to their assigned corner. Hagrid snapped a similar color and lead to the other cub, the female called Mellitus, and told the Gryffindors to take her to the left corner of the pen. Once the two groups had managed to move their bearogs, Hagrid began handing out tools.
"Now's yuh don wanna scare em, so be real gentle-like." Hagrid held up a file and clippers, "These be fore those claws, watch out, Effervo has a tendency to thrash a bit, he don't like his claws cut." Hagrid gave each group the declawing tools and then pulled out two brush sets and what appeared to be sheep shearers. "Yur gonna need to brush em up real good, then you'll clip down to the light gray fuzz. Careful not to hit the skin, otherwise, I can't tell yuh the results'll be pleasant." He warned.
Hagrid continued to lecture, explaining how the bearogs sometimes liked a song sung to them while they were groomed, though only the Gryffindors heard them because the Slytherins had already begun trying to groom Effervo who was thrashing about letting out furious bleats. Hagrid strode over, "Sing tuh him! It'll calm him down!" The Slytherin group looked at Hagrid as if he was insane. "Jus try it!" But still the Slytherins refused to sing. Hagrid was flustered by their defiance.
"Oy Hagrid!" Came a voice from behind them. Harry turned around from the grooming chore. Leaning on the fence was Katherine Evans, she had a grin to her face and her gray eyes were dancing with amusement. "Let me guess, Bearogs, 101?"
Hagrid beamed, "Yuh."
The girl looked at the struggling Effervo, she hopped the fence gracefully and trotted over, hands behind her back. She looked at the younger students, "You guys try singing to him?"
"We're not going to sing to the stupid bear." Malfoy said with a sneer.
"Bearog." Katherine corrected and crouched down. She extended a hand to pet the cub and narrowly missed getting slashed. "Easy now." She whispered, starting to hum a tune. The cub stared at her with widened eyes, bleating still. Katherine's voice came out gentle as she sang an old minstrel's tune, namely called Greensleeves. "Alas my love ye do me wrong, To cast me out discourteously, And I have loved you for so long, Delighting in your company." As she sang, the cub calmed entirely, it slowly rocked back and forth, emiting a little yawn. "Greensleeves was all my joy, Greensleeves was my delight, Greensleeves was my heart of gold, And who but lady Greensleeves." And as her voice drifted off, so did the Effervo, his head was hung down low as he dozed. Katherine grinned standing up. "There, try grooming him now."
The Slytherins scowled, and started their work for the day, there were quiet mutters of the girl being a harpy or a vela or something of the like, a creature that hypnotized with song. Katherine just smiled and looked to Hagrid who was wiping a tear from his eyes. "Yuh always did sing so pretty Miss Evans."
Katherine gave a look of mock disgust, "Me? Naw. I just do it for the cubbies." She laughed. "You mind if I watch your lesson today? I have some free time."
Hagrid smiled, "Sure."
Katherine hopped up onto the fence, giving a wave to Hermione who was trying to pull a comb through Mellitus's bushy fur. She waved sheepishly back and continued struggling with the comb.